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OK, I know that it was a huge shock when Kim Ba closed. After all, it had been around for many years and was famous for its range of homestyle Vietnamese dishes. But guess what? Saigon Bistro’s now in that exact spot, and I’m betting you’ll love them too. Let’s dive in! The closest English translation for Goi Dac Biet is probably “combination salad” and indeed, this intermingling of squid, jellyfish, pig ear and shrimp may at first seem curious – but after a bite or two, your “hmmmm”s will start sounding more like “mmmmm”s. In a similar vein, snails are much prized in Vietnamese cuisine (as a former French colony this may not be too surprising) and Saigon Bistro offers several different ways to try them – for example, drenched in silky coconut sauce, or bobbing in a tamarind-kissed hotpot with some Bap Chuoi (banana blossom) and Rau Muong (water spinach) to keep them company. Canh Ga Chien Nuoc Mam, or plump fried chicken wings with a fish sauce-based dressing, is another permutation you probably weren’t expecting to see. But have I ever steered you wrong? My point is that Saigon Bistro’s the perfect place to experiment a bit, so have a look at that menu and see what sounds yummiest to you on your visit. With that said – I do realize that sometimes, the old favorites are the most enticing. And thus, it will probably be a great relief to hear that the dishes you already know and love will thrill you just as much at Saigon Bistro. It’s always fun to wrap some grilled meats and veggies in a little Banh Trang (rice paper) and you can choose from several possible platters here, whether you prefer soft pork sausage, lemongrass beef, sizzled shrimp paste, or a combination thereof. Com Ga Ro Ti (roast Cornish hen) is a moist, meaty mouthful here, especially when sided with an array of crisp produce to cool things off a bit. And of course, they also have Pho. My gosh, do they ever – I think I noticed at least ten varieties on my last visit. But really, who’s counting? The ever-present rice bowls and noodle plates of course make appearances here too, as you might expect. Yes, no matter if you’re super-keen to branch out, or maybe not quite there yet, Saigon Bistro will still suit your every need.

Banh Can Nha Trang Restaurant – Menu with Prices – 10131 Westminster Ave, Garden Grove

I literally came here today on 6/3/19 and it doesn’t seem closed… I think unless I was crazy. But I’m very sure I ate a full meal here. I got the banh can and soup mang cua. I have tried the banh Trang nuong, banh xeo, mi quang, and the banh Trang tron and honestly they’re all freaking good. One of my favorite dishes here is the banh can and the soup mang cua. The mang cua is as authentic as u can get when it comes to this dish. I saw some documentaries on Vietnamese food in Vietnam and this comes very close to it– maybe even perfectly replicated. The banh can is uniquely made only at this location as you will only find the other variation, the banh khot, around this area. This itself makes this restaurant greatly unique. Same with the banh trang nuong… honestly other than when the night market is in town, you’ll only find this dish here also… The only downside to this location is that legit you’ll be walking down the most run down hallway that seems suspiciously haunted. On the off time there are people here who use the hallway as dance practice, so in all honesty you might have to awkwardly dodge around them as you Maneuver through. Another funny mention is that while walking up stairs, you’ll find yourself getting stared at by portraits of random asian families. It is as if their eyes follow you wherever you go.

Pho B&B Vietnamese Cuisine – Menu with Prices – 9010 S Pennsylvania Ave, Oklahoma City

