Saigon Restaurant — Restaurant in South Plainfield

Update: Imagine walking through a pair of quite ordinary doors, and finding yourself transported to Nirvana. Such was our experience on a return visit to Saigon. As mentioned in my earlier review, Saigon is an unassuming restaurant in a heavily industrial area: don't be fooled: you won't find better cuisine at bigger or more decorous venues. I have visited Saigon a couple of times on my own, and have enjoyed each visit. Today's visit was not really planned: it was a dreary day in a string of many such days. Unusual for us, this was for a late lunch. A piping hot bowl of pho seemed the answer to these midwinter blahs. And so it was. We started with Bán Xèo, with its silky rich flavors. My wife ordered Hu Tieu Do Bien, a seafood pho, which she enjoyed. I should mention that my wife had a hankering for a Banh Mi Sandwich, but Saigon does not serve these. We truly wish they would add banh mi sandwiches to their offerings. It was I who was delighted beyond words at my choice. I had Mi Bo Kho, described as the house special. Special, indeed. This is a rich beef stew with impressive chunks of beef and carrots, with yellow noodles that stand up to the strong broth. Comparisons are difficult: if Saigon's pho dishes are a Prius, reliable and satisfying, this Mi Bo Kho is a freight train, with impressive flavors, large chunks of beef, and hearty noodles. My wife tasted some of my Mi Bo Kho and said it was good, but that she enjoys the subtlety of other phos. I completely agree: this is a distinctive taste that gratifies the senses with its flavors, texture, and ingredients. From the subtle tastes of the Bán Xèo to the powerful tastes of the Mi Bo Kho, this was an epicurean delight. Having been thoroughly sated, we returned home and enjoyed a late afternoon nap, as content as we could be. Thank you Saigon.

Original review:

What a find! We really enjoyed our dinner at Saigon restaurant, and we're truly surprised by the way the evening turned out. We had plans for another restaurant and another cuisine, but when they called to tell us they had a large party coming in, we decided to try something new: so glad we did! Saigon is a small storefront in a mostly industrial neighborhood, a true diamond in the rough. The decor is simple but clean. The staff is small but ever accommodating and pleasant. And the food! The food is excellent. I can't say we are experts on Vietnamese food, but we've been to enough phò places to know what we like and how it should taste. My wife and I agreed that this is the best Vietnamese we've ever had. We started our meal by sharing the Bánh Xèo appetizer. This delicious crepe was very tasty, highlighting the many flavors of Vietnamese cooking, and filled with pork, shrimp and bean sprouts in a generous portion. The many flavors of the Bánh Xèo served to whet our appetites for things to come. My wife had Cá Salmon Kho, and kept commenting on how good it was. The serving was more than generous: we brought home a good size serving of salmon and rice. I had the Phò, which was incredibly rich in flavors, filled with beef, brisket, tripe, and my favorite, tendon. I stuffed myself with the phò, to the point where I dreaded my weigh-in the following morning. Sometimes it's fine to overindulge, I suppose. Prices are very reasonable, and Saigon is BYO, so an evening out is easy on the wallet. As mentioned earlier, Saigon is very simple in decor, and there were a fair number of patrons, but the sound level was fine, it was easy to converse. Parking was great on this Saturday evening: I would think it might be a bit more challenging during weekday lunches, but still should be fine. To the last point: we both agreed that more visits in the near future, both for lunch and dinner, will be necessary to try other of the marvelous dishes that Saigon features. Do yourself a favor and find your way to Saigon: you'll be...

This is a hidden gem in a small strip mall! We have eaten here many times over the past 10 years and owners are very friendly, fast, and food very good. We always get the A2 Cold Shrimp, rice, lettuce, rice paper & peanut sauce; and A3 Crispy Rolls with Cilanto and Lettuce to wrap with dipping sauce (appetizers). Every table also has Hoisin sauce, soy sauce, Sriracha, etc. Our favorite main meals are D4 Seafood with Crispy noodles; D12, the same meal with soft yellow noodles OR choose beef or chicken instead of the seafood. We love the soups (Pho) which are huge. If you like spicy yellow curry, there are both dinner plates with beef or chicken and a lunch plate with calamari, rice, lettuce, tomato slices (entire menu served all day.) Owner greets patrons from behind counter as you enter; within moments of sitting down, a server brings menus and hot tea in stainless steel pot. We hadn't been there in months and the owner actually remembered that we usually came with our grown daughter and was looking for her too (now lives out of state.) Small place, about 12 nice tables, highly recommend this hidden gem! (5 stars for menu items we've had; many we...

YMMV. I've been here twice from seeing the good reviews. First time was over a year ago with a close friend. Recently I went again with my girlfriend and remember why I totally forgot about the existence of this place. It brought back bad memories.

The place does not feel sanitary. Veggies in general are wilted or limp. I love spring rolls in general. Just imagine the disappointment eating viet spring rolls with the most flabby pieces of lettuce. And this happened with both visits... Meat did not feel fresh. It's that weird feeling of you knowing the food CAN be good if the ingredients are properly prepared. Pho should have an appetizing smell, but it's "pungent" here.

My girlfriend's pho had hair in it. They gave her a new bowl, but it was still unpleasant. Mine was not much better. I questioned my own palate because all other reviews indicated the food here was good. But then I went to another pho place today in South Plainfield, and that was delicious, and reminded me of what pho should actually taste like (which prompted me to write this review).

So I recommend not to go to this restaurant...