Sun Asian Bistro — Restaurant in Derry

We went to Sun Asian Bistro in Derry, NH yesterday for lunch. The restaurant itself has a pretty ok atmosphere but it had an overwhelming smell of boiled cabbage when I first walked in the door.

I was looking forward to having some authentic dumplings after seeing them in a photo on their website. They looked very plump and loaded with filling. Sadly what I received was completely flat, empty dumplings of which I paid $2 each for. They were not only flat but they were burnt during they pan frying process.

I also ordered the Tom Yum soup which sounded delicious based on the description in the menu. Unfortunately this was also not good. The ((frozen, not fresh) shrimp were rubbery and WAY overcooked and had no shrimp flavor at all. They were the most tasteless shrimp I've ever had. The broth had very little flavor and it wasn't until I added Sriracha sauce to it that I felt it was edible. There were no knives to speak of at the table but they were needed to cut the very large items in the soup. I had to wait a couple minutes after my soup was delivered to receive a spoon for my soup and didn't even have a fork as they took it away with the dumpling plate and never replaced it.

The two friends that I was with were also unhappy with their meals. One ordered the red curry dish which was way too hot to enjoy the flavor and arrived as a soup rather than a traditional curry dish. She also needed a knife but didn't have one to cut the huge chucks of vegetables. She mentioned that she couldn't really taste the curry at all- only heat. My other friend ordered the Tom Yum meal and it also arrived as a soup in a big bowl with a side of rice. Her shrimp were also overcooked and tasteless.

The waitress was pleasant but was somewhat lacking in certain areas. I was there during lunch and there were only two other tables to wait on. Things like the missing utensils, never asking us ahead of time if we (three females) wanted separate checks, never offering a refill on my friend's soda although they were very good about refilling our tea. I asked to have my dumplings served together with my soup, they arrived before the meal. Our meal was delivered by another person who didn't speak English so she was unable to tell us what meal belonged to who. All three meals looked the same and all looked like soup- even though I was the only one who ordered the soup. The woman had to call over a third woman to tell us what each dish was. When the checks were separated they came to us incorrect and they had to redo them.

All in all I received an $8 bowl of soup and an $8 plate of "dumplings" and after tax and tip the meal was $22 that I didn't even enjoy. I was hungry about a half hour later and felt like I got ripped off.

I was really looking forward to having this type of restaurant in Derry and unfortunately I don't think I...

This place is a gem. It's hard to believe the building used to be a variety store. You walk inside and the layout is very nice. Well put together with a small bar at the end. Very very clean. We were greeted at the door by two beautiful young ladies with great big smiles who are part of the wait staff. We were seated at a booth and given plenty of time to get familiar with the menu. We ordered a couple of appetizers and drinks, which were very good. We then ordered meals which were very very good and tasty. The menu is is priced very reasonable. We were never rushed or bothered by the young lady waiting on us. The wait staff are dressed up in their uniforms and look so professional. Very elegant and well thought out. I was very surprised and didn't expect this place to be so good. I'm so happy we stopped in for dinner. We will definitely be back to enjoy this little gem a lot. I would recommend this place to anyone. Don't leave your children at home. They have a nice little spot in the front of the dining room as a play area with some toys...

This is such a hidden gem of a restaurant. Not only is the owner very courteous and good at what he does, but he humored my questions about Vietnam even though they were relatively short-staffed and very busy. He was quick as can be, and kind, too, which made for a very pleasant visit. The entire place was spotless, from the cute kid's section, to the waiting area, to the bathrooms. The food is certainly worth the price paid for it (which is about average for Vietnamese restaurants in the greater Manchester area.) The pho broth was delicious and obviously homemade, with practically farm-to-table fresh vegetables. The BBQ chicken skewers were authentic in flavor with a Western-style presentation. Their sticky rice and mango is worth the trip alone, if you like mildly sweet, hearty desserts. Do not overlook this place when you're driving along; stop for a bite, and enjoy a piece of Vietnam in Derry.

Next time I'll remember to take pictures! As Babish would say, they joined the "Clean Plate Club"...