Rating: Never again, dear reader, never again
Dear reader, I feel as though I have been cheated.
I was lured into Madame Vo, East Village, on the recommendation of a number of reviews online – all of which assured me it was a great spot.
Upon arrival, I spotted a ‘Grade Pending’ sign at the door – perhaps my first warning that trouble was afoot. New York City grades all restaurants in terms of hygiene, and they must display the rating in the front window. An ‘A’ is excellent, while anything below should immediately give one pause for thought. A ‘Grade Pending’ suggests that inspectors have found some issues, such as flies in the kitchen, and have removed the establishment’s grade to give it time to correct the errors before returning.
Nonetheless, and having made a reservation, I sauntered onward.
My two dining companions chose the signature dish, the Madame Pho, while I went for a duck-based meal. The menus were all laminated in plastic, consider this my second warning.
Upon arrival, the food tasted nice enough – and we munched merrily while chattering away about the week’s events and who did what in the office.
It was only after leaving, and first heading to a bar, that I felt an uncomfortable pain in my stomach. I inquired of my dining companions, and they said they felt similarly discomposed.
Let that be all that was said on the matter.
The meal at Madame Vo, East Village itself came to $40 each, including tax and tip, which is a bit on the high end for an ‘affordable’ meal in New York City (Although we did also order one cocktail and two diet cokes between us).
The venue was nice and clean and did the job for the location, but also unremarkable.
After leaving, I delved into their latest hygiene report with New York City and found they were issued with three violation warnings on July 3 this year.
These included the surfaces on which foods are prepared not being washed, rinsed and sanitized properly – risking contamination – and cold items being stored above 41F (5C) – raising the risk of a bacterial explosion.
Inspectors also found that raw eggs were being stored above 45F (7C) and processed fish was being stored above 38F (3C).
Perhaps this explains my troubles in the bathroom?…
Read more of my restaurant and bar reviews
^ The latest hygiene report for Madame Vo’s