XO Bistro - MacTaggart — Restaurant in Terwillegar Heights

It had been over 10 years since I last enjoyed bún riêu at any Vietnamese restaurant. This dish has always held a special place in my heart, but it’s not one I can easily recreate at home. Over the years, I’ve been on the hunt for it, and my friends and family know how much I adore it. So, when I heard that XO Bistro served bún riêu, my husband and I decided to make the 30-minute drive to their south location, even though we had no other reason to be in that part of the city. We went purely to see if the rumors were true.

The moment we stepped inside the restaurant, we were greeted by a stunning giant cherry blossom tree, which immediately caught my eye. To my delight, the server seated us right underneath it, adding to my excitement. As soon as I opened the menu, it didn’t take long to spot the dish I’d been longing for. I was ready to order within minutes.

We started with the rice paper spring rolls as an appetizer. My husband ordered pho, and, of course, I went straight for the bún riêu. When the spring rolls arrived, they looked unassuming, like any typical spring roll. But the moment we bit into their soft yet crunchy layers, we realized three rolls weren’t nearly enough. They disappeared within seconds.

Not long after, our noodle soups arrived. The first spoonful of my bún riêu brought back a flood of memories. Words can’t fully capture how incredible it tasted or how comforting it made me feel. My husband later commented that not a single word was spoken between us for a solid half hour as we savored our bowls.

As for his pho, he couldn’t stop raving about the broth. He spent the first 10 minutes just sipping it, ignoring the noodles and beef balls entirely because the flavor was so satisfying on its own.

I’m beyond thrilled to know that bún riêu is finally available somewhere in the city again. While the south location is a bit of a trek for us, XO Bistro has officially become our go-to spot for Vietnamese food. Everything about the experience was...

We had been here more than 4 times. I love the rice bowl, my son love the spring rolls. I love the ambience and overall atmosphere where the servers are polite. But Kiana and the other server that served along with her today sabotaged my experience at this place today. The place was empty when we enter today, Kiana came, showed us to where we should sit with the menu and threw it on the table before she left. My son commented perplexed: she put the menu down and just left! I brushed that aside because I assumed that the place has been great, it will continue to be so. Oh,but she didn't wait to prove how wrong I was to think that is the case. She came back after we sat ourselves to ask if we needed a few minutes more. Of course we do, we just sat! She went into the direction of the kitchen and took her own sweet time to come out. We waited so long that I had to go looked for her to tell her we were ready to order. But I saw her enjoying a good talk with someone in the kitchen, so not to spoil her good time, we waited. When I saw the other server, I told her we were ready to order, she said something uncomprehensable and left. Kiana came after more waiting, took our order and left. She came back to ask how was the food and left, just like a routine without waiting for our response. She returned to grab our done dishes when we were almost done. So, she should know we almost finish? Well, I'm wrong again. By the time we finished and we're looking at her to ask for our bill, she were in her own world at the bar. There were only two other groups of customers although I noticed that there are some takeout orders. But when it was busier than this before, the servers has kept their manners. Last but not least to what happened today which had sabotaged my experience here is that Kiana did not even say thank you after my husband paid and tipped her. I would have to think more than twice before going back here no matter how much I...

XO’s non-traditional take on Vietnamese cuisine, and moody but minimal Art Deco interior come together for a unique, delicious and memorable experience.

To start we ordered the Oxtail Fries and Pork, Chicken, Shrimp, and Beef Skewers with Sesame. For entrees we ordered the large Bun Bo Hue (spicy lemongrass beef broth and thick rice noodles) and the Combo #3 Rice Bowl with pork.

The oxtail fries were TOOOOO good, the fries on their own are great but in combination with the oxtail gravy, jammy egg yolk and green onion — it was delectable! The skewers was also amazing! The smokiness of each meat is to die for and totally worth the splurge (as it’s $3-4/skewer and they’re kind of small). The meats also pair super well with the peanut-curry sauce on the side.

The Bun Bo Hue was super yummy, and HUGE! Definitely fit for two. I’ve never had this kind of broth before, but I enjoyed how fresh the lemongrass flavour was. The thick noodles were also really enjoyable. Surprisingly, the rice bowl ended up being my favourite dish! It was such a wonderful medley of flavours. The veggies were really fresh, the meat brings in that smoky element and their fish sauce takes it to the next level.

On a separate occasion, for takeout I tried the Spicy Salted Egg Yolk Prawn. While this dished was very expensive and arguably overpriced ($22 for 4 shrimp 😏) — the shrimp and side salad was BUSSINNNN. The flavour of the shrimp is really unique, and I would honestly order the salad on its own it was that good!

Given the price, quality of food AND ambience — XO Bistro is a really gem. Beyond their impressive menu, they also have: a private dining room, heated outdoor patio, massive luxe booths, a wicked drink menu, and it will be open till 1 AM starting in May… it’s giving enjoyment, and I can’t lie, XO Bistro might have made its way onto my...