Chez Sovan in San Jose

Review №1

2023-07-31 20:54:03

My uncle has been a customer of this restaurant since 38 years and highly recommended this place to us for our lunch . We ordered the cabbage salad sans tofu, we were blown away by the salad dressing, the dressing was delicious and an explosion of herb flavors, had right amount of tanginess and sweetness. The slaw was crisp and fresh . Ordered eggplant with tofu and the Sovan sauce was so yummy. Another family member ordered chicken kabab and chicken stir fried rice noodles, both of which were cooked to perfection.The portions are very generous.My iced coffee with condensed milk had sweet notes to it, and spot on to beat the summer heat. Food was very light and not too oily . All the dishes had very fresh herbs. It was worth the 20 min drive to this restaurant. Ambience was very South East Asian. Bryan, the owner and host was very friendly and helped us with our vegetarian food options . He and his wife are very customer service oriented.The only negative is the lack of parking in the neighborhood. Best to Uber/carpool to this place.Highly recommend this restaurant for a soothing lunch experience.

Review №2

2023-08-31 04:39:59

If youve never had Cambodian food before check this place out. TOTALLY delicious!!! A true dive in every sense of the word. Weird location, funky decor (lots of Cambodian deities line the walls) and best of all, really good food. Been there many, many times and never a bad dish. Only open 11-2. Guy in charge is Brian. His family is cooking in the back. Start of with the soup (shrimp and/or chicken), fried catfish with tomato sauce, shish kabobs, shrimp salad are all favorites. Everything prepared to order, fresh and delicious. Highly recommended!

Review №3

2021-09-28 22:00:41

Everything about this place is absolutely great! Well I guess, I could wish for longer hours but its not a deal breaker. This is definitely a hole in the wall joint only open for 2-3hrs every weekday for lunch. Ive already almost had everything on the menu by my second visit, and I have to say everything Ive had is good.Three dishes stand out to me more than the rest, the Amok, grilled ginger fish, and stir fry noodles. Personally, Ive never had anything like the Amok and after having it here, Ive been missing out. Grilled ginger fish is easily the best thing they serve here, a must order every time. The stir fry noodles remind me very much of pad thai and I quite like it, especially the noodle texture. One other game changing tip, you must ask for fish sauce + chili (its def spicy). Huuuuge game changer.The owner is extremely polite and energetic with every customer. Makes the dining experience that much better, he has also hooked it up with some extra curry when we asked to box up our leftovers! Just a small gesture, but something I always appreciate and remember.

Review №4

2023-07-31 03:36:55

Awesome spot, food was fresh, tasted great love everything we tried! Came here for the first time about a month ago still thinking about the food lolOwner was very cool made my boyfriend and I feel like regulars. Place fills up pretty quick for lunch so I recommend to come early.Coming back with friends for my birthday day 🥳

Review №5

2022-10-06 23:57:00

Total hole in the wall. The kind of place you have to seek out but totally worth it. Authentic Cambodian food from a family that has been serving food here since 1987. The Amok and ginger fish were delicious. Highly recommend, only open for lunch, there is a parking lot across the street.

Review №6

2019-12-10 19:48:58

Very generic Cambodian restaurant. Every dishes are very good. Owner is very polite and friendly. They only open for weekdays lunch and close on weekends. Highly recommend.

Review №7

2022-07-20 01:52:16

I was one of the first people in this morning and Brian greeted me right away and as personably as an old friend! The Amok with the side of (delicious!) rice was just the protein/carb combo I needed for the big bike ride I was planning today. Well I guess it did the trick as I did 75 miles from downtown to Walnut Creek!! The flavors in the Amok were so refreshing and the fish was as fresh as you could hope for and not one second over-cooked. Should be Michelin recommended!!

Review №8

2023-08-18 01:30:31

The restaurant was too warm. The air was too still. It eas uncomfortable sitting and eating. But food was delicious and service right on. Will definately be back when weather cools off.

Review №9

2018-07-11 20:04:37

Very tasty and well presented meals. Enough quantity and delicious at a good price. Staff people are so nice and helpful. I plan on going back soon.

Review №10

2016-10-24 02:15:00

I really liked the place. We got the amok, beef green been, and chicken yellow curry. All were really juicy and tasty.