Three Seasons -- 3.5/5

Don't let the rating fool you. This self-described "contemporary Vietnamese cuisine" has hands-down been my favorite dining experience since coming to Stanford. I've been there twice: once at the beginning of freshman year, and again this weekend after a long and semi-delirious move-in. My two visits, space about a year apart, have two very important things in common. The first is that they were equally wonderful.

1. Food -- 5/5 Unfortunately, I only vaguely remember what I ordered last year, but this weekend my mom and I were torn between all the delicious-looking menu items and ended up splitting three small dishes. In ascending order of goodness, we got: seasonable vegetable curry (smells great, spicy in a good way, overall pretty run-of-the-mill), summer crab rolls (loved em! but maybe I'm biased by my predisposition to shellfish), and duck spring rolls (six pieces of delicate, chewy, easy-to-share Vietnamese goodness with a sweet and spicy kick). Check out their full menu here.
2. Service -- 2/5 I'm tempted to give them the benefit of the doubt, but there were a couple things I can't overlook. Long wait to be seated, friendly but inattentive servers are forgivable, especially on a busy night, but it took them three tries to get our bill right. First they returned it without running the credit card and then it came back with the wrong credit card, which could've been a major bummer for everyone involved.
3. Price -- 2/5 The second very important commonality between my two visits is that both times were with a parent, meaning I didn't have to pay. Two starters and a side costs about $30 + tax (which isn't too terrible if you're splitting with a couple of friends), and larger dishes range from $14-26. But yeah, maybe you should wait 'til Parents Weekend on this one.
4. Location and Setting -- 5/5 518 Bryant Street, just off University Avenue in downtown Palo Alto. Beautiful! Simultaneously relaxed and intimate. If the weather's compliant, definitely opt to sit outside on their patio. It looks out on a beautiful courtyard that separates you from "busy" University Ave and tones down the whole experience a little bit. I recommend walking the mile from campus, especially when it's nice out. Driving is okay if you have to, but why not do this the environmentally friendly way (and avoid the bummer that is parking downtown)?
5. Good for... 3rd+ Dates & Anniversaries Probably don't go here on a first date unless you're sure that the niceness of the restaurant won't accidentally come off as too serious. If you're willing to dish out the dough, however, this could be an awesome anniversary setting. Bonus: most of the food won't ruin your breath... just stay away from the garlic noodles.

Ok! Great! One down! That's all for this week, folks, but stay hungry, stay collegiate, stay tuned.