Sam Woo Vietnamese Cafe

Love, love, love the spicy bean curd/​tofu. Deep fried silky tofu sprinkled with garlic and chili, sitting on a bed of carrot and cabbage salad. Yum. VERY generous helpings.
Their smoothies are very popular, especially the coconut smoothie. And with good reason. They are delicious. Do try one.
The place may be lacking in atmosphere, but who cares when the food is so delicious, cheap and generous in serving size.

Other than looking like a strip club the price was good and so was the food. No great but good. ³⁄₅

We’re on the search for the best Vietnamese restaurant in town (so far our bet is on Try it Out). We were however sadly very disappointed in Sam Woo and are unlikely to be back. The best thing about the restaurant is their prices (as mentioned before).
The restaurant is large and packed with lots of staff. It was very full even on a weekday. Parking is a little difficult but you can double park outside the restaurant and the staff will come around to get you to move your car when the person you are blocking is ready to leave. Overall the food was very bland, and hardly resembled Vietnamese food. Our vermicelli was actually warm when the dish is supposedly a cold one. The fish sauce which accompanies the spring rolls and vermicelli was well, I forgot I had even dipped it. The beef in the noodle soup was tough and in no way tender. We didn’t find the typical lemongrass pork dishes and missed the mint leafs.
The restaurant is clearly not Vietnamese focused — aside from spring rolls we saw next to no one actually order the noodle soup (read possible phở) and the cold vermicelli noodles. And the search continues…

I found Sam Woo’s to be alright, and the thing I liked most about this place was the prices. I definitely felt like I got filled up on a decent spending. $ 9 for four pretty big summer rolls (pork and prawn fresh rolls)
It’s no fancy place, and by the looks of it they hold functions or some sort (karaōke night?). Service was pretty average. Although it did feel weird that we weren’t offered any tea or water and being my first time there I wasn’t sure to ask. Although towards the end of our meal I noticed they did have teapots on a nearby shelving.

Best beef noodles in Auckland! I usually go there when I have a craving for vietnamese noodle. Its not the best but certainly better ones in Auckland. I have had way better Vietnamese food in San Jose, CA. hhehe Its still missing the mints, the herd leafs that makes the noodles with the extra vietnam flavour… nom nom nom…
I am a regular and usually get a bowl of the tender beef noodles soup with a glass of ice white coffee for my meal.
PS — make sure you go there with a few friends and park your car close to the restaurant for safety reasons. :)