SFReview
photo credit: Erin Ng
Lily
Included In
When every element of something comes together seamlessly, the result can transcend greatness. Lily, an upscale Vietnamese restaurant in the Richmond, knows this, and nails every aspect essential to a fantastic meal: great food and service, and impeccable attention to detail. And that’s why we’d come here for nearly any occasion.
Eating at Lily is a thrilling journey from start to finish. Bold, creative dishes on the one-page menu take front and center, like the jackfruit “pizza” made on a crispy rice cracker, or the whole fried red snapper that’s curled around a bed of kimchi and pineapple chow fun. The dishes are gorgeous without being overly showy—watermelon radishes are cut into flower shapes and used as garnishes alongside edible petals, and a neat mound of broken rice that’s submerged in a little bowl of broth stays miraculously intact.
photo credit: Erin Ng
But the food here isn’t just stunning to look at. Everything that lands on your table explodes with flavors and textures. Case in point: The colorful shaking beef salad. Tender filet mignon is dressed up with crispy toasted garlic and shallots and tart radishes that cut through the buttery avocado. The drinks are also pumped up with twists—like a strawberry sinh to with Pop Rock-like candy mixed in, or the creamy iced Vietnamese coffee topped with salted duck egg shavings.
The service and space are also keys to Lily’s greatness. Enjoying dinner from a posh red leather booth under the carved wooden panels isn't so far off from sitting in a roped-off VIP lounge. The dining room is intimate but doesn’t feel cramped. And service is personable without feeling overbearing—your water glasses never hit empty, and the chef may be the one to bring your food out or mix your salad together tableside.
photo credit: Erin Ng
Before your table has been cleared, don’t be surprised if you start plotting an excuse to make another reservation, whether it’s for date night, a family dinner, or a meal to commemorate the fact that your clomping upstairs neighbors just moved out. It’s just what happens when you experience a meal that checks all the boxes, from the service and presentation to really damn good food.
Food Rundown
photo credit: Erin Ng
Shaking Filet of Beef Salad
photo credit: Erin Ng
BBQ Sakura Farms Heritage Pork
photo credit: Erin Ng
BBQ Berkshire Pork Chop Broken Rice
photo credit: Erin Ng
Fried Whole Fish
photo credit: Erin Ng