Doi Moi

I’ve been wanting to come here for a while and finally made it last week and the experience was so-​so. We were seated immediately and our waitress was extremely attentive. The dishes came out extremely fast which is a plus. There were a few hits and misses with the dishes, but would go back.
Here is what I tried from best to worst dishes:
* Blue Crab Fried Rice — best dish of the night. I highly recommend getting this dish, it was extremely tasty!
* Crispy Pork & Shrimp Spring Rolls — super yummy, extremely crispy.
* Sablefish with Dill & Tumeric — fish was cooked perfectly, and the dish was very good, it didnt have much of a sauce and was a bit wattery at the bottom of the bowl, requested some sriracha to mix up, which made it better.
* Thai Style Fried Marinated Beef — very good, but I’ve been told by friends that this is a must have. I did not think it was THAT good, just average.
* Whole Bronzino Grilled in Banana Leaf — was a bit disappointed with this dish. The fish was not as flavorful as I thought it would be.
* Crispy Rice Salad — i ordered this because I had tried a similar dish at Thip Khao a few weeks ago and it was the best dish I had at Thip Khao, but this dish was not as good. It was okay, there was too much cilantro and it was very salty.

I had an enjoyable dinner here. I was a little concerned when I was handed the menu and it looked like it had been made at a Kinko’s, but as our relatively light dinner progressed, the food made up for the trifold. First, the décor is really sleek. Think Ho Chi Minh City meets 2001: A Space Odyssey. Very nice. The service was efficient. I have to say, however, we were sitting at a rocking horse of a two top. Drinking martinis was a challenge. You basically had to anticipate when someone was going to touch the table and pick up your drink. Very annoying.
We started with the nua kem, marinated beef. If you like the old steak/​beef skewers from pupu platters than you will love this dish. It also comes with a spicy dipping sauce. We then moved onto the laab ped. It contained the right amount of heat. My head was comfortably sweating after this dish. The dinner was rounded out with a chicken and noodle curry that was pretty flavorable.
I would repeat. The food is solid, the service was solid and the atmosphere is hip without being annoying.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from Doi Moi and I’d say it was satisfactory but not as good as I’d hoped.
Where it excelled: a large variety of fresh dishes that catered to omnivores and vegetarians. We started off with the sriracha brussel sprouts (delicious but no real sriracha heat) and the pork bun (just eh. We couldn’t put a finger on it). For entrees we had the Tom Jued Woon Sen (very good but not filling for an entrée) and the Kee Mao (solid but lacking any spice).
Where it lacked: ambiance. We had some real stuck up neighbors… on both sides of us. I can’t blame that entirely on the restaurant but it seemed to be the general crowd that eats there. Service. Our waiter was… okay. She didn’t really answer much so we guessed our meal choices. Our waters ran empty and we had ordered alcohol as well, which brings me to the next point… portions. Buying a glass of wine here is a waste. It comes in an oversized shotglass (basically). Just get a thai beer! And the last lacking was spice. When there’s a Chile symbol next to your dish, you expect spice amirite?
Will I be back? Maaaaaybe. But there’s better thai to be had for less.

I felt like Doi Moi was another contemporary/​hip/​modern asian fusion restaurant. Not saying that it’s bad to be asian fusion, but recently I’ve been seeing a lot of fusion cuisine on the rise. I loved the interior décor. Very well designed.
Main Course: Gaeng Kheiyu Hoi Chell (Seared Scallops in Green Curry)
young eggplant, heart of palm, red pepper, Thai basil. I enjoyed this dish. The green curry was nice and creamy. Scallops were solid with nice flavor. The heart of palm was a nice edition to the curry as well. What I didn’t like was the fact that I couldn’t adjust the level of spiciness of the dish and that we had to pay $ 3.00 extra for a cup of rice. I feel that a curry dish should come with rice by default or some sort of bread. I’m also not a person who can handle very spicy dishes, but luckily this dish was bearable. I hope in the future that it might be possible, for those who would like to try this dish but cannot eat spicy.

