LSXO

We can describe LSXO with two words: “picture-perfect.” Elevated in presentation if not in flavors or textures, each Vietnamese dish arrives looking as rustically beautiful as one might expect from an exotic travel magazine, and the tiny (28-seat), upscale dining room inside Bluegold overlooks a classically Californian swath of Huntington Beach.

It’s all a feast for the eyes; everything tastes pretty good, too, offset only by premium pricing and a frosty front desk – LSXO sits inside another restaurant, Bluegold, vaguely like a speakeasy without the mystique or parlor tricks. One gets the sense a memo was circulated long ago to make entry feel exclusive, and no one got the follow-up memo that truly great places now are commonly gracious when they’re overflowing with customers, at a minimum to keep people coming in after tables turn.

Thankfully, LSXO’s dining room service is considerably warmer than the front desk, and playfully balanced with an intentionally edgy hip-hop soundtrack. There’s even something approximating an explanation, rather than an apology, posted on the wall for those who might not appreciate the soundtrack. (As hip-hop fans, we loved the music, but it’s a choice.)