Rating:3.5/5
Don’t let the mediocre rating fool you. This self-described “contemporary Vietnamese cuisine” has been one of my favorite dining experiences since coming to Stanford. I’ve been there twice: once at the beginning of freshman year, and again at the beginning of this year after a long and semi-delirious move-in (thanks to an untimely head cold and lots of accompanying Nyquil). These two visits, spaced more or less a year apart, have a very important thing in common – they were equally wonderful.
Food – 5/5
Unfortunately, I only vaguely remember what I ordered freshman year, but this year my mom and I were torn between all the delicious-looking menu items and ended up splitting three small dishes. In ascending order of goodness, we got: seasonable vegetable curry (smelled great, was spicy in a good way, but overall pretty run-of-the-mill), summer crab rolls (loved ‘em! but maybe I’m biased by my predisposition to shellfish) and duck spring rolls (six pieces of delicate, chewy, easy-to-share Vietnamese goodness with a sweet and spicy kick).
Service – 2/5
I’m tempted to give them the benefit of the doubt, since it was a busy night, but there were a couple of things I can’t easily overlook. We had a surprisingly long wait to be seated (just waiting for the hostess to get back to the door), and friendly-but-inattentive servers are forgivable, especially when the place is hoppin’, but then it took them three tries to get our bill right. First, they returned it without running the credit card and then it came back with someone else’s credit card – which could’ve been a major bummer for everyone involved had we not noticed.
Price – 2/5
Another very important commonality between my two visits is that both times were with a parent —meaning I didn’t have to pay. Two starters and a side costs about $30 + tax (which isn’t too terrible if you’re splitting with a couple of friends), and larger dishes range from $14-26. But yeah, maybe you should wait ’til Parents Weekend on this one.
Setting – 5/5
At 518 Bryant Street, Three Seasons is located on a beautiful commercial courtyard just off University Avenue in downtown Palo Alto. The whole set-up is lovely, simultaneously relaxed and intimate, and if the weather’s nice, I definitely recommend opting to sit outside on their patio. The courtyard itself, complete with fountain, separates you from “busy” University Ave and tones down the whole experience just a little bit. Personally, I’m a fan of walking the mile from campus, especially when it’s nice out. Driving is okay if you have to, but why not do this the environmentally friendly way?
Good for… 3rd+ Dates & Anniversaries
Don’t go here on a first date; there’s a chance that the restaurant’s semi-formal atmosphere could come off as too serious (unless that’s what you’re going for). But if you’re willing to dish out a bit extra, this could be an awesome anniversary setting. Bonus: most of the food won’t ruin your breath… just stay away from the garlic noodles.