My kickball game was cancelled due to inclement weather last Wednesday so Andrew and I decided to head out to Eat Street to give the Vietnamese food at Jasmine 26 a try. I have a feeling we were looking to have a redemptive dining experience after having been to Mandarin Kitchen less than a week before, and we’ve been hearing good things about Jasmine 26 since it opened.
The restaurant was practically empty when we arrived (okay, it was just before six on a Wednesday, but we were pretty hungry) and there were only about 2 tables occupied with a few more people scattered around the bar. The dining space is open and comfortable – dark wood tables with candles and some dim orange-red lights on the walls – it was a great place to sit and relax after work. I ordered a little bottle of hot sake while Andrew went with a glass of vinho verde. I’ve had sake before, but I have to say that I liked this sake better after it cooled off – the sweetness of the sake just came out better and I found it much more pleasant to drink. We also ordered an appetizer of two taro turnovers; pork, taro, and onions and a hot and crispy pastry. I thought this was delicious, especially with the dipping sauces.
Shortly after, our entrees arrived: I had ordered the Jasmine Crepe and Andrew ordered the eggplant stir fry. The crepe part of my dish was made of a coconut and tumeric batter and the inside was loaded with sprouts, onions, yellow beans, pork and shrimp, with a side of lettuce and pickled cucumbers and carrots. I think I may have started on the wrong side of the crepe because the first half was mostly sprouts. I have nothing against sprouts – I’m a fan of sprouts – but just not when I was expecting a crepe with pork and shrimp goodness. Finally, just as I was getting full, bits of pork and shrimp started to appear. Oh well, I stuffed myself silly and it was still tasty. Andrew’s eggplant stir fry was a heaping plate of eggplant, chicken and chilies with a small side of rice. The eggplant was really tender and seemed to melt in the dish. I don’t know if that meant the eggplant was way overcooked, but it tasted really good!
Andrew and Sarah’s Verdict: B+
We were really pleased with Jasmine 26, especially after our Mandarin Kitchen experience – no bright lighting and weird table configurations! The menu was small and easy to navigate, and I felt like the entrees were very reasonably priced in the $10 – $15 range (my crepe was $10 and Andrew’s stir fry was $12). Our server was attentive and fast. He made sure we had everything we needed a couple of times, but then left us to enjoy our food and drinks.
November 15, 2008 at 1:17 am |
I’m loving your reviews. I’ve eaten at Jasmine 26 many times. Unfortunately, I’ve only been impressed by the food a couple of times. It seems to get worse and worse. However, I love the ambiance and the quietness of the place (which I’m sure they’re not too happy about). I also love the family who owns/runs the place. I’m surprised they left you to your meal. They’re a lovely, mouthy bunch. Which is why I keep going back. I want them to be successful. Their beef noodle salad is fantastic. As are their eggrolls. But what I love best about the place is the plum margarite and the ginger-infused cocktail. And the free parking in the lot next door. But really, I wish their food was as fantastic as their deli around the corner – Jasmine Deli.
Great. Now I’m wanting a Banh Mi from the Jasmine Deli.
September 28, 2009 at 3:12 pm |
I had the worse dining experience ever at Jasmine 26. We had a large party of 30 people, as I may say, the food was good but the service was really bad. Two people had to wait for their meals as everyone else ate. They would not split the check, after requesting it before and during our meal. The bill came to over $700 and quite a long list of items listed, needless to say, paying the bill with over 30 people trying to figure out what they ordered was a hassle. We spent more time trying to figure out the bill than eating our food. THe manager/owner refused to accomodate our requests by splitting the bill. He had NO interest whatsoever to please his customers. Instead, when we became upset, he yelled at us, called us profane names and called the cops. Mind you, this was a 40th! birthday party, not wild 21 year olds. None of us were nearly close to being intoxicated. The police arrived and after standing around for 1 minute, left with nothing to assist with, they were even amused listening to our conversation with the managers. They also charged $25 fee to cut a birthday cake, which, they never advised us of the fee when we asked. AND not to mention we had to point out mistakes made by the waitress on the charges that people had already paid for and haven’t been deleted off the final bill. When we told the managers that we will never go back there again, never once did they apologize for their mistakes or try to correct it, he told us “good and never come back”. Now I’m not a restaurant owner nor do I own my own business but I know more business etiquette and customer service more than the owners show or will ever have. I DO NOT recommend this place to anyone or my worst enemies!