Sao Mai — Restaurant in New York

Good morning yummy Vietnam!” That was exactly what my tummy was rumbling when I stepped into Sao Mai, a cosy Vietnamese restaurant tucked away in the lower east side of the city. I was delighted to find out Sao Mai means morning star in Vietnamese.

I was feeling nostalgic in November for my student days in Paris where the warmth of a Vietnamese meal around my college campus had seen me through my first few winters at university in France. Our student papers staff would round off late nights of editing and closing a publication with a hearty pho (traditional Vietnamese noodle soup) bowl.

I was happy to hear that this restaurant was run by recent Vietnamese immigrants to the United States - adding up to the authenticity of dishes and menu for sure. The restaurant has been around for 13 - 14 years now.

My favourite thing about this restaurant is the excellent warm hearted service and fresh food and ingredients. I’ve done quite some traveling through Vietnam as a journalist over the past 15 years and I know my Vietnamese food pretty well. Sao Mae’s cuisine is the real delicious Vietnamese deal in New York and oh so fresh.

My favourite dishes and recommendations to you are: the fried rice which is flavourful plus the bun bo hue which is a light delicious soup broth with rice noodles and oh so nourishing - the perfect Asian meal on a NY winters day. The nems or spring rolls with fish sauce are one of my favourites too! I love the chilli paste at this restaurant so authentic to my South East Asian roots. If you like spicy food you must try it.

I highly recommend this restaurant for vegetarians and vegans. They have a great selection of soups, noodles, sandwiches and spring rolls prepared for the vegan/ vegetarian palate.

To round off your meal the traditional Vietnamese coffee (brewed in a special Vietnamese way) which is tasty.

The portions at this restaurant are enormous so I’d recommend sharing dishes. The prices are quite reasonable (less than 20 dollars per person for a meal) and very good value for money indeed.

It’s a relatively small restaurant that’s down to earth and just perfect for a casual lunch or dinner gathering for easy going ethnic food lovers like me!

Xin Moi to you ! - meaning Bon appetite...

Sao Mai (Morning Star) is pleasant with fake bamboo planters and dim lights that is lends for a comfortable eating environment. I also noticed that the hosts were all Vietnamese not Chinese Vietnamese. That was a good start.

We ordered the goi cuong(spring roll) and the two dishes which by all standard(okay three if you include Pho) but it is the Canh Chua(Tamarind soup) with Shrimp(They also offer salmon(no) Tofu(no) or Chicken(yes). The classic way is with catfish. The second entrée was Ca Kho To(Fish in clay pot. You always order together if you order the soup. Again the classic is with catfish.

The server asked if we wanted rice? I thought what kind of question is that? It is Vietnamese food. Rice is a staple side dish by which all meals are eaten with. Even if you have a noodle dish you might even have rice on the side. If this was a true Vietnamese restaurant they would have just brought the big bowl of rice to the table but I have to remember….I’m in the hipsterville land of East Village where people ask for a vegetarian Pho. ugh Calgon take me away.. .!

The Goi Cuong was decent but lack the herbs instead full of noodles. I have to say the Canh Chua was pretty good. It had the right flavor balance and right mix of vegetables which is suppose to go in to the dish. The Clay fish wasn't bad either except that it was salmon which is a bit too over powering for the dish.

On the whole it does satisfy my craving for Vietnamese food. Yes, it does in a jiffy and when it is cold and I don’t want to walk far. Is it good Vietnamese food? I would say it is alright. Does it taste like Mom’s. Definitely not. Would I take my mother here. Let’s say if I did I would never hear...

The best Banh Xeo I’ve had so far! (This is one of my top 5 favorite foods, so I seek it out whenever I travel) It had that perfect balance of crispy on the outside but slightly soft in the middle. You’ve got to try it! I also really like that they don’t put any proteins in the crepe itself. They just let the batter get incredibly crispy, and not the slightest bit burnt. Then they put the perfectly cooked shrimp and meat inside the folded crepe with the mung bean sprouts. They also give you plenty of lettuce and veggies for wrapping.

There’s a note telling you that it takes 20 minutes to prepare, so order as soon as you sit down if you’re not getting an appetizer. Sorry I forgot to take a picture of it, I was too excited to dig in.

The servers were very friendly and attentive. All the veggies and herbs were fresh and crisp. The proteins were cooked perfectly. We got a banh mi to share, I got the Banh Xeo and my husband got the Bun Sao Mai - $46 with tax- that’s pretty incredible for a great meal. We’ll be back!

P.S. They take the tails off the grilled shrimp in the Bun - another reason for the 5 star rating. Sometimes it’s about the little details that most people don’t notice- they...