I have my favorite Vietnamese dishes, yes, and (even though this place is known for its ph) I go for the Bánh xèo. (Never had Bánh xèo? Imagine a beautifully goldend (turmeric-infused) rice batter that’s fried into crispy little crêpes and then wrapped around hot bean sprouts, chopped green onions, roast pork, pork fat, shrimp, and (sometimes) other savory fillings. The dish is traditionally served with lettuce leaves (for wrapping up the Bánh xèo burrito-style), fresh basil, fresh cilantro, and (sliced) fresh jalapeños. BEST VIETNAMESE DISH IN THE WORLD. (Well at least in THIS bald guy’s humble opinion.) The Bánh xèo served here? Generous portions — to say the least. Perfect consistency. Perfect flavor. Just, well . . . PERFECT ALL AROUND. Friendly, prompt service. There’s a lot of hilariously tacky kitsch in here insofar as the, uh, “décor” goes, yes. But, that said, I’m here for insanely good meals — not a crash course in interior freakin’ design. I won’t lie to you — I absolutely detest the very idea of having to drive this far south to have a perfect (and very traditionally Vietnamese) lunch or dinner of Bánh xèo, but I’ll do it again and again when it’s made so perfectly and served with such consistent smiles. The restrooms here are kept clean, and the parking here is ample. I really want to try the Bún bò Hu (spicy beef soup) next time I return to B & B, but (at least for my palate) that’s a dish best served in chilly weather. Vietnamese grocery store just around the corner, too. (That is ALWAYS a nice little perk for me and mine when we’re in this part of town, as most of the Vietnamese markets and restaurants in the Oklahoma City metroplex are up in NW OKC in the Asian District/”Little Saigon” area on and around Classen Boulevard. When we’re in south OKC, rare as that might be, it’s always nice to have the options we like to see.) Another perk? There’s a pretty decent little Thai place that’s just steps away from B & B. (I myself generally prefer most Vietnamese cuisine to Thai cuisine, yes, but it — again — is always pleasant to have options.) Five big happy stars for this locally owned eatery!

Cafe Mi Quang – Menu with Prices – 3324 Kensington Ave, Philadelphia

This restaurant is one of my favorite Vietnamese restaurants in Philadelphia area. My mom’s friend knew about this restaurant and recommended to my mom. My mom ordered some take-out for me to try before and I was in love!!! I love their Mi Quang. They have three kinds of Mi Quang: Special Mi Quang, Shrimp and Pork Mi Quang, and Shrimp and Chicken Mi Quang. Special Mi Quang has Chicken, Pork Ribs, and Shrimps. And I usually order this one every time I’m there. The chicken was fried to golden. It was crispy outside and tender in the inside. I can still taste the sweetness of the meat and the juice when I took a first bite. Omg pork ribs were so soft. When I took a bite, I can feel the meat separate perfectly from the bone!!! I also love their crab noodle soup (Bun Rieu). The broth was super flavorful and savory. I appreciate their herbs and vegetables side dish. They included lots of fresh herbs that lots of restaurants don’t offer. Their Vietnamese hoagies or AKA Banh Mi are the best Banh Mi that I’ve ever had. I believe they have grilled Pork, Ham, Meat Ball, and Pork Belly. My all time favorite is the Pork Belly. Just like other dishes, the restaurant took their time to prep their banh mi. Banh Mi is fresh and crispy. Pork Belly are flavorful, savory, juicy, tender, and addicting!!! I appreciate the fact that they put the veggies and the sauce on the side, so the banh mi wont get soggy. I love that they place banh mi in a styrofoam container, so your banh mi wont get smashed or squished (which happens very often with other places.) Its the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. However, last time I went, I don’t see them putting them in those styrofoam boxes anymore :(( sadddd! Please keep the boxes, they make a big difference! I almost gave up on going to Vietnamese restaurants because they always failed me in the past. I would like a Vietnamese restaurant at the beginning, then after awhile all the restaurants were trying to cut corners and then the quality weren’t the same anymore. Consistency is important when it comes to business, especially restaurants. Cafe Mi Quang has kept their quality consistently. Even though it takes me 40′ drive to get here, I don’t mind as long as the food is great! Please keep up the work, and don’t cut corners. Bring the styrofoam boxes back! We love them!

