I can normally put up with a less-than-perfect dining experience — jammed tables, mediocre food, slow service, etc., but when all of these arrive in the same package, that shows real talent, and deserves a special mention.

Hồ Gươm (Lake of the Recovered Sword), named after a scenic region in northern Vietnam (see photo), just opened this week. It replaces another Vietnamese restaurant, the unremarkable Hồng Phát (address not given because you won’t need it). We decided to try it out as part of our weekly family dinner. Our crowd ranges from eight to 80 years of age, and we eat out at Chinese and Vietnamese restaurants regularly, so we’re not likely to be surprised.

We had a reservation for ten, but upon arrival found that we were seated at two adjacent (back-to-back) tables, which made conversation difficult. The place was moderately full, but it still took about 20 minutes until someone came to take our order, and only after my mother reminded them. We ordered some typical dishes —- phỡ (Tonkinese soup), grilled meats with rice. My sister and I had bún óc (vermicelli soup with escargots), a bit unusual but not that difficult. This would usually take about 15—20 minutes to get everyone served, but in this case it took one hour (not including the 20 minutes mentioned earlier). And this was not an isolated incident —- a woman waited over an hour for her takeout order. Along the way a waiter came by to “verify” our order, and we actually had to point out in the menu what we wanted.

Finally, we were all served, and it was the ultimate indignity. The imperial rolls were cold on the inside, the rice was dry, the grilled meats were overdone, the escargots were rubbery, the vermicelli were not the right type, and the soups were too salty. Just to be clear: we were not impressed. My nephew normally devours everything in sight, but here he left half his plate untouched. Having to nag for coffee and dessert was almost mild by comparison.

Even allowing for the fact that the place was new, I don’t see a rosy future here. For a city with so many great dining choices, no one should have to put up with this.