Our food critic’s name may be false, but the credentials are not. This gastronome has studied the history, cultivation, preparation, science and technology of food for more than 30 years.
With my sister in town for a recent trip and knowing her love of Vietnamese cuisine, I thought I’d treat her to a dinner at Saigon Noodles. She was familiar with other Vietnamese offerings in the area, so she expected a drab space with little to no character—but spot-on food. So, the beauty of Saigon Noodles’ interior took us both by surprise. Decorated with bamboo and cherry blossom trees, the visual space was serene and inviting. Given its strip-mall location in an older part of town, it’s a refreshing surprise to see the owners make a huge effort to jazz up the place. Even the restrooms were well festooned and oddly soothing. (Can a restroom be soothing? Apparently so.)
Having missed the late afternoon Hungry Happy Hour with its two-for-$10 pho or spicy noodle soup, we plunged into the spirit of adventure and chose things we’d never tried, beginning with the Fresh Coconut Drink (Dua Tuoi). Our immensely friendly and helpful waiter said it was just coconut juice. Coconut juice from Candy Land, perhaps. It was sweet, sweet, sweet, but not in a cloying way. We found it quite refreshing.
For appetizers, we couldn’t resist the non-adventurous Summer Rolls (Tom Thit Nuong Cuon). With a great meat-to-noodles ratio and plump mild shrimp, lettuce and tender spiced pork, the flavor was a huge hit amongst everyone. Our more intrepid appetizer choice was the Saigon Quail (Chim Cut). A spicy ginger sauce glazed three gaunt fried quail legs. The quail itself was not the best quality and was a bit overcooked, but what this diminutive bird lacked in meat, it made up for in the marvelous “kick-butt” sauce.
Wanting to try a variety of dishes, we were pleased to have the option of ordering small soups. And order we did, beginning with the Clear Noodle Combination with Broth on the Side (Hu Tieu Dai “Dac Biet”). Shrimp, three kinds of pork and boiled quail eggs were served with a steaming, elegantly sweet broth that played well with the accompanying noodles. The BBQ pork and shrimp were tender and scantily seasoned, which allowed them to blend in nicely. The accoutrements of cilantro, scallions and fried crispy onions were the pičces de résistance. As a follow-up we chose the Beef Oxtail Combination Pho (Dui Bo Dac Biet). First comment came from my companion: “Seems like their bone-in meats are poor quality.” My sister chimed in saying hers was full of gristle. The beef tendon added a chewy component with little flavor, but the firm, subtle meatball made up for that. With hints of cinnamon and clove, we all found the soup base to be pho-nominal.
While a bowl of soup would be quite filling for one diner, with three mouths to feed, we pressed on and ordered the Beef Stew with Hu Tieu Clear Noodles (Hu Tieu Dai Bo Kho) and Grilled Beef Short Ribs, Egg Cake, Shredded Pork Skin, and Grilled Shrimp (Com Bi, Suon Bo Nuong, Tom Nuong, Trung Cha Hoac Trung Chien). So often crazy with fish sauce, the stew ?was simple in execution but incredibly well seasoned with unusual spices—what tasted like star anise and cinnamon—and fall-off-the-bone tender meat. I was unsure where the “stew” part comes in, as it was more akin to beef noodle soup.
A mouthful not just in name, the beef short ribs had both high and very low points. The short ribs were just fat on a bone, with a disturbing lack of meat. My companion noted, “They’re a little sweet, but the predominant flavor is fat.” My sister described them as possibly the worse she’d ever had. Fortunately, the egg cake was delicious. My companion characterized it as “a Vietnamese country pâté.” We all found the rice and side of broth to be delectable and comforting. Discomforting was the apparent lack of shredded pork.
At the end of our meal, my sister described it best: “I thought each dish had something good and something bad. But I’d go back, because the things I didn’t like are fixable. I could get pho without the oxtail or replace the spare ribs with BBQ pork instead.” My companion added, “I thought it was very enjoyable. I’d eat a whole plate of the quail if the meat quality were better. I thought the flavor was great.”
We all agreed that when dining on the cuisine of another culture, some flavors might not gel with the American palate, but that’s no reason not to try it. After all, what’s eating if not an adventure? Saigon Noodles sated our need for adventure, at least until next time.
Saigon Noodles opened in Lafayette in 2011, earning praise from Acadiana Profile as one of the area’s best new restaurants. Owners and brothers Danny and Chris Nguyen added the Baton Rouge location in March of 2012.
1295 N. Sherwood Forest Blvd., Suite B (Map it!) • 663-6375 • Open daily