Tung Trang Dehli – Menu with Prices – 9607 107A Ave NW, Edmonton

Tung Trang is nestled in one of the corners along Lucky 97 Supermarket. Blink and you’ll miss it. A small shop owned by a Vietnamese couple that’s open daily from 10am to 7pm. They only sell a few things here, their bread and butter being banh mi, along with a couple of Vietnamese specialties I’ve never seen before (banh tet, Vietnamese meat buns). A couple old Vietnamese grannies came in grabbing those items which I’m curious to try another time. – Vietnamese meat special (#1) ($3.50) – I decided to try their standard and most popular banh mi. I liked how the lady made the sandwich right in front of me – she took her time heating up the bun in one of their toasters and then assembling everything together. Taste wise, the baguette wasn’t very fresh. Maybe because it was end of the day (I came around 5pm) but the bread was flaky and crumbled upon being bitten into. Be prepared for a mess unless your smart and eat it outside. It’d be nice if they gave you a small bag like they do at Van Loc instead of just the plastic saran wrap. The inside had the usual fixings but I wished they had smoothed out the mayo more evenly. Couple spots had way too much. Decent and cheap but better than Van Loc? I’ll splurge the extra $1.00 to get what I want.

The Red Boat Asian Fusion Menu with Prices 8221 Glades Rd Suite 6, Boca Raton

Loved this place! And really like Vietnamese food. Although they’ve dubbed themselves an “Asian fusion” restaurant and they do have a number of selections from various cuisines. Based on their card, they have 4 other restaurants in Maryland and one in DC. This is the first in Florida. You order at the counter and they bring your food to you. Going there the first time, we had to stand a bit and read their menu on the wall. I actually missed seeing their specials written on the other wall (near the soda case) until after we had ordered. It’s pretty basic inside but no one is really looking at the decor — the food is the star attraction. We started with a shrimp roll which is their version of a summer roll. They also have one with chicken and shrimp and one with chicken only. (I’d never heard of a Korean roll or a tofu roll.) Other rolls include a fried one with pork and shrimp. The two rolls we got were freshly made, and tightly wrapped. The rice paper was soft in texture. There was a nice amount of shrimp too. The accompanying peanut sauce was quite good, as well. We each got lemongrass pork banh-mi sandwiches. I got mine without the jalapeños or the special sauce (that turned out to be a mix of mayo and sriracha sauce). The bread was crusty French bread — the real deal — the pork was marinated chunks in a light bbq type sauce, the veggies/salad were all fresh and crunchy. A very good sandwich. Other “six inch” banh-mi sandwiches are available with chicken or Korean beef bulgogi or even a fried tofu. There’s also Pho (soup) with a choice of 4 broths and a number of protein choices. Plus tacos (!!) with the same choices inside as the sandwiches. A build your own rice/salad/noodle bowl option. Fries with a variety of 8 toppings. Toasted seaweed anyone? And a few other things like dumplings and coconut shrimp. I thought about ordering their steamed pork bun, but I noticed it also had eggs and other things in it that didn’t appeal. The “dogs” were most intriguing … but I did not fully read their ingredients. Will have to go back again to find out what exactly a Saigon or k-town dog is…. and yes, we will be back to try more items on their menu.

??c H??ng Giò Ch? – Menu with Prices – 13880 Brookhurst St, Garden Grove

Genealogy has never been an interest of mine. All I know is that I’m European-American. (Mostly English, Irish, Scottish and Finnish. Maybe a few more ishes that I’ve never been informed about. Basically, your general mutt.) Being called white or Caucasian is CLEARLY racist in today’s snowflake world, so repeat after me: European-American. Anyhoo, that makes my daughter 50% European-American. The other half consists of 37.5% Vietnamese-American and 12.5% Chinese-Vietnamese-American. My point: I’m trying to teach her that rice is boring!! But, it’s a constant struggle when my wife feels the need to include rice in every meal the Princess eats. And it doesn’t help when Princess is a stubborn and picky eater. One of her standard go-to dishes is Cha lua. Sometimes she prefers it al a carte, sans rice. (There’s still hope!!) Cha lua is a type of Vietnamese sausage, made from pork and wrapped in banana leaves. Personally, not a favorite, but Princess deigns to eat it, so I’m happy. At least it’s not rice! (Just lost the Vietnamese community’s vote for Yelper of the Year!) It’s reminiscent of spam, which I’m also not particularly fond of. (Just lost Hawaii!! I’m on a roll!!) My wife tells me this place is famous around this intersection for it’s cha lua, and it’s known as far away as Little Saigon, which is the next intersection. They sell variations of it, I believe. We come here for one thing, and one thing only: cha lua, the original. I think. At least it’s not rice!

