I like the furniture at Ikea, but their concept of self-assembly sucks. Pictogram instructions that make no sense. Extra screws and bolts. That stupid hex key. It’s torturous.
Thankfully, the assembly process at the newly opened Lotus Cafe (8073 Georgia Ave) is a smoother operation. The joint’s Vietnamese noodle dishes (and there are oodles of them) start as simple pleasures that diners can pimp out to their own tastes.
It’s a pre-assembled Billy bookcase! All one needs to do is personalize it with old college textbooks, picture frames and the Starr report (a classic). Same concept at the Lotus Cafe.
For example, the teaser-sized petite pho ($4) is a bundle of taut noodles, and slivers of rare beef that cook instantly in the slightly bitter, homemade beef broth. It’s a simple preparation with a simple execution.
But the pho also comes with a side of crunchy mung-bean sprouts, sprigs of fresh mint and cilantro, and a lime wedge. And when one mixes that in, the soup suddenly springs to life! It’s mildly sweet yet pleasantly tart, and the noodles squish where the bean sprouts snap. It puts all the tastebuds to work.
Also in the noodle department, the vermicelli salad (above, starting at $8) rocks, a salad worthy of any carb lover. An oversized bowl arrives with fresh cilantro, julienned lettuce and carrots, crushed peanuts and thin rice noodles, all in distinct piles. A generous serving of grilled meat (in this case, a moist, lemony boneless chicken thigh) lounges on top of all that, and a teacup of Vietnamese fish sauce comes on the side.
Without the fish sauce, the vermicelli salad has a fresh, clean taste — a true salad. But drizzle some of that sweet and slightly spicy fish sauce on there, and DAMN! That’s good eats. It gives the dish a smart smack in the face without making it soupy or heavy.
Two vegetarian dishes — the veggie pad thai (above) and deep-fried tofu lemongrass (both $9) — come ready to eat with lots of flavor. Both call on turmeric, which gives the dishes a wild yellow glow and bold taste, and fresh lemongrass that makes all the difference. The pad thai doesn’t pack much heat, but the tofu lemongrass is an ass kicker, and they’re both good picks.
On the downside, the restaurant’s seafood dishes are tragically overcooked. The bird’s nest with mixed seafood ($11) offers tough shrimp, leathery squid and dense scallops on a bed of crisp noodles. The whole mess wilts in a thin brown sauce. Just skip it.
Even the shrimp inside the summer rolls ($4) are overdone, betraying the rolls’ cool, soothing nature. Order the vegetarian version (above, $4) with tofu instead, and take in the bright mint and squishy cellophane noodles. The thick, peanuty sauce on the side is good, too.
The restaurant’s interior is clean and bright, and service inside is courteous and relatively quick. The patio setting was not reviewed.
Lotus Cafe, 8073 Georgia Ave, Silver Spring, (301) 588-8888.
Lead photo: Lotus Cafe’s vermicelli salad with grilled chicken. Credit: Ron Pace/SSP.
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Looks yummy! Can’t wait to try it out :) I need an alternative to the Pho on Ellsworth.
This place have a liquor license? I’m all set to go, but I need to know this first. Don’t want to get there and find out I can’t get a beer.
Thanks for your question, Sockhop. Lotus Cafe does have a bar, but I’m not entirely sure if they’re serving booze just yet. (Montgomery County is notoriously slow with the liquor licenses.) Your best bet is to phone ahead: (301) 588-8888.
If Lotus is still dry, you can always hit Jackie’s restaurant (8043 Georgia Ave) right next door for a pre-pho beverage — they definitely have the taps running. Get sauced at Jackie’s, then stagger into Lotus for a late dinner — the pho flows until 1:00 a.m. on weekends.
I am so psyched to read a good review of Lotus – that place is just around the corner from me! I’ve been craving Vietnamese and the place on Ellsworth just didn’t look appealing…
Lotus Cafe is selling beer and wine – just no liquor yet. If you go, do me a favor and ask if they can start stocking Fischer (the French Amber Ale)? They used to sell this when it was My-Le. Or is it not appropriate for them to sell a beer made by their former colonial overlords?
“Former Colonial Overlords” would be a *great* band name.
Went on Friday evening and really enjoyed it. The vermicelli salad with chicken, as reviewed, and the sesame-orange chicken are highly recommended. Big ups for the outdoor patio: even with the Metro/MARC trains rolling by, it’s a nice little scene.
I was a huge fan of My Le until its decline, so was thrilled to see a new Vietnamese restaurant in its place. The new decor is gorgeous, and the patio is divine. The menu has even more vegetarian options than before and I was able to order the same tofu curry that was my usual dish at My Le. The prices are just as reasonable and the service was outstanding. And they are serving beer and wine. I highly recommend it!
We went to the Lotus Cafe Friday evening and sat outside on the patio — nice except for the deafening passage of the MARC and Metro trains as rush hour rushed by. Yes, they have beer and wine, but the waiter had to ask if Chardonnay was white or red and we had to point to the Fischer on the menu because he repeatedly didn’t understand what we’d said. But he gave great suggestions of what to order — the curry chicken, the whole fish, the Vietnamese crepe. The service was good, the food was great value and the patio atmosphere was (almost) perfect for an after-work rendezvous.