WOW! What an amazingly delicious South-​East Asian meal. The flavors were phenomenal and the service was extremely good. Came here with my family for a mid-​week dinner and everyone in my party was very satisfied. We went family style on the dishes, which allowed us to try several different items. I would strongly suggest coming here with a crew and sampling multiple things!
Here’s the rundown:
Lemongrass Coconut Fried Chicken Wings (⁵⁄₅) — The wings were perfectly fried. Extremely crispy on the outside, deliciously juicy on the inside. The sauce was simply amazing — sweet and spicy. After quickly finishing this plate we asked for extra sauce on the side for the rest of our meal.
Garlic Chive & Mushroom Dumplings (⁴⁄₅) — The flavors were very good but wasn’t anything special compared to any other place’s dumplings.
Spicy Crispy Catfish (⁵⁄₅) — This was my favorite thing that I tried. Tasted absolutely delicious and it was nice and spicy. (Make sure you let them know what spice level you are looking for when you order.)
Kee Mao Noodles (⁵⁄₅) — Flat noodles that tasted great and very cooked very well. The sauce had a little sweetness to it, which paired nicely with the other flavors.
Duck Breast in Red Curry (⁴⁄₅) — Flavors in the red curry were very good. The duck wasn’t that great and it didn’t seem to pick up much flavor. But dat curry doe — so good.
The sauces and curries that were either on every dish or that accompanied every dish were so unique and packed with flavor. The service here was excellent and very friendly. We were provided with great recommendations and our food arrived very quickly. Overall this was a great dining experience and I’m definitely looking forward to going back to this spot!

The creativity was there but the flavor was not. Beautiful, clean, the most contemporary high end-​ish Thai place I’ve ever attempted… but why pay more for the scenery when there are other places that hit the nail on the head when it comes to delicious thai food? Its also a sign when the wait staff can’t answer your questions about the menu, though they have more than enough time to train themselves up, many just lingering around.
Their wine list, however, was HUGE and intimidating! So perhaps my recommendation would be — go to Doi Moi if you’re finally saying Yes to that Tinder date for drinks. Nice bar atmosphere but maybe stick to the wine and apps.

I really like this place. When it first opened, it was a bit of a zoo, with horrendous waits, but in the inevitable lifecycle of 14^th St. restaurants, things eventually cooled off enough to make it possible to get a table in a reasonable amount of time. Last night, on a Saturday, a friend and I walked in and got one without any wait at all, actually — on the patio (this was a plus, in spite of it being December, due to the unseasonably warm weather).
The food was very good, and it’s eclectic — a refreshing break from the hordes of very similar Italian restaurants, farm-​to-​table restaurants etc. Those are good too, but this is a slice of something different. Specifically, we had:
*mushroom dumplings: my favorite item. Vegetarian. Amazing translucent wrappers, and sauce with the tiniest kick that was just right;
*branzino: the WHOLE FISH — head and all, with the eye staring right up at you. Pick off the meat, slowly expose the whole fish skeleton. Way to keep it real, Doi Moi. While we were eating, we saw another table’s fish brought out not only intact, but propped upright on the plate. The stuff of Sebastian’s nightmares in The Little Mermaid. But quite delicious — soft, flaky, just right, with no fishy taste.
Other highlights:
*a nice vegetable tofu soup. A little pricy for what it was — a very light broth with a mish-​mash of leftover veggies from the kitchen thrown in (our server was clear that the kitchen believes in no waste, which was either refreshing candor or a little weird, depending on your perspective);
*crab-​fried rice: my friend ordered this. I’m not a particular fan of the dish, so probably not the best to comment, but it seemed fine.
Our server was friendly, polished in an urban hipster sort of way, and about attentive enough. There was definitely an urban hipster vibe to the staff as a whole: the hostess had a pretty striking nose ring, too. Overall, in keeping with the restaurant’s cool/​cosmopolitan/​metro vibe.
Verdict: One of the better options on 14^th St. There are definitely a few options for the adventure eater (duck heart, anyone?), but also plenty that are palatable and fun for the rest of us, too. A reliable spot for a nice night out.

