Saigon Restaurant Awards

Saigon Restaurant Restaurant Review:

Two sisters operate this light, airy, and surprisingly comfortable restaurant that features true home-style Vietnamese cooking. Here, it's all about the basics at their freshest: meats, noodles, rice, vegetables---and, of course, aromatic broth, plus bunches of herbs. The vast menu lists all the perennial favorites---pho with beef tendon; hu tieu with shrimp and pork; bun (vermicelli) noodles layered with lettuce, herbs and your choice of topping (try the grilled pork or beef wrapped around a green onion). But there’s also plenty of room to explore, from an entire section of broken rice plates topped with various types of cha---essentially meatloaf---to unusual starters like mussels fried with tamarind or sesame to stir-fries laced with Asian pear. The most expensive item amid the otherwise startlingly cheap offerings is worth every penny: a whole steamed or fried catfish served with rice papers for rolling the pieces up yourself with all the delectable trimmings---fried shallots, sprigs of basil, vermicelli and vegetables. It can take a while to perfect, but the fun (and flavor) is in the practice. And though you can wash it all down with wine or beer, you’re better off with the tropical shakes, like jackfruit or avocado, that highlight the fare so brightly (and double as dessert to boot).