Saigon Bistro

06/28/04

Jackson Street is home to decent Vietnamese restaurants, but this plain, airy cafeteria is the best of the lot.

by Contributor at Citysearch

The Scene
Tucked around the backside of a steep parking lot, this authentic bistro can be hard to find, but is always worth the effort. Vietnamese families and students crowd around long tables, happily chatting (high ceilings and linoleum floors can foster a noisy ambience), while couples and solitary diners gravitate towards smaller tables on the periphery.

The Food
Bun mang vit is an ideal soup-and-salad duo: A light noodle soup in duck stock accompanied by duck and cabbage salad with sweet, pungent ginger sauce. Grilled beef, chicken or pork served "bun on tray" style is a must-try: Smoky, grilled meat is served with rice-paper wraps, fresh herbs and crisp butter lettuce--drizzle spicy plum sauce and roll it up like a burrito. Generously sized crepes with a variety of filling options--from mushroom or tofu--are also excellent choices.