Second time back and the dishes this second go around were so tasty that I had to upgrade my rating to 4 stars (from 3). The first time I went was a bit underwhelming — must not have ordered the right items.
Dishes to order
Appetizer
Guy Chai Steamed Chive & Mushroom Dumplings 6
soy chili sauce, scallions, fried garlic v
— Heads up, comes with two dumplings. Great option for vegetarians. If you want an appetizer and like mushrooms, this is a go to dish.
Meat
Nua Kem Thai Style Fried Marinated Beef 12 Phet
shark sriracha
— The meat is so flavorful and tender that I devoured the dish. This with sticky rice and a vegetable and you are good to go! The shark sriracha is served on the side and in my opinion is not necessary because the meat is rich in flavor.
Khao Soi Gai Chiang Mai Chicken & Noodle Curry 16 Phet
fragrant coconut curry, egg noodles, pickled mustard greens, shallots, chili oil, crispy noodles, scallions, cilantro
— Great option for a curry. The curry is so flavorful that if you have left over sauce, you will want to order sticky rice.
Vegetable
Crispy Brussels Sprouts with Sichuan Pepper 8 Phet
— I love these Brussel Sprouts! Crispy texture and rich in flavor. Consider this dish devoured. One thing to note, while this is a vegetable, the oils it is cooked in have non-​veggie traces so this item is NOT considered ‘veggie.‘
Over all, great for a date or group of 4 – 5 people.

I’ve been to many Thai/​Vietnamese places, but this one really impressed me with an interesting selection (or have I just not been as adventurous in the past?) And talk about an inviting atmosphere — with colorful tiles and an entrance with market goods. The Thai Boat Noodle Soup was so flavorful (but also a bit on the salty side); and the Mushroom & Herb Salad (get it with sticky rice!) really tantalized your taste buds. If you have a low tolerance for spice as I do, you can ask to scale back on the entrees (this was possible for the soup). One recommendation I have is to put mango sticky rice on the menu! In any case, I would definitely like to come back.

I came for a quick dinner with a friend and had zero problems from the beginning to the end. The sticky pork buns were outstanding, the cocktail I had (which was similar to an Old Fashioned), was prefect. I had the coconut curry chicken noodle dish, it was a bit more soupy than I’d anticipated it being when it first came out, but the flavors and texture turned out to be the best combination, so they do know what they’re doing and I’ll let the food pro’s do their job which they did.
At the end we split one of their chocolate dishes which was absolutely superb. I honestly loved everything about this place. The service was quick and accommodating, they even gave me one of the front window tables with a good street view that I’d requested. It was like driving up to a place and having everything you’d want and expect right there ready and waiting for you upon your arrival, really flawless. The décor and atmosphere are what initially attracted me to this place since I’d walked by many times going to bars on my 14^th St hopping nights. After looking over the menu, I immediately said to myself, «I HAVE to eat here soon»…end of story, this girl has a happy tummy & liver thanks to Doi Moi. Cheers!

I went here with a friend of mine for dinner last night and was blown away with the food. I grew up in Southeast Asia and have eaten thai food in Thailand and this was up to par with authentic thai food but even better because they put a twist to it.
We got the tofu curry which is a play on curry cuz there was no curry like watery sauce in it but it had so much flavor from the stuff they coated it with. I also got the morning glory which was stir fried but had so so much flavor. We also got the papaya salad which was like a traditional salad and well made. I also really enjoyed the pineapple fried rice.
I love the ambience of the place. Servers so warm and attentive. Def gonna go back!

I’ve been to doi moi a couple of times now and I think it just gets better each and every time.
It’s a pretty typical 14^th street restaurant. Beautifully decorated, expensive, and always packed with people. It’s definitely one of those places that you can take visitors to as there is literally a great expanse of menu choices for vegans, vegetarians and gluten free folks!
I love the papaya salad-​it is my favorite! And the soft serve ice cream for dessert.
Also, the hospitality here can’t be beat. The servers are always so kind!

