Citronelle Restaurant

My friendship with the gracious and graceful owner Mai has nothing to do with the outstanding rating I am giving this restaurant. The exquisitely tasteful decor, the soothing but very "in" music - Norah Jones sultry voice permeates the atmo ... more

My friendship with the gracious and graceful owner Mai has nothing to do with the outstanding rating I am giving this restaurant. The exquisitely tasteful decor, the soothing but very "in" music - Norah Jones sultry voice permeates the atmosphere -, and, last but certainly not least, the gourmet Vietnamese food seved with such affability and attention, all contribute to what could be called fine dining in the true sense of the term. less

This restaurant was a nice place to have dinner. The food was excellent and the atmosphere is very peaceful. It's definitely more expensive then other alternatives, but is is also very pleasant and not lit with fluorescent lights. Highly recommen ... more

This restaurant was a nice place to have dinner. The food was excellent and the atmosphere is very peaceful. It's definitely more expensive then other alternatives, but is is also very pleasant and not lit with fluorescent lights. Highly recommended. less

This is a nice looking place, but that only serves to cover up the worst restaurant experience in months. Abysmal, incompetent service - would you believe it possible to screw up an appetizer, salad, and entree for one person? All served in the wr ... more

This is a nice looking place, but that only serves to cover up the worst restaurant experience in months. Abysmal, incompetent service - would you believe it possible to screw up an appetizer, salad, and entree for one person? All served in the wrong order. The marinated sirloin cubes were passable, but the cha gio - which should be a signature dish for any Vietnamese restaurant - were inedible, as was the salad, I am allergic to cucumbers, and it took them three tries to serve me a salad without them - so I got my entree first, apppetizer second, salad last. First time I stiffed a waiter in maybe ten years - and if I wasn't in such a hurry to leave, I'd have gone in the kitchen and kicked the chef in the shins, too. I understand there was a decent Viet diner in this location before - this is definitely a downhill move. less

My friendship with the gracious and graceful owner Mai has nothing to do with the outstanding rating I am giving this restaurant. The exquisitely tasteful decor, the soothing but very "in" music - Norah Jones sultry voice permeates the ... more

My friendship with the gracious and graceful owner Mai has nothing to do with the outstanding rating I am giving this restaurant. The exquisitely tasteful decor, the soothing but very "in" music - Norah Jones sultry voice permeates the atmosphere -, and, last but certainly not least, the gourmet Vietnamese food seved with such affability and attention, all contribute to what could be called fine dining in the true sense of the term. As for the price, if one does not hesitate to pay $3.00 two or three times a day for a Starbucks coffee, one should not have any misgivings about spending $15.00 or $20.00 for good, refined food that pleases the palate and comforts the soul. less

This restaurant was a nice place to have dinner. The food was excellent and the atmosphere is very peaceful. It's definitely more expensive then other alternatives, but is is also very pleasant and not lit with fluorescent lights. Highly re ... more

This restaurant was a nice place to have dinner. The food was excellent and the atmosphere is very peaceful. It's definitely more expensive then other alternatives, but is is also very pleasant and not lit with fluorescent lights. Highly recommended. less

I had dinner this past weekend with a few friends. The food was excellent. This restaurant used to be known as Pho Saigon. <br> We decided to have a family style meal instead of individual portions and this seemed to work really well ... more

I had dinner this past weekend with a few friends. The food was excellent. This restaurant used to be known as Pho Saigon. <br> We decided to have a family style meal instead of individual portions and this seemed to work really well for us. <br> The Mango-Shrimp Salad was excellent. I also enjoyed short ribs. less

Went for lunch and had the Clay Pot dish and the Grill Combination (chicken, pork, & shrimp). I too often go to Vietnamese restaurants and am mystified why this is a standout. <br> The clay pot dish didn't taste nor ... more

Went for lunch and had the Clay Pot dish and the Grill Combination (chicken, pork, & shrimp). I too often go to Vietnamese restaurants and am mystified why this is a standout. <br> The clay pot dish didn't taste nor did it show the tell tale signs of being a real clay pot dish. Yes, other VN restaurants do the real thing. The pork in the Grill dish had a hint of non-freshness (spoiled) although within limits of acceptability. The rice on the Grill plate was actually served barely warm. <br> I consider Citronelle a repackaging of merely a decent VN restaurant. The remodeled decor, fancier menu selection didn't really bring out a more creative cuisine, just higher priced dishes. Perhaps, dinners are completely separate faire. BTAIM, lunch was over- priced and below the bar of quality/innovative cooking. I am reluctant to try this place again given so many alternative VN places all around the Bay Area. [BTAIM = be that as it may] less

I haven't given out 5 stars in a long time. I'm giving citronelle 5 stars for their creative; asian-fusion cuisine; their beautiful; cultural décor; tasteful presentation, and extremely friendly service! When I look at the menu at cit ... more

I haven't given out 5 stars in a long time. I'm giving citronelle 5 stars for their creative; asian-fusion cuisine; their beautiful; cultural décor; tasteful presentation, and extremely friendly service! When I look at the menu at citronelle, I want to try everything. it's hard to decide. san josé has many, many vietnamese restaurants; but citronelle serves not only great vietnamese favourites but many creative, contemporised renditions of asian traditions. just have a few words with the owner: he has a very sound, stable philosophy on cooking that proves he's a true culinary artist. Some dishes i recommend: grilled chicken salad, turmerik fish, tofu steamed in banana leaves, seafood mélange, an _the_desserts_!!! you shouldn't miss the fried bananas, which are much better than those you'll find at many other asian restaurants. the use of finger bananas really concentrates the flavour into a more efficient package. This restaurant also has a decent wine list, which is harder to find down here in the south bay than in san francisco or berkeley, I must admit. Another reason, I'm willing to give this restaurant the full 5 stars is that it's a great value for how nice the restaurant is. less