Reviews Saigon Foodies

I’ve only stopped in at Saigon Foodies once before, and was so impressed with their banh mi that I decided to head back and try out their pho. It’s a small store with no frills but a real sense of welcome. They clearly have their regulars, and I can see why! I ordered the beef pho ($12) to dine in, and took a seat by the window to watch the world go by. Before long, my pho additions were brought out (bean sprouts, lemon, basil and hoisin sauce) and then, voila, the steaming hot bowl of pho. Having never been to Vietnam, I can’t say how authentic it was, but compared to other pho I’ve had in Canberra, I found the broth really light and simple – I would have preferred a bit more flavour. The amount of beef was very generous and combined with the hoisin, that’s where the real taste was hiding. The noodles appeared handmade, although I didn’t get to ask them to confirm, as they were all different thicknesses, and were beautifully silky. The bowl was more than enough for lunch – I think their banh mi is still my favourite though.

Vietnam in Kingston. Awesome Vietnamese rolls. Eight bucks and fills the belly for hours.

Delicious pork rolls! I went today with four friends, three of us got the pork rolls and one the chicken and mango rice paper rolls. Everyone agreed they were delicious! Much better than the rolls at roll'd in the city and very filling! The place is run by what seems to be a mother and daughter. Pretty basic but good real, fresh food at reasonable prices. Next time I'll get the pho it looks scrumptious!

The menu is limited but simple. A pork or chicken banh mi costs $8.50. On the other side there’s beef or chicken pho, rice paper rolls and vermicelli salad. The rice paper rolls are displayed in the small refridgerated unit on the front counter. The counter also displays fresh ingredients used in the banh mi and other dishes. I’m informed by the friendly owners that the roast pork in the pork banh mi and rice vermicelli salad is roasted by the owners themselves. I was asked whether I wanted chilli and coriander in my banh mi and I said yes to both (figuring I can always pick out the chilli if it’s too hot). The Vietnamese roll is fresh and soft but flakey on the outside. There are consistent portions of each element in the roll and yummy pate is smeared on the bottom. I would’ve liked some more pork but I’m just being greedy. I found the banh mi was very mild and I didn’t bite into any sweat inducing chilli. I’m happy that I can now get fresh banh mi so close to home The beef pho (noodle soup) comes with some sliced beef balls and thin slices of lean beef. Happy to report that there were no fatty or gristly bits! I love the fact that the beef has been left a little pink making it oh so soft to chew. The pho is accompanied by fresh basil (unfortunately no bean sprouts), a wedge of orange, and a squeeze of sriracha and hoisin sauce. The broth is clear with a hint of spices, sliced green onion and some slivers of ginger. The portion is relatively small but enough to fuel me for the rest of the afternoon. Service is really friendly and quick. I like that they ask all customers whether you want chilli and coriander in your banh mi – two ingredients