I think Doi Moi is a solid 3 star experience. I came here on a Friday night with my boyfriend, and we were able to snag a table outside. It seemed fairly busy, but not overcrowded and probably typical for a Friday night. The service was a little slow and pretty mediocre. Our server didn’t really care to entertain any of the questions that we had about the menu, which was a shame, because we usually love getting recommendations when there is such a diverse menu.
Anyway, we ordered the pork bun and the salt and pepper squid first. I found both to be a bit on the dry side. Then we ordered the chicken and noodle curry and the stir fried lemongrass beef on vermicelli, both of which were good. We decided to call it a night after that. Overall, I’d say it was a fine experience.

The restaurant has some nice inside and outside seating. The food is good, but not great. I think the common theme here is that even if the flavors are good for an entrée or appetizer, it’s definitely not worth the price.
I do have to say that the drinks can be really strong. One of the drinks I ordered was so strong I couldn’t taste anything else I was eating.
We also had dessert here and again tasty but the portion size and price didn’t really fit for me. I do think that the menu is interesting and combines a modern take on some great traditional dishes, but I would rather have a more traditional dish if it meant that I wasn’t going to be hungry for the rest of the day and didn’t hurt my wallet as much.

We came here for brunch because Ted’s Bulletin was a 2 hour wait. No one was inside and we were told brunch is new for them and hadn’t yet caught on. The waiter/​host was really cool and had some good suggestions.
We loved the pork bun! Quite large and damned delicious.
She got the lemongrass beef with 2 eggs and I got a spicy pork omelet (hold the veggies) and I had them garnish it with cilantro. The omelet was good but since they don’t have cheese it isn’t quite as good as it could have been. The beef dish was amazing!!! I will be sure to get that next time we come for brunch.
They have great coffee and the Thai iced tea was just the right amount of sweet while still having a strong tea flavor.
Make sure to visit while seats are still available!
I am going to be the one to say that I suggested they create a make your own omelet menu. The twist is to incorporate Thai/​Vietnamese options like bean sprouts, chili’s, Thai basil, etc… And cheese!!! You heard it here first… That is how you dominate brunch and create excitement in an area that is awesome for brunch already.

A friend of mine startled me with a surprise visit so we headed over to doi moi to see if we could snag a seat. This restaurant serves Southeast Asian cuisine, specifically from Thailand and Vietnam. It is headed up by Executive Chef Haidar Karoum, who also heads up Proof and Estadio. As this restaurant does not take reservations after 6 p.m., we were hoping for less than a 30-​minute wait.
Our wishes were granted! They told me I’d have a 20 – 40 minute wait, then came back 5 minutes later and said they’d seat us. Spectacular! I remember the cocktails having been very good the last time I went so I decided to try the Lion’s Tail. This mix of bourbon, all-​spice dram, lime and angostura bitters definitely hit the spot.
One of my favorite things about this restaurant is that they have separated all vegan dishes onto a vegan menu. But, what’s funny is that they didn’t exactly get it all right. The menu specifies vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-​free. But, some items on the vegan menu are not on the vegetarian menu. Well, sir, I have to tell you, if it is vegan, it is vegetarian. When I mentioned this to the server, she said I wasn’t the first to point this out.
I was surprised that many of the same dishes that I had eaten years before were still on the menu. This doesn’t give me much opportunity to write about new things, but I did my best and ordered two new items and one old favorite.
The first to arrive was my old favorite — the Gaeng Par Hed or housemade tofu and wild mushroom curry. This super spicy mix of snake beans, cauliflower, carrots, peas, eggplant, mushrooms, and tofu was in an amazing curry with a strong ginger taste. It was incredibly flavorful and was the table favorite.
Another one I really enjoyed was the Larb Tao Hoo or spicy tofu salad. The tofu in this dish was very different than the other dish as it was cut into tiny pieces and fried to a crisp on the outside while remaining soft on the inside giving it a delightful texture. Then, it was tossed in a lots of fresh mint and cilantro with sauteed shallots and coated in a soy-​lime dressing. Delish.
Finally, I tried another new dish called the Kee Mao or stir-​fried rice noodles. This dish had thick gooey rice noodles with long beans, Chinese broccoli, carrots, snow peas, basil and trumpet mushrooms. The only thing I didn’t love about this dish was that it was super super oily.
The restaurant was packed on this Friday night and service was a little slow. But, me and my friend were so engulfed in conversation that we barely noticed. They recommend two to three plates for a table of two, but we ordered four anyway. It was too much, but it gave me leftovers to take home and I got to try a variety of dishes. At $ 10 to $ 15 per dish, you probably don’t want to order more than that. All in all, it was a good experience with great food and the vegan menu is like icing on the cake.