Kim Land Food To Go – Menu with Prices – 3347 W Walnut St # 117, Garland

I’ve lived in Dallas for almost 10 years and have only found 2 places that make a proper banh xeo. Unfortunately the first place I found is now closed, but it was so delicious. It was called Lemongrass in Deep Ellum. So when my Vietnamese friend told me about the hole in the wall to-go restaurant next to Hiep Thai grocery store, I was super excited to check out the banh xeo. There’s no English anywhere inside, but don’t be scurred to check this place out. That’s how you know this place is authentic, right? Plus, I mostly spoke English to the cashier/waitress and maybe a smattering of my broken Vietglish, so you definitely can order food here without having to take your Vietnamese friend. There are only 3 tables inside as they mostly do take out orders, but we scored a table and ordered banh cuon and banh xeo. Each order of banh xeo comes with 2 big, crispy, hot, and delicious pork and shrimp and bean sprouts. Also comes with a side of lettuce and veggies. Totally worth it. One order could feed two people but you’d still be hungry. The yellow color comes from turmeric by the way, not eggs. There’s no egg in this dish. To eat banh xeo, cut like a palm sized amount of banh xeo off with the fixings inside and get some lettuce to wrap up the banh xeo like a taco and then dunk it in the nuoc mam fish sauce. Pretend it’s like French dip roast beef sammie. Anyway, they accept credit cards, too.

Vietnam Kitchen – Menu with Prices – 400 Westwood Shopping Center Suite 248, Fayetteville

More Vietnamese??? Yes, please!!! I tried out the newest Vietnamese spot in town yesterday in it did not disappoint. In fact, it was such a great experience that I felt compelled to write a review after only one visit. I was cheerfully greeted, seated, given a menu, and a glass of ice water as soon as I entered the restaurant in the strip of stores and eateries along the backside of Westwood. It was a pretty expansive menu with lots to choose from. They had the usual apps, bun bowls, soup dishes, and entrees. I already knew what I wanted, so I didn’t spend a lot of time looking over the menu. I should have snapped a photo. That being said I opted for an appetizer of sugar cane shrimp rolls and the ultimate bun bowl. The sugar cane shrimp were smaller than other places, but the texture and flavor was spot on. What really shinned was the noodle bowl. It came with a spring roll, two large shrimp, Vietnamese sausage, and the best grilled, bbq pork I have ever had a Vietnamese place. It was a lot of food and the price was great. I think 11.50 for the ultimate bowl with most others being less than 10. I was really good. I was very well taken care of during my visit. My glass was always full and the waiter, likely thinking this was a new experience for me, explained how to eat the dishes and what the various sauces were. I’ve eaten plenty of Vietnamese before, but I did not take offence. He just seemed excited that I was eating there. There was a bit of a language barrier, but he did not seem to take offence to me pointing out what I wanted on the menu. I saw the wait staff take equally good care of other patrons that came in for a late lunch as I did. They even offered a glass of ice water to a gentleman that was coming in to place a take-out order. Everyone was very nice and appreciative of our business. So, this place just made a wonderful first impression on me. It’s nice to have more options for Vietnamese. There are essentially three restaurants now on that road that offer Vietnamese. This one may be the place for the grilled meats. I’ve yet to have the pho’, but that will be next.

Little Shop of Mary – Menu with Prices – 2205 Torrance Blvd, Torrance

(Food) For context, I have eaten a lot of banh mi in my life. The best is Banh My My Tho in Alhambra which I use as the gold standard. With that said I got the most popular banh mi here, the roasted pork. It was okay. It was just savory pulled pork and pickled onions and a house sauce. The banh mi is not BAD, but for almost 10 dollars it was puny and it strayed way too far from the traditional Vietnamese sandwich. Where are the pickled carrots and radish? Cucumber? Perhaps their other options are better but for 10 bucks I would not come here. You’re better off at the local Lee’s Sandwich for 6 bucks which offers a sizeable sandwich with traditional flavors for the price and that is not saying much about this place… I also advise against ordering their milk tea. I thought I would give the benefit of the doubt because of the good reviews but boy was I wrong. (Service) Standard. (Venue) As the title says, this shop is literally little. 5/10 would not banh mi again.

