District Saigon — Restaurant in New York

Good, trendy Vietnamese restaurant that dares to extend the flavors of Vietnam, but misses critical (and distinct) flavors.

I got nothing but love for this place. Astoria needed a good sit-down Vietnamese joint and District Saigon does just that. With a creative menu that mirrors where I like to see Vietnamese food go in the US, District Saigon opens up South Vietnam to all.

Let's talk about the flaws.

The pho is simply not that great. It's close, but the notes of star anise, cloves and cardomon fail to make an appearance. Beefy it is, but monotoned compared to some of the best pho I've had in this country and in Vietnam.

The smoked variant of their pho is ambitious, but also strikes the same flaws as their simpler version. The smoked brisket added gave an overwhelming amount of smokey flavor, as if liquid smoke was added by a heavy hand. I hope that's not the case.

Chicken pho (pho ga) is left with a lot to be desired.

Bun bo hue got the closest in my opinion. To make it better, add some more lemongrass to perfume the broth. Also, the fried pork's foot/knuckle is a lazy attempt at adding, what I think, is the critical part of BBH--tender and seasoned, it is not.

Aside from my critical review, District Saigon excels in certain areas.

Bar food is wonderful. Chicken wings and taro fries mimic the version we make at home. The sweet and sticky glaze is to die for with your 33 beer. The pate has a great, deep flavor that's coupled perfectly with the toasted baguette. The grilled rice paper with toppings is a Saigon street favorite and they nail it in their own execution.

Drinks there are crafted beautifully.

The service has been consistent and wonderfully improved since the early days. Thumbs up here.

Vibe and atmosphere is also well maintained. The bar area extends levels of coolness, with the grunge "Saigon alley" of the back not far behind. Good choice of music.

Overall, District Saigon has a lot going for it. I will continue to go and explore more...

Had their drunken clams, betel leaf lamb, pho, and avocado smoothie.

From the 2 appetizers, I preferred the drunken clams more. Rich in flavor and it came with some fried "bread" on the side. Interesting addition but it worked well with the sauce in the dish. I would highly recommend this dish.

The broth for the pho was a little on the salty side for me but it had a lot of great flavor in it. Didn't taste watered down. I think the side dish of garnishes, they could have provided more. Most places serve an entire plate of those bean sprouts and mint leaves. The meat in the pho came out rare and after you dunk it in the soup, it was slightly cooked. I'm glad that was the case. The meat wasn't over cooked and still tender.

Their avocado smoothie was alright. Not as good at another place.

Came back here a 2nd time. Still as good as the first time we came. This time we had an infant and they were very astute to our needs. They asked us if we needed a high chair and they asked us if we wanted water for our kid. When they brought the water, it was with no ice, in a sealed cup with a straw. That's definitely paying attention to detail and shows me that the waiter has worked with families before.

I tried their Wood & Herb-Smoked Brisket Pho this time around. It's a little different. You can definitely taste the wood and herb flavor. It's definitely not your traditional pho but still good. The meat was fully cooked when it is served. I would recommend it if you are wanting to try a different interpretation of pho (without going overboard). We also tried their taro fries. I think the fries should be cut a little smaller (so it feels less dry) and a little more salt is needed.

Next time I come back I"m going to try their seafood selection. I hope it doesn't disappoint.

Overall I would recommend this place. Probably the best pho in Astoria...

We recently celebrated a joint birthday dinner for my girlfriend and me at District Saigon, and it was an awesome experience. Although we initially booked the minimum party requirement of 35 people to reserve the private back room, we unfortunately had 6 last minute cancellations and were still charged for the full 35HC. However, despite that, the final price for every person was still very reasonable at $80 pp after tip and tax.

This place has probably the best pre-fixe, large-party menus in NYC. The pre-fixe starts at $50/person and we had an amazing selection of 3 appetizers, 4 entrees, and 2 desserts to choose from in family-style. We ordered the below with favs indicated*:

Appetizers: Tofu Satay (vegetarian option) chicken wings and taro fries Vietnamese crepe*

Main: Shaken steak and egg* Shrimp garlic noodles Pork chops* fried rice*

Dessert: Vietnamese flan cake* OR Lava cake*

Not included is the Thai Iced Tea but I highly recommend getting it

Soft drinks are even included in the pre-fixe; they have some wonderful lychee juice on top of the normal soda selection you normally expect. The staff was incredibly attentive and all of the food came out without any major delays. They stored my birthday cake, gave us cake sparkler candles, and sang us happy birthday. Lastly, they offered a round of tequila shots on the house to all the unfortunate who volunteered.

Louis and his team at District Saigon seriously went above and beyond to make our birthday celebration memorable. Their attention to detail and dedication to excellent service was so appreciated. I highly recommend coming to this awesome Vietnamese spot in Astoria for any large dinner...