Have you ever heard of the expression «putting lipstick on a pig»? No I don’t mean a makeover for fat chicks. It means making superficial changes to an ordinary object. In Doi Moi’s case, it involves opening up a restaurant with austere décor and a psuedo abstruse name and putting fairly regular Vietnamese food on a smaller nicer plate and deeming it as «shared plates»
From a fairly objective lens, the food at Doi Moi isn’t bad. In fact it taste fine/​ok. But my lens is smudged by the food of my Vietnamese mother and the small divey cash only strip mall Vietnamese restaurants of my childhood. Doi Moi fare can’t even come close to the flavors found in any of the shops in Eden Center. There you will find equally fresh local ingredients that pack a bigger taste, double the portion, and at less than half the price.
Sorry, this review is more social commentary rather than a critique of the food. But at the end of the day Vietnamese food is peasant food. Made amazing by fresh flavorful ingredients and the ingenuity and creativity of the people that make the most of what they can afford, not impossible friday night reservations and valet parking.

Dinner here was a lot of fun. The restaurant has a very cool, open space and offers a Thai/​Vietnamese menu. I leaned towards the Thai side of the menu, and although it wasn’t the best Thai food I’ve had, it was very good and it was nice to share a couple of dishes off the menu.
We started with the Thai style friend marinated beef and the steamed garlic chive and mushroom dumplings. Between the two, I’d recommend the dumplings. They were bursting with flavor and were much more memorable than the beef, which was just a little blander than I had expected. You could taste a marinade but I was expecting something a bit more intense. The sriracha dipping sauce though was a nice touch.
As a main course, I ordered the chiang mai chicken & noodle curry. The curry sauce was really delicious and bold but not overbearing. It really brought together the noodles and chicken well. I was a little disappointed to find out that chicken was on the bone (probably should have asked beforehand) but it made eating the dish a bit more complicated. It wasn’t the most unique dish but one I would surely order again.

We came here after a nice dinner at the nearby Barcelona for a little bit more food and drinks.
We had cocktails, Garden Rolls and Blue Crab Fried Rice. The sauce which Garden Rolls came with had a unique taste. The fried rice portion size seemed a little small to me but it had a lot of flavor.
I liked the white interior with modern design.
This is a nice place with more space between people and easier place to talk without raising our voice volume.

Walking in, I immediately noticed the inviting atmosphere. Plenty of natural sunlight. The décor was unique and modern, but not over the top.
Started off with the stuffed tapioca pearls — very creative and full of flavor. The lettuce wrap and garnish didn’t need any seasoning as the inside of the pearl was a burst of flavor. For my entrée, I had the blue crab fried rice which contains lump crab so you don’t have to deal with the shell. It was good but I found it a little plain. I requested hot sauce to add and the server was kind enough to bring me two options — ended up using both. For dessert, I ordered the mango sticky rice based on the server’s recommendation who said it was her favorite on the menu and most traditional. I’m glad I took her advice as it was delicious and the best part of meal!
All the food at neighboring tables looked amazing, I was a lone diner for this meal but would love to return with a larger group and try other dishes like the lemongrass chicken and crispy whole fish.