06/13/09

Yuk hair in fooooooood!!!!!!!

by restaurantreview1

don't return bad food because they will call the police on you and I'd rather eat 50cent cup o noddles. I got treatened by waiters and owers by returning food with dog hair in it and I thought I to complaint about how dirty this place is....make sure you have medical insurance before you eat there.

• Pros: nothing
• Cons: dirty food with bad service

04/08/09

A cut above Cary's other Asian spots

by zenmodo

First time after living only 2 miles fromit for the past 4 years- always went to Neo China until recently when i realized that their quuality had tanked.

Wanted good food the night of the NCAA Championship game- got take out and was vvery pleased. The Sambal Eggplant was sort of a gamble- not having any idead what it woul dbe like- it was absolutely excellent. Lemongrass chicken was very good as well.

The menu is now being revamped per the lady who rung up my order. In this time of pinching pennies- do yourself and a local merchant a favor and go here. Neo who?

• Pros: Huge menu
• Cons: None noted

06/26/08

A multitude of choices

by BBurnitt

Every time we have gone to the Lotus Leaf (more than half a dozen) we have been impressed. The servers are attentive and knowledgable (low turn over: we have had one of two servers everytime we have been in the last two years). The owner (previously the chef) has greeted us everytime we have been and made us feel welcome. Even though it is in a strip mall, the creative porch area makes you feel miles away from a Food Lion. And the food is delicious. The menu is thick so ask your server for recommendations to suit your tastes. In the fall and the winter, nothing warms your soul like a bowl of pho soup or a clay-pot entree. The only place to get quality pho and ask for the chilled, unfiltered sake if you have never tried it. It is sold by the bottle, but it is refreshing and slightly sweet.

• Pros: Wonderful dining experience
• Cons: Not a lot of room for big groups

04/19/08

Good Food, Good Service, Extensive Vegetarian Menu

by Kintreath

I was unsure about this place, having read some of the prior reviews, especially regarding MSG. I found no hint of MSG in my steamed grouper and my wife found none in her excellent vegetarian duck (it's actually tofu, but you wouldn't think it). I am a confirmed carnivore but will try the tofu next time. The bite I had was that good! There is a whole page on the menu dedicated to vegetarian dishes. That is rare in my experience. As a carnivore, I will leave others to judge its quality.

Service was efficient and friendly. Mind you, we dined at 5pm on a Saturday and it wasn't overly busy. We dined outside on the patio. It is enclosed and covered. Even with the numerous fans in the ceiling, I am not sure what it would be like in the height of a North Carolina summer - seating inside is minimal.

Desserts were light and refreshing, just what you need after a spicy meal. The Cafe Saigon was the most unique coffee I have ever had - no sugar required!

Portions are not overly large. We left feeling well-satisfied but not overly-stuffed. To sum up - we will be going back.

• Pros: Good food, good service
• Cons: None that I can think of

04/18/08

horrible service, processed food

by jtoddtu

There is definitely nothing to rave about here. Everything from the service to the food was horrible. My husband and I were there for an early dinner. The waiter was not attentive or friendly. The thai chili sauce they used was the exact thai chili sauce that I have in my fridge that I get at the asian market for $1.50 a bottle.

• Cons: processed food. we both had "MSG indigestion" after the meal

01/04/08

Excellent Vietnamese Food

by rsmith27

My fiancee and I have been going to the Lotus Leaf regularly for over a year (nearly once a week) and she long before that. The food is always good. Some of my favorites are the basil duck salad and the shrimp and scallops over rice vermicelli. The carved-out pineapple was my favorite over the summer. I've seen some reviews in CitySearch that appeared to be skewed based on something other than having actually eaten at the Lotus Leaf. I hope the readers will see through that and not deny themselves a truly authentic and very enjoyable Vietnamese dinner. There's so much that we enjoy about the Lotus Leaf Cafe that, rather than try to list them all, I would just suggest that readers decide for themselves. You won't be disappointed.

10/12/07

decent pho, great entrees

by dano1001

my girlfriend and i ate here the other day and it was very good. i was looking for a pho bowl, it was ok but my girlfriend had a tofu entree that was really good. the flavors were complex, balanced and well thought out. very tasty. the service was a little lacking but we were not in a hurry so no big deal. we will be returning.

08/31/07

Eclectic Romantic Restaurant with Vegetarian Options

by veggiegirl1975

Separate Vegetarian menu section. My favorite dish is Vegetarian Vermicelli. I also like the Fresh Summer Rolls appetizer. Live music sometimes. Great date spot. I met my future husband there on our first date!

• Pros: Vegetarian/Vegan Options

08/20/07

Pho, French Food and More

by lotuschef

We would like to say thanks to everyone who wrote an honest review, good or bad. For those who are truly interested to know about our Pho, here is the secret: it is cooked in the Northern style, "Pho Bac" (the only in the area). It is well praised by the News & Observer's food critic Greg Cox, You can read the complete review from our website or from the N&O. The secret to taste is a lot of meat stock, rock sugar and liquorice. The recipe can probably still be obtained at the William Sonoma at Crabtree where we held the last cooking class. For the reviewer who was wondering about our french infuenced menu (and identity), thank you for your honest observation. Vietnam was a French colony for almost a century until 1954. It is common to find French dishes on elite restaurant menus in Vietnam even today. There are also many notable Vietnamese restaurants in the US with that theme including Le Colonial in Chicago, Crustacean in Las Vagas, and LA. Our french-influenced dishes, when available, are usually well loved by our guests, including creme brulee, lobster bisque, Asian bouillabaisse. The "Grouper in Banana Leaf" dish you had was also found on a old Vietnamese-French menu. XO sauce was added by us to intensify the flavor. You can read more about this dish on our website's Recognitions page. For comments regarding our location and size, we apologize but a sidewalk cafe is what we are. We only have 26 seats and the sidewalk patio. :-)

Chuc ban an that ngon,

Bon appetit,

- The Lotus Leaf Cafe

• Pros: innovative menu, patio dining, live jazz on weekend
• Cons: limited seating, reservation recommended on weekend.

06/27/07

Nothing to rave about

by aims68

The Lotus Leaf really need to work on their foods and service if they want to stay in business. The restaurant is small, cleanliness alone would be a reason not to come back, and it is located in a strip mall pretty much next door to a Food Lion. Sorry, but this is not my type of restaurant. I expect great service and if I have a question, that my server knows exactly what he's talking about. This is defintely two thumbs down in my book. Pho Cali is more authentic and has better food. In actuality, fantastic food that is NOT laced with msg. Avoid Lotus Leaf, it's not worth it. The whole thing about hole in the wall restaurants are fantastic do not apply to this one. Do yourself a favor and just have KFC across the street.

• Cons: Don't even try it. It's not worth spending $5 over.