Pho & Po Boy Menu with Prices 1827 SW Green Oaks Blvd #149, Arlington

Always like trying new places and read the reviews and saw how much shrimp they put on their poboys and it was on the way to Six Flags so decided to try it. Hubby thought of reserving ahead which was a wise choice bc food was ready when we got there. Ordered 3 shrimp poboys, 1 fried chicken, 1 grilled pork which is basically like banh mi. It’s Vietnamese owned poboy place so was expecting banh mi. Their poboys were 6.99 each and loved how fries were included. Got there and order waa ready. There’s a cute flower wall for pics inside. Firemen were waiting for their food lol and restrooms were clean. Got our order and ate in the car. Not the easiest to even tho there’s take out boxes. It’s messy with the sauce. I was impressed with how much shrimp they put in and the chicken tenders were huge. Liked that. The fries were Cajun style n a bit too spicy for little ones. My regret is ordering ahead bc it wasn’t as fresh as it could be. Fries were a bit stale. But I liked the fried popcorn shrimp tho. It was alot. However I m picky on my bread n this wasn’t banh mi bread like someone mentioned and the grill pork tasted like banh mi but not the bread. It wasn’t bad but chewy. The tenders were good but nothing wow. I like how they have alot n the shrimp was good n plentiful but the sauce and slaw like fixings were ok. Idk what I was expecting. Louisiana poboys at Parkway? Either way. It was fine and filled our tummies. Way too big for 1 person n lots of fried food here. Not sure if we will be back but maybe for their actual nonfried seafood?

Ngoc Suong 2 Restaurant – Menu with Prices – 960 Story Rd, San Jose

2.5 stars for the food, but service was decent so I rounded up. Located off Story Road. Ngoc Suong took over Phu Quy, which neighbors Banh Canh 3 Mien, Lucky Tea and Pho Ga Nha. We came here wanting to try out a new hue place as well as try their special BÃ? NÃ?. We arrived around 10:40am on a Saturday and were seated right away. Very spacious with only a few tables occupied. I was hit with a waft of delicious fried food and sizzling plates! lol. Everyone had a sizzling plate at their table. We ordered… BÃ? NÃ? $12.99 -beef steak served with egg, pate, side salad, chips (fries) and bread. My fiancé ordered this and he said it was decent. It came out sizzling. French fries were super crispy. Bread came out toasted but it was day old bread. Once the bread cooked down, it tasted even more old and stale. Barely any pate..:( The steak was thin and kinda chewy. There’s condiments available on the table for the bó né..A1 steak sauce, tabasco, ketchup, nuoc tuong/soy sauce or sriracha. BANH RAM IT (4) $5.99 -fried dumpling with shrimp and steamed dumpling. It was topped with ground shrimp and scallion oil. Pretty good. Small with bits of meat and shrimp. The fried part wasn’t fried all the way through like other places so it was still soft in the middle. So it was soft on soft from the steamed dumpling on the top..not enough texture contrast. The fish sauce was great though! BANH BEO CHEN (6) $5.99 -steamed rice flour cake with fresh ground shrimp. Topped with scallion oil and a few pork cracklings. The banh beo was a little thick, and kinda chewy. The ground shrimp had a dry/grainy consistency and it looked like Himalayan rock salt. Lol. The pork cracklings were small and stale. Fish sauce was a little on the sweeter side but I loved that! BANH BEO MIEN TRUNG $1.99 each -we got only 1 to try. Came out piping hot in a small bowl. Think of banh beo but thicker/gooier and topped with a ground meat sauce. It had thinly fried shallots and tons of ground peanuts which overpowered everything. It was also pretty salty from the ground meat sauce and adding the fish sauce that accompanied it didn’t really help. No bueno. Some other vietnamese dishes they offer include lau, goi, hu tieu/mí xao, com chien, pho, hu tieu, bún, mi quang, bo kho, banh xeo and nui xao bo/bo luc lac. That’s not even half..so a lot to choose from! Oh wee when we finished eating..we smelled like grease! Wasn’t really a fan of most of their Hue dishes..so my search for a new hue spot continues. Butttt.. to quote my fiancé, “who goes to a bó né spot and orders hue food?” *shrugs* I still can’t find a place better than Hue Restaurant off Silver Creek Road. Party trays available and extra $0.50 for TOGO orders.

