Lẩu Hải Sản — Restaurant in San Jose

Let me start by saying this — I have a pretty picky palate, and most restaurants I try don't really impress me. But this place is hands down my favorite restaurant in the U.S. The food is delicious, full of character, and incredibly affordable. At this price point, it's easily one of the best restaurants in the entire country.

Their Thai seafood hot pot and shrimp cupcake are absolute must-orders.

The Thai seafood hot pot comes with a generous amount of fresh seafood. The shrimp is average, but the squid, scallops, clams, and mussels are all excellent. The tangy and spicy Thai broth keeps your taste buds on edge and your appetite constantly stimulated. I recommend getting the yellow noodles — they're chewy and springy, and taste amazing when soaked in the broth. If you find the noodles too firm, just toss them into the hot pot for a minute or two — they'll absorb even more flavor while softening just the right amount.

But what really makes this place special is their shrimp cupcake. I’ve never had anything like it at any other Vietnamese restaurant — and many places don’t even offer it. The crispy shell and savory shrimp pair perfectly with refreshing green papaya slaw, fragrant herbs like perilla, Thai basil, and mint. Wrap it all in a big piece of fresh lettuce, drizzle some sweet-and-sour fish sauce on top, and take a big bite — you’ll feel like you’ve been instantly transported to Southeast Asia. The flavor profile is complex yet balanced, and the fact that you can enjoy it at such a low price is truly unbelievable. Even the vegetarian version is fantastic — it may not have the shrimp's umami, but it still packs so much flavor that it’s totally worth trying, even if you're a vegetarian.

Their stir-fried dishes are also excellent — whether it's clams stir-fried with Thai basil or snails in creamy coconut sauce, you’ll be craving more with every bite.

If you’re coming with another guy, I highly recommend getting a medium-sized Thai seafood hot pot and one shrimp cupcake to share — for just around $30 total, you'll be blown away by how much quality and flavor you get...

Thai hot pot.. this was a first. I saw instagram pictures of it everywhere and knew I had to try it. This place is getting more popular as more people are starting to get to know about it. Though located in a plaza with a small parking lot, there is parking in the residential and the plaza nearby so I wouldn't worry too much. There was a small wait when I got there due to it being a cold Saturday night but the waiter let us order beforehand so that we wouldn't have to wait for our food. We got the Thai Seafood hotpot and it was delicious. The portions are huge and all 3 of us left stuffed. Keep in mind that the white noodle (as opposed to the yellow noodle) melts in the pot really fast. I think the noodles come pre-cooked so all you need to do is to heat the noodles for a 2 min and they'll be ready to eat. It's affordable too, and will definitely...

Apparently every single person comes here and order the #38 "Thai Seafood Hot Pot" because that's all the pictures I see. And it's no surprise because when I asked the waiter what was in the Chilean seabass hot pot, she answered "only fish". The sea food options came with a good variety, including shrimps, mussels, clams, imitation crab sticks, fish balls, some green vegetables, and your choice of egg noodles or vermacelli (you can also order half & half). The broth had a pleasant lemongrass fragrance and was very flavorful, similar to a Tom Yum soup but sweeter. I would also recommend #1 banh khot (crispy shrimp cups) and #12 fried pork intestine (with green onion inside) , both were super delicious

Tip:

1. Credit card is accepted
2. Mix some chili sauce and fish sauce will make it...