Da Kao Bistro — Restaurant in West Jasper Place

A Sensory Journey at Da Kao Vietnamese

Tucked away in an unassuming corner of the city, Da Kao Vietnamese may look like a simple hole-in-the-wall, but step inside, and you’ll find a place that hums with quiet confidence. The cafeteria-style setting is no-frills, yet the warmth of the service and the intoxicating aromas of sizzling meats and fragrant herbs instantly set the stage for something special.

I arrived with my bearded companion, Mike—a man who wastes no time when faced with good food. He devoured two beef salad rolls with practiced ease, but I took my time, savoring my pork rolls with a knowing smirk. The pork was the clear winner—succulent, generously portioned, and kissed with just the right amount of seasoning to awaken the palate.

But the true seduction came in the form of the Char Siu BBQ pork banh mi. The bread—golden-crusted, airy, with that perfect crackle as you bite down—was nothing short of a revelation. And the meat? A slow, lingering symphony of smoky sweetness, marinated to perfection, each bite melting into the next.

Da Kao doesn’t rely on gimmicks. It doesn’t need to. The food speaks in whispers and shouts, teasing and satisfying in equal measure. And yes—I’ll be back. Some pleasures are simply too...

I normally wouldn’t write this, but I feel compelled after my last visit to Da Kao. We are regular customers. We ordered a large bowl of pho, which comes with a side plate of bean sprouts and Thai basil. The server brought us brown, stale, limp sprouts! Anyone could see they were old and withered, fit for the garbage. We told the server, who said sorry, BUT he didn’t bring us any new sprouts to replace them! I gave him the benefit of doubt, thinking they may have been out of bean sprouts, but nope! Two customers who came right after us were given fresh, white sprouts with their pho! So why were we served old rotten brown sprouts and not them?? I was going to ask him but decided not to make a scene out of it. But still, they made two big mistakes. First, the server should have given us fresh sprouts to REPLACE the spoiled ones, but DIDN’T. Second, why did the customers next to us given two plates of white fresh sprouts and not us?! I have a strong feeling that the server wanted to get rid of the stale sprouts and thought we wouldn’t notice or mind. That’s not good. Even worse is that he had the chance to “make it right” by replacing the...

My partner and I ordered 2 banh mi, taro fries, a pork chop rice dish, and 2 portions of the dragonfruit salad rolls for takeout, after several satisfying experiences we had here, especially with the banh mi. The portions were generous, the salad rolls were well made and considerately packed: the rice wrapping paper of each roll didn't stick to the one next to it like some other places, which indicated that the rolls were fresh. It was easy to separate them when eating and we really appreciated it! The pork chop was tasty, and the banh mi, as always, didn't disappoint. Everything was clean and packed thoughtfully, which we're really grateful for because it was easy to re-assemble the foods and there was no room for any spilling accidents. The staff we spoke to (whom I guessed was a co-owner) was always friendly, helpful and professional. The atmosphere is very unique, and really brings out authentic elements of the modern Vietnam, which is refreshing to see! Highly recommend the BBQ pork banh mi-our favourite item from their menu! We will be back, because aside from all the positives I'd mentioned, I also really respect their...