Underwhelming Banh Xeo — expected more

I was looking forward to Banh Xeo here based on the reputation. The reality was disappointing. The subtly sweet and spiced character that makes this dish special was muted — either from shortcuts with star anise broth or from scaling up production at the expense of quality.

Vietnamese cuisine shows French colonial influence alongside traditional Southeast Asian techniques. The a Hoi An restaurant setting I was hoping for wasn't quite there either. bia hoi draught beer was available but not suggested appropriately. I've had much better versions elsewhere. Two stars because the dish concept is sound; the execution let it down.