THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED S Vietnamese Fine Dining

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED S Vietnamese Fine Dining Restaurant Review:

Shopping mall parking lots don’t normally attract food lovers, but S Vietnamese Fine Dining, situated in the Westminster Mall lot, is an exception. In fact, Stephanie Dinh’s restaurant offers a swanky alternative to the nearby ruggedness of Little Saigon. The décor is elegant with vibrant paintings, gold silk chandeliers and fresh flowers on every table. Dinh’s cuisine is full of French influences as well as traditional Vietnamese fare, which includes plenty of vegetarian options. While the egg rolls are topnotch, we prefer the S skewers, two sticks each of soy- and sesame-marinated beef, curry-soaked chicken and butterflied garlic shrimp. Traditional bun cha elevates grilled pork with garlic-infused pork patties and pickled green papaya. Unfortunately, not every dish scores. Grilled short ribs can be fatty and the beef stew is bland. Dinner offerings are more ambitious and generally worth the added expense: think pan-roasted Maple Leaf duck breast with balsamic reduction, or halibut baked in a banana leaf with cilantro pesto and ginger. There’s a respectable wine list, but we prefer the fresh lemonade with a sinker of sugar-soaked strawberries. For dessert, order the glutinous cassava cake with coconut gelato.