Dzô Viet Eatery — Restaurant in Toronto

Very strange dining experience that I would not like to go through again.

When we arrived, the lower level of the restaurant was a pop-up market for local vendors, so our party of 9 was sat at the upper level. To set the scene, there were only two other tables dining at the time: a table of two and a table of four, both of which had already received their meals.

Prior to ordering, we were told that there would be a mandatory 18% gratuity fee added to our bill due to the size of our party. No problem, we get it.

We order a Nhau Drinking Platter, tacos, sliders, and a dry pho with beef to start. Half the options for the tacos and sliders are not available so we order duplicates of some just to feed the table. Tacos, sliders, and dry pho came out in a timely manner but then we were presented with the question "Would you like to order anything else?"

???

We asked about our Nhau Drinking Platter and apparently it was missed. It happens. We brush it off and order it again. The platter consists of ribs, prawns, skewers, and chicken slaw for $79.

After a considerable amount of time, the server comes back to ask, "We are out of chicken slaw. Would you like to substitute with mango salad?"

Us: "Is there a different option?"

Server: "No."

Us: "Ok...mango salad it is."

Not the restaurant swapping out a protein and still charging us full price.

The platter itself is enough to feed maybe 4 people, so we order some more food.

By this point, we are the only table dining at the upper level. We have one main server and there are two or three other servers that come around to refill water or bring dishes to the table. They are kind and polite, but honestly they spent the majority of their time setting up the DJ booth.

Our food takes a hot minute to arrive. The Shaking Beef Rice Plate we ordered had actually arrived on a sizzling plate that did not sizzle. Didn't even steam. Not sure if it was meant to be served that way but we expected a bit more pizzazz. Other than that lacklustre moment, the overall presentation of each dish was decent for photos.

Anyway, the restaurant may have redeemed this experience with its flavours, but all 9 of us agreed it was quite underwhelming. The salt content though was overwhelming. No wonder so many servers kept refilling our waters.

Oh, and it was a curious choice not to devein the deep-fried prawns that were part of the Drinking Platter.

We are nitpicking at this point—and I wish I didn't have to write this disappointing review—but with an 18% mandatory gratuity fee for delayed service and mediocre food.....IDK, this place ain't for me. Hope it gets better for the rest of...

TARO FRIES 2/5 MOST OF IT WAS SUPER CRUNCHY BUT DRY INSIDE & LACKED FLAVOUR. I THINK IF THEY SPRINKLE A BIT OF SALT OR DO A HOUSE SPECIALTY SEASONING ON IT WOULD HELP BOOST SOME FLAVOUR. HOWEVER, BC THE FRIES WERE SO DRY, OVERCOOKED AND THE INSIDES WERE HOLLOW (AS OPPOSED TO A POTATOE FRY BEING CRISPY OUTSIDE AND FLUFFY INSIDE), TRY SLICING THEM & MAKING A CHIP & DIP OR HAVE A HOUSE SEASONING?

SPRINGROLLS W.TARO/TOFU 2/5 FIRST OFF, GREAT SHELL! ITS CRISPY AND AESTHETICALLY PLEASING TO THE EYES LOVE THE PRESENTATION IN THE CUTE MINIATURE TRADITIONAL SHOULDER BASKETS! IT WAS A BIT OILY BUT WHAT DO YOU EXPECT FROM SOMETHING FRIED!? THE FILLING I FOUND WAS A BIT TOO STARCHY (TARO MUNG BEAN/GREEN BEAN). THE TOFU CAN USE A LITTLE FLAVOURING AS IT WAS SO HIDDEN, WE FORGOT IT WAS IN THERE!

PHOTINE - POUTINE W.A TWIST! 4/5 THIS WAS A HIT! LOVED THE FLAVOURS, IDEA & EXECUTION! ONLY THING ID SAY IS MAKE THE GRAVY THICKER. WE LOVED THE CHARRED BEEF SLICES! MMM THAT SMOKEY BBQ TASTE! GREST PHO-POUTINE FUSION HERE!

