"So, I think my dyed hair and wearing a mask hid the fact that I was possibly Asian (I am Asian) is the reason why this had happened, but my review is based on experience only. The food was great, and the younger girl who was the cash register for the food (I’m assuming either a family member or just an employee that was hired by the owners there since she spoke English) was so helpful and very kind. But this is more of a review on the owners side. So, me and my friend are from Portland and he said that this Vietnamese vegan (chay) food place was great and that he goes here every time he is in Seattle. So I wanted to see what this place was all about and saw that they have great reviews on Google. We go in, and the younger girl is so kind and helpful that so far, it was a great experience. We were told by the girl that we could ask for sample of things, so because samples were available, of course we asked for samples before we spent money on buying them. Until one of the older ladies (I think the older lady is one of the owners), said in Vietnamese “Hai đứa này cuối cùng sẽ ăn hết và không trả tiền” while laughing to the two cooks (two older Vietnamese men). Which basically means, “These two (people) will eat all of our food and end up not even paying/buying them.” Now, when I heard this, I was shocked and taken aback. Like what? Then I think this is when I realized.. because I had my hair dyed blond, I was wearing a mask, and I was with my friend who is white, I think she assumed that I was white as well, or at least not Vietnamese. So when I finally processed what she had said, I replied to her saying in Vietnamese (with my Viet accent and everything) something along the lines of (I will translate what I said but this was said in Vietnamese to her) “Sorry, sorry. We are just trying before we decide what to get. We will still buy before we leave.” And I think that she felt embarrassed or shocked that I understood her because she looked at me and walked out the door without responding. Probably embarrassed because she didn’t expect a native Vietnamese person to hear her talk behind her customers back in a language that she thought I didn’t know . So it just makes me wonder how many times she has talked behind her customers back or gossip about them while they were in the store, thinking that speaking in her native language (Vietnamese) will protect her . Anyways. The food was great and definitely worth, the kind younger girl at the cash register who gave us some samples and was in charge of making our banh mi was great. I think she realized what had happened because she said two of the cha gio was on the house after that incident. But that experience with one of the supposed owners was… not as great ."
