March 16, 2007
by Mike Bailey of The Columbian

The eye of round steak soup and the chicken cashew fried rice are among the most popular lunchtime dishes at Saigon Restaurant in Vancouver. (MIKE SALSBURY/The Columbian)

WHY: One deterrent to trying a Thai restaurant can be you never know how spicy to order your food. Each restaurant seems to have its own measuring standard for mild, medium or hot. It's often that first bite when you know if mild is actually mild or if it is dragon-breathing hot. With Vietnamese food you don't have to worry about the spice factor and you still get that wonderful blend of rice or noodles with meats bathed in traditional Southeast Asian flavors. With its economical lunch offerings, the Saigon Restaurant is an ideal place for novices to sample Vietnamese dishes. The menu is varied enough the restaurant is also a good spot for those who already know they love the cuisine.

YOU SHOULD KNOW: Vietnamese cuisine includes a wide variety of soups, and Saigon Restaurant has 22 choices on the lunch menu and 29 at dinner. This was my first visit to the restaurant, so I asked the waiter to bring me the most popular soup served at lunch. He brought the pho tai (eye of round steak). As with most Vietnamese soups, pho tai's base is a clear broth loaded with flavor from cilantro and green onions. The dish is distinguished by sliced round steak layered on top of rice noodles, a combination that is a meal in itself. A plate of bean sprouts, cilantro, lime and fresh basil is served on the side with all soups.

BEST DEAL: Lunch specials are $5.25 There are about 10 fried rice dishes and 10 dishes with steamed rice. Two of the more popular specials, according to the waiter, are chicken cashew fried rice with cabbage, broccoli, carrots, green beans and celery and the chicken lemon grass over steamed rice. Soups range from $4.95 to $5.75.

AN ADDED TOUCH: If you prefer spicy dishes, Saigon Restaurant has a limited number of Thai dishes on the dinner menu. Items range from traditional dishes such as pad thai and red curry, each offered with a choice of meats or a whole fish served in the restaurant's spicy sauce.

WHERE: Saigon Restaurant, 3021 N.E. 72nd Drive, Suite 19, Vancouver, 360-944-8338.

COST: Almost every item on the lunch menu is $5.75 or less. Portions are larger at dinner but prices remain economical with soups ranging from $5.75 to $9 and rice dishes from $5.50 to $9.

HOURS: 10:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Sunday.