Saigon Bay — Restaurant in Temple Terrace

I knew I was in for a scrumptious treat as soon as the aroma of fresh pho herbs greeted me at the door. We were welcomed immediately. The booth seating here is very comfortable. There's lots of natural light throughout the restaurant. The service is fantastic. I'm not sure if she's the owner, or part of the owner's family. She made the whole lunch experience enjoyable by making us feel like family at a dinner table. She offered such great suggestions, and showed us ways to prepare our meal for a better experience.

My friend ordered the Fried Quail appetizer after getting a recommendation. I'd never had quail before this visit. I loved it! It's the seasoning that made it so special. I even tried a little of the salad with the garlic (and maybe there were shallots). I don't know, but it was so good after our server mixed it up for us. Let's just say that the greens underneath the quail in this dish is not meant to be a garnish. Eat it!!

I've been on a Bò Kho kick lately, so that's what I ordered. I asked if she had any bread to go with it (for dipping). I was delighted when she said yes. That's the one thing I've missed when ordering Vietnamese beef stew at other restaurants. She then asked if I still wanted the noodles since I'm getting it with bread. I thought about it for a minute, and it actually made sense not to have the rice noodles. It couldn't have been more perfect. The broth with the stew meat and thick cut carrots was really all I needed. It's a little sweeter of a taste than others I've had, but I think it went well with the savory herbs & spices. It balanced everything out. I'm so glad I had that bread to soak up the broth. The temperature of the stew was served hot, and not lukewarm (thankfully). It stayed hot while having a long conversation over the meal. However, I do want to warn you about the jalapeños. Their peppers are very hot, and not like your grocery store peppers that seem mild. Try it before you add it to your broth. I've had all kinds of jalapeño pepper heat levels, but never at this high level. It cleared out my sinuses really quick. Woohoo!

I'd definitely order the same thing again. I do want to try the Grilled Pork Banh Mi next time with the beef stew. My friend really loved that combination of flavors.

I had no idea about their relocation until reading about it in a review. Wow, that must have been devastating. I'm so glad they were able to overcome that. They are now located in the Terrace Oaks Plaza near Roasted! and Jerusalem International Market on 56th Street. We were there at a less busier time between 10:30 and 11:00 am on a week day. It was perfect timing for us. Check it out if you happen to be...

Hands down one of my favorite restaurants. I've been here at least 5 times now and everything is always delicious. It's got a diner feel and is very casual. You seat yourself and there are 2 servers that work the entire floor - no set sections they both equally help each table. The food is fresh and service is very fast. The portions are huge and you can easily make 2-3 meals from each entree. The kim chi is super fresh and light and acidic and pairs really well with the richer noodle dishes. It's made in house so it doesn't have that super strong fermented flavor that some kim chi has. The garlic noodles are rich and garlicky and chock full of perfectly-cooked veggies. The ribeye and the chicken are equally delicious. I suggest getting the hoisin/sriracha sauce on the side to mix in. The bun noodle bowls are cold. Also chock full of delicious veggies and comes with a sweet/salty sauce (maybe rice vinegar and fish sauce mixed together?). The deluxe bun bowl comes with an egg roll on top. It's light and cool if you're not in the mood for something heavy. The chicken pad thai is also delicious. Everything is delicious. We have never been dissatisfied with anything we've ordered. The vietnamese coffee and thai tea are a must-order every time. We've gone before to just get coffees, no food. Our least favorite thing was the pho, but we're just not really pho lovers. It was still very fresh and herbaceous and tasty, but it was not our favorite thing on the menu. Overall, 10/10 restaurant. I hope it stays...

After having American food for a whole week straight on a vacation, I had to go look for my Vietnamese flavors. Found this little cute place and I was not disappoint. Plenty of parking in the plaza, easy access and easily found. We were greeted promptly with a big smile, I believe she was the owner. Very sweet lady. The restaurant was getting crowded as we sat down. We went on a Sunday around lunch time. I ordered Bún Bò Huế ( spicy Hue styled beef noodle soup), very delicious and flavorful. If you’re a true Vietnamese, it didn’t come with the pork blood but the broth was flavorful enough that I didn’t care too much. You need to ask for shrimp paste if you do want that extra flavor as it’s not put out, just ask for it, it’s available. We also got pork chop rice dish. Pork chop was well seasoned with a hint of lemongrass. The only thing about this dish was the rice was a bit too dry and hard for us, it would be good if the rice was cooked a bit more for a softer and not hard texture. The rice dish does come with a small bowl of soup broth and some onions. And of course I had finish the meal with my Vietnamese iced coffee with condensed milk( cafe sữa đá). They will bring it out already mixed or in a coffee drip/filter if requested . And it was delicious. Nice experience. Will definitely be back. And prices are very reasonable compared to Vietnamese restaurants...