Saigon Restaurant - St Paul

Update July 1, 2009 - Visits 3 and 4

We've tried Saigon twice since they relocated a couple blocks west of their former location. The first time we had mixed reviews figuring they were still trying to re-establish the old magic. During this most recent visit, we concluded it was a thumbs in the middle to thumbs down.

As usual we started with the staples.

Vietnamese egg rolls or cha gio. In my past review I was disappointed these were not hot enough. Today's was definitely hot enough but the filling when to pot. It has the airy filling that has a textural feel of paste. A good cha gio should be dense with substance and complex flavors working in synergy. The accompanying fish sauce was timid, watered down from the vibrant, tart, and spicy flavors I expect.

Banh Mi. The good: The baguette was crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. The bad: I believe that I've never had a banh mi I didn't like but this was the closest I've come. To me, the standard plethora of vegetables always makes a banh mi sing a sweet melody and slows me down to a cud chewing pace to fully enjoy every bite. The fillings in this sandwich today just left me cold. Where was the crescendo of flavors? I found myself eating it faster believing the next bite would uncover the treasure. Alas, disappointment.

Pho. Previously I considered Saigon's pho to rank near the top in the TC. On this visit, the pho fell from grace. If the noodles weren't the same as the vermicelli they use in the bun, then it's very close because we had both to compare. The noodles were soft and lacking any snap. The broth was lukewarm and ordinary not offering its former deep comforting made with love taste.

We tried a bun and a noodle soup dish but they were also average, not what we had expected from Saigon.

I don't know what happened here. In my opinion, the service is better than it was at its former location but the food has declined significantly. New cooks? Young cooks? What is it? I don't have the answers. I just know that one of my favorite eats is no longer so, that the prices have gone up, and there's still plenty of competition out there that easily step up to the plate.

Scrooge

Visit 2 - September 8, 2008


In the background is Goi Cuon or fresh spring rolls ($3.25). Seeing how good their food has been in the past and the popularity of this appetizer, I was disappointed by the size and quality. I've bought spring rolls in sold in plastic wrapped styrofoam trays at Shang Hur that have been fresher, tastier, and chockful of large shrimp and fresh vegetables bursting with vivid flavors. These had overcooked smaller sized shrimp and weak tasting vegetable.

Com dac biet ($6.75), the platter pictured in front, consists of grilled pork, 2 shrimp, shredded pork rind and egg. I enjoyed the grilled flavor of the pork and need to determine what marinade they use for the grilled pork. I also enjoyed the pork rind which adds a mouth pleasing texture in combination with the rice. They use ordinary long grain rice as opposed to broken rice like some of Saigon's competitors. Broken rice tastes the same but it adds a mouth pleasing texture that ordinary rice does not. The egg and shrimp were very ordinary.

We also had the Pho but not the Cha Gio this time. The Pho didn't taste as good or comforting as during the previous visit but it was more than acceptable, still better than some of its competitors.

Saigon will be moving to a different location in the near future. They had the new address posted but I didn't write it down.

We've been here a number of times but during this visit, the quality seemed to have slipped. Is it because of the impending move, just an anomaly, or a sign of things to come?



December 17, 2007


It becomes quickly evident driving along University Avenue that St Paul has no dearth of Vietnamese restaurants. One of the more frequented and well known is Saigon, a standalone light green-blue building resembling a residential house at the northeast corner of University and Dale.

We ordered the Banh Mi Saigon - the Saigon Specialty Sandwich ($3.50) - the most expensive of their sandwiches otherwise starting at a measly $2.00. The Banh Mi consists of a crusty French baguette with the soft middle partially scooped out for the filling. The Specialty consists of grilled pork, pate, cucumber, pickled carrots and diakon, cilantro, jalapeño, and a velvety mayonnaise. The initial bite through the crusty exterior is noisy and satisfying but someone tasteless. The subtle flavors begin to evolve as you chew and hit their peak just as you swallow. This creates an almost insatiable cycle that is sated with the very last bite.

The extra-large Pho Saigon dac biet or Saigon Special Pho rice noodle soup ($6.00) was the best I've had so far in the Twin Cities, consisting of fresh eye of round, flank, brisket, tripe, tendon, and sliced beef meatballs. The soup came out piping hot with a crisp light nongreasy refreshing taste. The noodles retained a touch of bite, just right. The Thai basil and bean sprout accompanying the pho lacked vibrant freshness but was more than acceptable. It was a pleasant surprise to find they did not hold back on the meats. The tripe was texturally satisfying with its cut size and little nibs. The tendon was comfortingly soft. The round and flank were not particularly tender but it was better than average for the Twin Cities area.

If there was any disappointment, it was the Cha Gio or Vietnamese Fried Egg Rolls ($2.75). An otherwise good presentation of the egg roll with pork, cellophane noodle, carrot filling and accompanying fish sauce dip, it came to the table lukewarm, fried in advance for the anticipated crowds.

Except for a $12.00 sampler type platter, everything else on the menu is priced $8.50 or less.

Scrooge Rating: Whip out the wallet without reservation!

601 University Ave
St Paul, MN 55104
651.225.8751