A hungry group of seven intrepid eaters got together to revisit this somewhat upscale place for Vietnamese food.
We ordered a bunch of dishes, everything at least good, but it was a couple of weeks ago and I’m a little fuzzy on the details. One thing I don’t like about Present is the menu with its reverse design using white lettering on a black background. KInd of a PITA to order from as a group. We were contemplating a whole fish, but we balked at the $90 price tag.
The notable dishes for me were the ‘autumn rolls.’ with lacy and crunchy wrappers that did not seem fried/oily. These should be everywhere but aren’t. Pictured here:
I also like how extremely tender their bo luc lac is. Here, it is a luxurious dish. And quite saucy:
We ordered a dish of caramelized ribs, their version of ‘turmeric fish’ (cha ca thang long). and a few others. Maybe someone else on HO who joined in the fun can fill in the details. I enjoyed all other dishes though didn’t find them exceptional or thrilling.
It was a daunting menu with way too many choices. I especially liked Smokey Petal, the baby clams sauteed with beef and served with rice crackers. And the soft shelled crab, I think maybe Rare Pearl in a Tamarind Sea?
Agree with you that the food was mostly good, not terribly exceptional. Fun crowd, though!
We went there awhile ago after a coworker raved about it, but neither of us were wowed. Granted, it was just once, just lunch & just the two of us, but your write up doesn’t make me want to run back either. Although those lacy things look interesting. Do you remember what was inside?
The inside of the autumn roll was what you’d expect from a spring roll.
Nearby, Bep Viet does anything with pork wonderfully. They have a pork belly simmered in coconut milk which is sinful. And as I’ve said before their grilled pork banh mi, especially ordered with a fried egg, is far and away the best banh mi I’ve ever had.
I went to Present a couple times a few years ago and only two things really stood out. The “oh so cute” names for the dishes and the beauty of a couple of the waitresses. The ao dai is sublime when worn by a fit woman.
I was sorry to see newer photos and the waitresses do not seem to be wearing the Vietnamese ao dai’s any longer. Or at least the review photos made it seem that way.
The funny thing about the cute dish names is that I have been told that they are translations of the locals names for the dishes in Vietnam. I wonder if that is true?
bò lúc lắc is usually translated as shaky beef on Vietnamese menus, and that is the literal translation. At Present, it is called Cow on the Open Field.
Maybe they shiver from the cold in an open field?
I don’t know what an “ao dai” is, but I’m pretty sure our waiter wasn’t wearing one.
I would doubt the veracity that those Names are translated from Vietnamese. I think someone was trying to come up with whimsical Names. Silly really.
Most of the Vietnamese Names on the Menu are pretty much what the Dish is eg:
Gà Xào Sả Ớt / Stir-Fried Chicken with Lemongrass and Chilli not Gregarious Lemongrass Chicken
Bò Nhúng Dấm / Beef Dipped in Vinegar not Adventurous Bull
Cá Chiên Nước Mắm Gừng / Fried Fish with Ginger Fish Sauce not Fish in Emerald River
