Walking into a Vietnamese restaurant and expecting to sit down at a table and receive a menu is not what you will find at La Sen Vietnamese Grill. Instead of ordering traditional Vietnamese food from a waiter, you order at a counter with the menu projected over three flatscreen T.V.s.

I was immediately hit with the incredible smell of the food cooking in the kitchen while standing in the restaurant. I took a look at the menu and had a difficult time picking out what I wanted. There were so many options that looked good. The menu provides vegetarian options as well. I finally decided on the Chicken Pho, which was $7.90.

One of the perks of paying at the counter is not having to wait around for the bill or food.

The atmosphere at the restaurant was quite comfortable. The background music was pleasant and the seats at the table were comfortable. The waiter on staff was very attentive and would check in to see if I needed more water or to see if I needed anything.

After about 15 minutes, my food was brought to my table. The steam coming off the hot bowl of soup smelled great and made me excited to eat. The first spoonful of the soup did not disappoint me. It tasted like traditional pho and had a great range of spices and flavors. The only thing I was disappointed by was the fact that I couldn’t finish my entire bowl because the portion was so large. My entire lunch only took about 45 minutes, which was beneficial with my busy schedule.

I would give La Sen an A. The food was enjoyable, the service was pleasant and the prices were inexpensive for those on a budget. The cheapest thing on the menu was the Sauteed Tofu sandwich at $4.90 and the most expensive items were the Coconut Curry and the Drunken Crispy Shrimp at $9.50. I was pleased with the restaurant and would be happy to go again. It’s also convenient for WLHS students since it is located at 22000 Willamette Dr #101, which is .2 miles from the high school.

Here’s a link to the menu: http://lasengrill.com/