Doi Moi

My family and I took my cousin out for his birthday in DC. He was looking to try Asian cuisine so we went to this highly acclaimed Vietnamese restaurant. My wife and I got there early so we hung out at the bar adjacent to the restaurant. After we were seated our host (Travis) took care of our party of 6 for the evening. We started out with these drinks. I tried their version of a “Hot Toddy” and it was awesome. We then ordered a ton of street plates such as Brussel Sprouts, Spring Rolls, Crispy Chicken Wings and Flash Fried Beef Jerky before going into the larger plates. The Drunken Noodles was probably the most popular meet at the table. They Basil Fried rice was definitely the second best meal on our plate. Travis did a great job providing input on the menu while also accommodating for allergy restrictions. Apparently, there is a Doi Moi speakeasy below the restaurant that I never noticed. The vibes there are pretty solid. Highly recommend this restaurant.

While not from the DC area I was visiting family and this spot was recommended. We can in for lunch on a weekend and were quickly seated. I am not a fan of brunch and had to request if there was anything from their lunch or diner menus they would be prepared to make and it turns out the grilled pork chops were exactly what I was hoping for. We started with the shrimp spring rolls and loved them and their dipping sauce which while peanut flavored it was not peanut butter. I fine the sauce at Doi Moo was bright and fresh not heavy and thick. My entrée was huge but it’s what I wanted. There were three thick chops (I was expecting thin ones but no complaints). My platter came with mint and basil along with classic Nước chấm dipping sauce. There were also rice noodles that had some dressing on them. For the future I will ask them to skip that dressing as it’s too strong and the Nước chấm is all I really need. The chops were delicious and as expected I had to take some home. We also had a chicken banh mi sandwich which was also quite large, so 1/2 that came home with us too. All in all this is a GREAT place with lots of options and authentic flavors. The staff is efficient and cheerful even if slightly over eager to please. If you like Vietnamese 🇻🇳 food, this is your spot. I’ll see you there as I will be back for sure.

I rarely write five star reviews, but Doi Moi deserves it. If you have a choice between the ground level or heading downstairs, just know that the ground one is very loud and lively, while downstairs felt super intimate and had a really cool vibe I loved. The drunkin noodles could best be described as velvety smooth. They didn't have quite as much of a kick as I'm used to from drunkin noodles, but the flavor was amazing. The Sài Gòn Salad was also delicious and had a surprising but enjoyable kick. Continuing on with some nice spice, the dragon kisses drink carried a spicy punch while the bomb cherry doll was more subtle but super enjoyable as well. Overall a really nice meal and I can't wait to go back.

I love thé présentation of the dishes I ordered. I really loved the Banh Mi and the Thai Ice Tea with it. The pandan pancake was also really good too, but they should not really put food color in it. It was a lovely nice morning and experience overall.

Pros: all of the food is delicious, the vibe inside is great and the aesthetic is really fun Cons: I like the high-top tables in theory, but they're a little uncomfortable to sit at for a whole dinner and don't have hooks for coats, the entryway also needs to be reconfigured - you can't check in with the host without fully blocking the door