Sincero Cafe — Restaurant in Revelstoke

Worst restaurant experience I’ve had in a very long time and incredibly unfortunate as we’re local and actually enjoyed the food.

I’ve been in the hospitality industry for over 20 years and never seen such poor management. This business lost future customers over a $12 spring roll.

We arrived, looked at the menu and took them too the counter to order. I ordered 2 portions of summer rolls with a lemongrass chicken bowl. The woman serving me (the only person behind the till at that time) told me they only had 1 portion left so I said that would work and we would cut them in half for our table of 6.

The food arrived and we got up to collect it. I noticed there were rice paper rolls on my order, not the summer rolls. Andy the gentlemen now at the front desk told me that was what I ordered. I explained it wasn’t and that I ordered the summer rolls (which are actually air fryer spring rolls). He insisted I had ordered the fresh spring rolls and that they had made the correct order. Once again I explained I hadn’t and would like the exchange them for the item I ordered. He told me that they would be 20 minutes and that they had already made the fresh spring rolls so I should have them. Prawn rice paper rolls are completely different to deep fried pork rolls. I explained we didn’t want the prawn rolls and would just take a refund. He told me they don’t do that. Once again I asked for a refund as I understand it is a basic right if the order is not correct. He said he wasn’t willing to give me one as they had given me the correct order. At this point, the original woman behind the counter spoke up and explained she thought she had made the mistake and put the wrong order into the till. Andy then turned to the employee and said, ‘you pay for that then. That will come out of your wage’. She obviously agreed and the awkward silence was palpable. At this point I had heard enough, absolutely no chance I’m taking money from a server who made a simple mistake. Mistakes are made, however the way they are dealt with is all that matters. I returned the fresh spring rolls to Andy as it was not what I had ordered, but refused reimbursement. He asked me again for my card as I started to walk away and I once again I said I didn’t want either the reimbursement or the wrong order.

I retuned to the table and started my meal. I can not fault the meal after that, the lemongrass chicken was exactly what I ordered and tasted good. The server then came over to the table half way through the meal and left $12 on the table. When I explained I simply couldn’t take it, she explained she understood but asked if I would allow her to leave it there. She said ‘please don’t bring it back to the front desk. If you don’t want it leave it on the tray’. The scene had been caused and I didn’t want anymore interaction so left the money on the table, finished the meal and left.

Today Sincero made $12 out of a customer but will never see another dollar from any of the 6 members dining in our group. We certainly won’t be taking or recommending our guests there. The experience soured me and the backlash and story that ensued of over what was a minor issue...

My credentials: Vietnamese-American hailing from one of the great Vietnamese food meccas of North America, Houston TX, been eating Viet food for 40 years and have had it dressed up and dressed down and everything in between. We've been in Revelstoke and have eaten at Sincero 3x in 3 days -- that's how much I love the food here.

The first time we went here I ordered the bun thit nuong (lemongrass pork noodle bowl). The first bite took me back to my childhood, I distinctly remember the first time I ever had this meal because I originally begged my dad to get us McDonald's (I was a child, what did I know) while he ate his bowl. Well once he let me have a bite of his food I begged to switch lol. I hadn't thought about this memory in a long time and that should tell you how good Sincero's version is. The star of the show is the pork, which is beautifully charred (many places mess this up! The char is crucial). The presentation is nice with everything piled high, just how I like this dish.

The next day I came back for banh mi sandwiches and iced Vietnamese coffees. This combo is kind of the perfect lunch and Sincero does a wonderful job with it. I'm told they make everything from scratch so assume they bake the baguettes, which are perfectly crusty and with the right texture for banh mi. Flavors are excellent and the coffee is as you'd find in the most popular Viet cafes. No complaints, would probably eat this meal 2-3x a week if I lived here.

Our final trip here we split the bun bo hue (spicy beef soup) and beef pho. I'm happy to see bun bo hue here and I wonder if many non-Viets order it since it's not pho. Conceptually it's the same, a beef-based broth but spicier and a different kind of rice noodle. The pho was also delicious, broth flavor was excellent and had a great mouthfeel, not too salty and not too fatty.

The meat in the pho and really all the meat they use here are all high quality. The pho's beef fat disintegrated in my mouth, it was just that tender and moist. The pork in the bun thit nuong is cut thicker so you get a more satisfying bite (I really dislike how many places opt for thinner cuts of the pork because they are using inferior quality meat). I spent some time chatting with the owner and this is his passion and the people of Revelstoke are lucky to have this place. I'm betting that this place become legendary after this year's ski season -- seriously! I've had Viet food in Vancouver and it's great but there is something to Sincero that feels super authentic and high quality, kind of like having food made for you by family instead of someone just...

Review: ★☆☆☆☆ (1 out of 5 stars)

I recently visited Sincero Cafe, hoping for a delightful pho experience. Unfortunately, my visit turned into a frustrating ordeal due to the incredibly long waiting time.

Upon arrival, the ambiance seemed pleasant, and I was looking forward to savoring some delicious pho. However, my excitement quickly turned to disappointment as I found myself and many other people waiting for what seemed like an eternity until we found out they only had one or more chief.

After what felt like an age, I was finally served the pho was tepid at best. The broth lacked depth and flavor, making it clear that little effort was put into its preparation. The meat was overcooked and tough or undercooked.

After I got the bill it was over 100$ for 4 bowls of pho and a small sub (for family).

Throughout my entire dining experience, I noticed the staff's lack of concern for customers' satisfaction, further adding to my frustration. It was evident that they were overwhelmed and unable to handle the crowd efficiently due to the lack of employes.

Regrettably, I cannot recommend Sincero Cafe to anyone seeking a satisfying pho experience. The combination of lengthy waiting times, and food makes this restaurant a disappointing choice. I hope the management takes steps to address these issues and improve their service quality in the future.

For people thinking it is good it's either you haven't tasted Good Pho or you like this kind of taste I would not recommend it for Aisan as some have different tastes different from Canada or other Countries...