Cái Mâm Bistro - Vietnamese Cuisine & Vegetarian — Restaurant in Hà Nội

I decided to visit this restaurant based on a recommendation from my hotel and its high rating of 4.9 stars on Google. However, my experience turned out to be quite disappointing right from the start.

Upon arriving at the address, my family and I were seated in a different restaurant next door, which seemed to be part of the same chain. We were then directed to go upstairs through a small staircase, which was a bit inconvenient but manageable. However, when I asked for a restroom, I was told to go to the restaurant we initially came from, making the process a bit confusing and inconvenient.

The service continued to disappoint as we received the wrong beer and still water instead of sparkling water. Although they replaced the beer, they apparently didn’t even have sparkling water on the menu, which by the way was different from what I had seen online.

The quality of the dishes we ordered was subpar. The caramelized pork, which was supposed to be free of soup or liquid according to the English menu, arrived swimming in soup and consisted mostly of fat. The sautéed beef was extremely tough, and the dish was dominated by onions swimming in excessive oil. Even the deep-fried calamari turned out to be mostly onions with an odd texture and included an unexpected shrimp, which I am allergic to. The mixed stir-fried vegetables, which I had hoped would be a saving grace, turned out to be just bok choy with a few small pieces of carrots. The only redeeming aspect was the steamed rice, which was satisfactory.

To make matters worse, the service was lacking. Despite asking for tissues three times, they were never brought to our table (so I used a tissue I had in my pocket from another coffee shop). The overall experience was so unpleasant that we couldn't wait to leave. It was surprising to see that nearby tables also left their food largely untouched.

Considering my experience, I find it difficult to understand how this place received such a high rating of 4.9 stars on Google. Most of the patrons seemed to be tourists, and there were no locals in sight. I would recommend exercising caution and considering other options where you can find better food and a more enjoyable...

I give 4 stars instead of 3 because of the vibe it was giving and the banana flower salad. Me and my family just finished our lunch here, I found it on Google Map and there has been numerous of good reviews so I indeed had high expectation on the culinary experience. It was alright if I don't want to say that it was not really worth the hype. Service: The waiter was head on the cloud for entire time like we have been asking for the fish sauce (the sweet and sour one) from the Roll noodles (first dish) and asked for 5 more times because he kept forgetting and he finally gave us the sauce when we almost finished everything (i should have drink it no offense😍🔥🌈). Furthermore, not paying attention to customers' orders like serving the wrong dish from seafood fried rice to beef fried rice and took two business days to realize 😍, I ordered two Roll noodles and he served me one only (but its okay we were full anyways). Last but not least, when the customer report that the coconut might be rotten, I recommend for anyone who is working in the FnB industry, please do not put your straw in the customer's drink, just scoop it to another glass to check it. Food: It was alright, the banana flower salad saved the experience a bit highly recommend if you still want to spend your time at Cai Mam, the Ha Long squid cake was lame for me, fried rice was...

Nestled in the heart of Hanoi's Old Quarter, Cai Mam Restaurant is rated to be one of the top 5 Vietnamese restaurants in Hanoi. As a well-traveled food enthusiast, I was looking forward to a great culinary experience. The interior was a tasteful blend of traditional Vietnamese elements and modern touches, creating a cozy yet sophisticated setting. One of the features of this establishment is that it caters to a wide range of dietary preferences, with plenty of vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options available. I really liked the banana flower salad with shrimp & pork. It was a perfect blend of sweet, sour, saltiness with good crunchiness, freshness of the vegetables. The Cha gio (deep fried crispy pork rolls) were perfectly cooked and bursting with flavour. The sautéed seasonal mushroom was very fresh. Last but not least, we wrapped up our dinner with one of best the Banh Xeo’s I have ever had, it looked really pretty with the egg fried to golden brown. The taste was very delicate with natural sweetness of the pork, shrimp onion & bean sprout. For the beverage, we tried the butterfly pea tea which was very fragrant. In conclusion, I had a memorable dining experience that celebrates the rich culinary heritage of Vietnam in a welcoming & charming style. Kudos to Duc Dung & Phuong Anh who provided very...