KALM Bistro — Restaurant in Gray

NOTE: The history of reviews here are for the "old" days. I want to stay KALM, but what the Pho happened to one of my favorite Vietnamese restaurants??? It appears they changed ownership (?)

We've dined here many times over the years since they opened and enjoyed not just the food but also the atmosphere and good nature of the owners and staff. Note that I go with Vietnamese speaking people. I used to live and work in Vietnam. We know it's never going to be exactly the same as native food there, and that some ingredients might need substitutes. But old KALM was wonderful. Old KALM has left the building, we think. 😕

When we came in, we noticed that the employees were different and nobody who worked there spoke VN anymore. That was the first sign something was up.

Next bad sign: the pho veggies were not complete. We got just a few bean sprouts, one or two pieces of mint and maybe a little sprig of cilantro. Pho veggies should always also include a good amount of thail basil, mint, and wedges of lime. We finally asked for basil and the waitress looked at us strange, almost critically, for requesting it. We were very polite and when we had a chance, asked a man in the kitchen. He finally produced a small serving of basil.

When the pho came out, it was the third strike. It wasn't horrible, but the broth wasn't fresh as usual. The broth's quality is key to good pho. This broth had "oily bubbles" which is usually indicative of sitting around longer.

Confused, we also remembered the clever social media marketing they used to do. We looked at KALM Instagram and found that the usual steady clip of fun and relevant posts, and most of photography of their delicious weekly specials, had ended ~mid-2021.

I hate to write bad reviews and only do it when really moved by disappointment. But this food is also expensive (about 30% more than the same dishes in Charlotte or Atlanta) and from the little stickers covering the original prices on the laminate menus, has gone up.

We're saddened by this and hope it's just a situation where the previous owners are taking a break (?)

You've been warned, as KALMly as we can muster here.

Whether and how the owners respond to this review will also be a sign. The previous proprietors would be spot on social listening and address.

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Ive been a regular at this restaurant for years...up until this past weekend. I have noticed when the new owners took over everything began to change. Cleaning and hygiene are very low on their list of priorities. Just glance at anything at the restaurant as you wait 30 min for your water or your food. They have also switched for cheaper ingredients on every occasion that I have returned. Keep in mind the switch was at the beginning of covid so I have continued to give them the benefit of doubt. Switching white rice instead of having Jasmine for a small example. Upping all the prices for less portions and quality. If you order the Bun you are guaranteed to be missing at the very least 1 or more ingredients. Now keep in mind i have came back numerous times thinking it would get better. Service is another huge fail. Long waits completely non verbal waitress who is unattentive and seems overwhelmed by any order small or large. This past weekend however I recieved food poisoning from the shaken beef as well as my son because he ate off my plate. I find it very sad that many new reviews havent had the chance of eating here in its prime...but I felt the need to share my story just in case any one notices something off...

Wow. Just wow. This unassuming restaurant is an unbelievable gem. The decor is immensely humble and that is reflected in the service. Service was quick and the menu was easy to read (with some original jokes!). We had the spring rolls and they were delicious. The house peanut sauce was deliciously sweet but had a balanced savoriness to it! I got the Kalmbination and let me just say that the broth is fantastic. The broth has a depth that I can't truly describe - it is beefy and spicy and delicious. Talking with the staff, they said they make it from scratch and it takes over 18 hours just to get the base from the beef bones and it is definitely worth every minute! Try the pickled onions with it - they are very tasty! The house hot sauce adds a complexity to the pho without being too hot as well.

The bottom line here is that this place in Gray TN is making better Pho than a majority of the big cities on the east coast. If you're passing by this place I highly encourage you to stop by here for a bowl. I can't praise this place enough. The people here are humble, friendly, and make a mean bowl of pho. You won't be...