FRIED RICE WITH VIETNAMESE PORK 5/5 CAN I JUST EAT A WHOLE LARGE TRAY OF THIS!? IT WAS ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS! WHO THOUGHT A SIMPLE FRIED RICE DISH COULD BE SO TASTY! MY MOM MAKES THEM AT HOME JUST LIKE THIS BUT WITH A BIT OF BLACK PEPPER. I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THE LARDON PIECES (MY INNER FATTY) AND WOULD LIKE A BIT MORE GRILLED PORK PIECES TO ENHANCE THE FLAVOURS, OR EVEN DRIZZLE SOME OF THAT NEM NUONG SAUCE IN THERE! MMM! THIS WAS ONE OF OUR FAVOURITE AND BEST FRIED RICE DISH EVER!

GRILLED LEMONGRASS BEEF SKEWERS 5/5 ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS AND THEY’VE GOT THAT BBQ CHARRED TASTE SPOT ON! OH I MISS THAT TASTE FROM VIETNAM! DIDN’T TASTE THE LEMONGRASS AS MUCH (I KNOW ITS LIGHT IN TASTE ITSELF) BUT THE NUOC MAM WAS GOOD FOR DIPPING! OUR TASTEBUDS WERE QUITE PLEASED WITH THIS ONE!

COCKTAILS 5/5 NICE SELECTION OF SPECIALTY COCKTAILS, VERY VIBRANT COLOURS IN THE LANTERN DRAGON ONE, AND GREAT FLAVOURS IN THE COCONUT ONE (MEKONG DELTA?)

ATMOSPHERE & SERVICE 5/5 LOVE THE MUSIC AND VIBES, DECORES OF VIETNAM WITH A VERY MODERN TWIST. THE LANTERNS ARE SO CUTE! I LIKE THAT THEY DIDN’T GO CRAZY AND PUT UP LANTERNS EVERYWHERE. IT WAS JUST AN ACCENT AREA BY THE BAR/STAIRS. STAFF WERE SUPER FRIENDLY AND JOYFUL. REALLY ADDS TO THE EXPERIENCE. I DISLIKE GOING TO PLACES WITH GRUMPY/MOPEY WORKERS. TAKES AWAY FROM THE VIBE.

OVERALL EXPERIENCE 4/5 WOULD LOOOOOVE TO COME BACK AND TRY THE REST OF THE MENU! THE BANH MI SLIDERS, TACOS, WINGS AND NOODLE BOWLS! WE HAD CHICKEN WINGS 2 DAYS IN A ROW SO WE SKIPPED OUT ON IT THAT VISIT. DEFINITELY GOTTA TRY IT WITH MORE PEOPLE SO I CAN ORDER...

I was so excited to try this restaurant after finding them at Taste of Vietnam a couple of weeks ago. We had the Photine at their booth and loved it!

The decor and ambiance of the restaurant was very modern with the classic traditional Vietnamese decorations. I love the pretty lanterns and the scooter in the wall. The vibe was very chill and loud with groups of friends hanging out and drinking.

Service was great, the server took our orders and brought our food to us pretty quick,

We came during happy hour and beer I believe was $5 and 2 signature cocktails from the menu was $10 originally $17! We ordered 2 sour sop drinks for my daughter and didn't realized it came from a can. It tastes so sugary and artificial. Do not get their juices.

Food was mediocre at best. That's why I gave them a 2 stars for the ambiance/ decor, and service. The Photine was honestly the only item on the menu that was decent. It was their version of a beer pho poutine. Super creative, we had that dish at the festival and it tasted better at the festival than at the restaurant. There was not even pho broth a bit dry. We started off with the lemongrass chicken taco, it comes with 2 tacos and we paid $4 to add an extra taco. The chicken was a bit dry and it had all the spices but wasn't that flavourful and no sauce! The papayas salad had minimal papayas, mainly shredded carrots and the portion was tiny for the price. The salad came with beef jerky but the pieces were so tiny you might as well not put any in there and the beef jerky tasted stale and chewy. Since we ordered so many starters we all shared the Bun bo Hue main course. It's a short rib with noodle soup. I would have to say this is the worst bun bo hue I've ever had in my life and for $24!! I've had the most amazing and authentic bun bo hue at other Vietnamese places and paid less than $10. The broth was not spicy and it was so watered down and very flavourless . Hardly any vegetables in it. The noodles were stale and broken like it was old noodles. I was not impressed.

My daughters wanted dessert so we got the cassava cake and I think they heated it up in the microwave since the sides were hot and soft and the centre was so hard and cold like I was eating a rock. Do not get the cassava cake it was terrible, I've had better.

All in all I was so disappointed in our meal. The reviews were so good I was so excited. For $150 after tax and tip you can get way better authentic Vietnamese food for a third...