Jo Y.
Yelp
With many Vietnamese restaurants around town, it's fun to try them out and see which ones we like. One of the long-standing ones is Saigon's Restaurant in Kaimuki.
The Nguyen family, who were initially from Vietnam, started Saigon's Restaurant in 1998 in Kaimuki. In 2012, the original owners retired, passing the baton to their nephew and his wife. This hard-working couple, together with other family members, has made this unassuming restaurant a popular one with a loyal following of regular customers.
They have an extensive menu that consists of: appetizers (spring and summer rolls); pho (various meats and seafood); stir fries of starch and meats and seafood; salads; oxtails; noodle soups; vermicelli combos; lemongrass combos; rice plates; grilled bbq; fried rice; house specialties (shrimp paste wrap on sugar cane, grilled meatballs, combo wraps); yellow curries; sandwiches; desserts; and beverages. They even serve healthy Kangen alkaline water.
Despite being in operation for so many years, this was the first time at Saigon's, and have I been missing out on all these years. We enjoyed our first time there, as the menu items we tried were delicious and reasonable in price, as well as having received superb customer service. Note that bahn mi sandwiches are not available on Sundays, as the restaurant's bread supplier is not open. Glad to know that the restaurant's owners only use fresh bread that is supplied to them on daily basis, and that they do not use leftover bread from previous days. And we love that their menu uses large-size font, which is easy to read, especially for us baby boomers!
We had the following:
· Large pho with steak, tripe, tendon, flank (choose between regular or large). The broth was clean tasting and perfectly flavorful without being overly salty or sweet, and was served temperature hot. It came with generous amounts of jalapeno, cilantro, Thai basil, bean sprouts, mint, and a lemon wedge. No need for the various sauces, as the broth held its own delicious flavor without any additional sauces.
· Spring rolls. The spring rolls were made to order, as they were very fresh, crisp on the outside, and flavorful on the inside. They were served with generous amounts of vermicelli, lettuce leaves, pickled daikon and carrots, sliced cucumbers, and mint. I love ground peanuts, and the owner/server easily accommodated my request of a container of ground peanuts with a smile. The dipping sauce perfectly complemented the spring rolls, as this dish was delicious.
· Vietnamese coffee with condensed milk. The restaurant does not provide you with the stainless steel filter as other Vietnamese restaurants, but instead, makes the coffee in the back and serves it in a full glass with ice. Not complaining, as this was a full glass, which is double the amount of what I would normally get elsewhere. And it was delish and not too strong or bitter.
Customer service by the owner-wife team was very friendly, attentive, and gracious. Orders were taken promptly, and our meals were served quickly. Water glasses were replenished without asking, and we were asked periodically if everything was okay and if we needed anything else. The bill was presented after we were done eating. Note that you go up to the counter to pay your bill, which appears to be the norm with other small local Vietnamese restaurants.
The owners have transformed this unassuming restaurant to a nice and cozy restaurant with wall photos of Vietnam sights and food offerings, towering green bamboo plants on the counter, a big screen tv, tiles of contrasted colors as part of the décor, a shrine built into the counter, dark brown chairs with black padded seats, gold-colored marbled tables, and etched glass at the counter. The restaurant is super clean. Each table has a set of condiments of hoi sin sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, chili oil (they make their own), Sriracha sauce, salt, and pepper. What's nice about this is that other than the Sriracha and hoi sin sauces, they're all in white porcelain servers that clean and without any drippings on it caused by other diners.
Saigon's Restaurant is located on the top of the hill on Waialae Ave. in Kaimuki next to Okata Bento and Pipeline Bakeshop and is between 12th Ave. and Koko Head Ave. Hours of operation are Tues. to Sun., 11a to 8p; Mon. closed. Parking is available in municipal parking lots across the street or metered spaces on nearby streets. Credit cards accepted.
What a great find in Kaimuki and am so glad that we finally found this awesome restaurant that delivers flavorful food that is fresh, with reasonable prices and friendly staff! We look forward to trying the many items on their menu!