The Noodle House – Menu with Prices – 775 Gladstone Ave, Ottawa

I went here for lunch with my parents today (as part of their tour of every pho restaurant in Ottawa, lol). The food was fantastic, prices are reasonable, service was great, and the place is bright, new and clean! We loved it and will be back. My dad had the Special Pho (Pho Dac Biet). He got the regular size ($10, small is $8.50). My mom was going to get the same thing, but decided to try their Grilled Beef and Spring Roll Vermicelli instead ($13). I got what I always get at Vietnamese restaurants if it’s on the menu, Hu Tieu Nam Vang (Phnom Penh Tapioca Noodle Soup). I also got a large for $10. The server brought out my dad’s pho first and I could smell it as he was bringing it from the kitchen. It smelled so delicious. My dad loved it. He said it was one of the best pho broths he’s had in Ottawa. It had lots of different types of beef, and I even spotted a quail egg. The accompanying garnishes (beansprouts, basil, lime, and chili peppers) were fresh and plentiful. I had a taste of my mom’s dish and the grilled beef was excellent. It was so tender, and the marinade was so flavourful. They were generous with the amount of beef too. The vermicelli was nicely cooked (not too dry, nor too mushy). The spring roll was hot and crispy and filled with ground pork, carrots, mushrooms, cabbage and onions. Overall, very tasty. I would consider getting this dish for myself in the future. The only thing that would make this dish better is if the spring rolls were made of rice paper (banh trang) instead of the usual wheat based wrapping. I love the way spring rolls made of rice paper get all blistery when fried. So delicious! My Hu Tieu Nam Vang did not disappoint either. I’ve had this dish a lot, and this one at The Noodle House was one of the best (not just in Ottawa, but also in Toronto, my hometown. Believe me, this is high praise, lol). I got 3 large shrimp (they were peeled and properly de-veined), 3 pieces of surimi crab, 3 slices of fried fish cake, some ground pork, and several slices of pork. The tapioca noodles were nice and chewy. The broth was really fragrant and tasty (not too salty nor not too oily). My only complaint is that the pork slices were too fatty for my tastes. I prefer lean meats, but I know that many people like fatty pork, especially in noodle soups. Our server was very courteous, attentive, and efficient. When I asked for a glass of water, it was filled to the brim and had so much ice. I was delighted. How did he know that I love ice? Anyway, he refilled it when it was getting low. They also give you a pot of complimentary tea. The tea had this delicious roasted quality to it and it was really strong. I love strong teas, so I was very happy. Like most pho restaurants, they have a caddy at each table with chopsticks and spoons, and condiments. The place is really clean (including the washrooms). The restaurant is on Gladstone, in between Bell and Lebreton. We were lucky to have found a parking spot on Gladstone just slightly west of the restaurant, but there’s just street parking and I can see how parking could be difficult to find around there (Bell Street was completely full of cars). Anyway, this place is awesome. I loved it and so did my parents. Apparently they have specials that change occasionally (weekly? daily? I’m not sure). Today it was Bo Bia (a special type of summer roll with Chinese sausage, jicama, and eggs) and Bun Mam (a fermented fish soup that in my opinion is only for the brave. Personally, the smell makes me run away screaming, haha). I was really impressed to see these less commonly known Vietnamese dishes being served. The owners are really into social media and I saw on their Facebook page that past specials included Bun Bo Hue, Banh Xeo, Hainanese Chicken, and Malaysian Laksa. My mom wants to try their Bun Bo Hue, and I want to try their Laksa, so we will be back for sure. If they offered Che Ba Mau (tri-coloured Vietnamese dessert) my mom would be over the moon. She