Lychee Restaurant Bar - Braintree

We had already ordered steamed pork buns, so we decided to wait for them even though we were a bit concerned. They were decent, but I wasn’t impressed. They were quite heavy on the cilantro, and the buns could have been fluffier. Overall, I had hoped for a great experience, but it was somewhat disappointing. I’m hoping this was just a one-off incident so we can give it another try. Edit: Quick update – I wrote my review just before settling the bill and we ended up being charged for an alcoholic drink we neither ordered nor received. That’s too many issues in one visit. I really wanted to enjoy this place, but I’m not inclined to return. ANOTHER EDIT: I can’t believe this! The charges for the soda ($3), tea ($3), and steamed pork buns ($10) should have totaled around $16, yet the new bill came to $21.59. They did refund us and offered a gift card, but I’ll pass. I truly hope this was just a rare mishap and not reflective of the overall experience for most guests. Edit for the owner: I genuinely appreciate your efforts. I included some minor critiques about the steamed pork buns, but my review focuses on the overall experience. When errors occur, it’s important to take extra care to prevent further mistakes. The billing issue happened twice, which is hard to overlook given everything else. That’s why I felt compelled to write this review. Wishing you the best!

I ordered a couple of appetizers: the Banh Mi Tartine and chicken wings. For the main courses, I had the Vegetarian Japchae, Lollipop Lamb Chops, and Miso Glazed Salmon. The Banh Mi was sweet, but still quite tasty. In my opinion, the highlight of the entrees was definitely the Japchae. For dessert, we enjoyed flan.

The restaurant is new and really lovely. I've already visited several times and I absolutely love the pho. It's served piping hot and is beautifully presented. Their appetizers are also delicious, particularly the fried tofu popcorn and shishito peppers. The cocktails are fantastic as well; I appreciate that they are not overly sweet. The portion sizes are very generous. I've gotten to know the owners and we've become friends. I'm considering hosting my daughter's graduation banquet here next June.

So I have been wanting to try this spot for awhile. When you walk in, it's a very clean, cozy modern atmosphere. I was more impressed with my appetizers than my actual entrée. My meal as well as my son's did not come to the table matching the description on ghe menu. I ordered steak tips(medium), which came with rice and stir fried vegetables. The steak tips were not cooked to order which was understandable given the fact that they were so small it would be difficult to cook to order, the portion was also extremely small. My rice was undercooked, and instead of stir fried vegetables, I got steamed bok choy. I always order dishes because of the combination of flavors, so to receive something different than the description on the menu, I expect my server to inform me of any changes to the dish. My son ordered lamb chops medium. Also over cooked, small portion and missing the yogurt sauce he was looking forward to trying. They flavor is there, but the overall quality was well below my standards.

We were the only diners there and the temperature of the food was not hot enough. The calamari was rubbery overly cooked, however our entrees were really delicious. We ordered the steak tips and the salmon and both were very flavorful. Our server was very nice. Once we were able to tell them the calamari was over cooked, they were more than willing to switch out for a good appetizer. Overwall pleased with the service but it didn't give me the wow factor although the place is quite beautiful.