this post is filed under Cuisine - Vietnamese, Location - Sydney
Often in Sydney we'd just walk down nearby Glebe Point Road in search of something to eat. This tactic succeeded with varying consistency, but one of the good spots we found was Saigon Saigon. Cheesy name notwithstanding, the place actually serves up some pretty good basic Vietnamese fare. The menu isn't fancy, but the setting is nice (a little more upscale than your typical hole-in-the-wall Vietnamese place in the US), with very friendly and efficient service.
goi cuon - summer rolls with prawns, chicken, mint and vermicelli - A$9
A very good rendition of this standard Vietnamese app. These had great pieces of shrimp, and a nice mint kick. Not pictured is a A$2 bowl of "crispy crackers," which were some kind of homemade prawn chip. Very tasty and addictive.
house fried rice with prawns, chinese sausage, chicken and mixed veggies - A$12
Aren't I adventurous? Well, for some reason that night the fried rice appealed to me, and I'm pretty glad I got it. Admittedly, A$12 is still pretty expensive for fried rice, but this stuff was really good! A good mix of meats paired with some slight heat from the chilies left me quite satisfied.
Oddly enough, the place doesn't have pho. I wish I'd made it back to try their bun though - I never got the chance. The place was a bit expensive compared to how much we're used to paying for Vietnamese here, but I didn't feel ripped off. The nicer ambiance and quality of food made up for it, I guess.
wish I knew of this place when I was in Sydney years ago..that fried rice with red chillies looks awesome, you made wanna order some for take out tonight. Yep, $12 for fried rice is a tad pricey. We recently were in Seattle and had a Pad Thai for $22! It had lobster meat but still!
posted by Philip on February 8, 2006 08:49 PM
I guess you have to think of it more as US $9, which makes it a little better. But yeah, those chillies really made the dish.
posted by Arthur on February 9, 2006 02:09 PM
Hey Arthur!
This place is one of ML's and my own favorite places. Awsome food, awsome service. Hope you're doing welL!
posted by vlad on April 14, 2006 01:46 AM