Let's get Pho'ked Up!

I am toying with the idea of turning the blog into some sort of restaurant review type thing. It seems that the Times Herald Record has let their boring and self contradictory hack of a restaurant reviewer go and his departure has left a vacancy in world of Orange County restaurant criticism.

Yes, I said Orange County. One of my main beefs (ha ha...getting foody already!) with ex-reviewer guy was what I perceived to be an unnecessarily Ulster-Centric approach to choosing his victims. I realize the need to constantly cover new ground may have led him further afield than he might have planned, but for the time being I am under no such restrictions and plan to keep this shit up in the OC, baby....represent!! Of course any trip I take outside the area might include a dinner out and I wouldn't deny you a story about a memorable experience so no worries, eh?

This endeavor may be accompanied by an effort to become a bit less insular and attract new readers. It may also simply be the antecedent to a complete loss of interest and total abandonment of this page forever. I hate to put pressure on myself. Let's just play it by ear.


So, anyway.....I'll relate my impressions of my last trip to a newer Orange County Restaurant. This is from memory so the details may be lacking, but this is a new idea that came after my meal.

My wife and I recently enjoyed a lunch at the new Vietnamese place in Monroe. It's named Sai Gon and is located in the space formerly occupied by The Velvet Monkey (46 Millpond Parkway to be exact).

Upon entry we noticed that very little had been done to the room since the Velvet Monkey days other than a paint job, the addition of some Asian decorative items, and what looked to be new and nicer furniture. The rustic "I busted up a shipping pallet and built me a bar" remains and it is stocked with all kinds of high end booze. I need to keep this place in mind next time I need to sip some Remy Martin Louis XVIII or spray down some ho's with a bottle of Cristal.

It was lunchtime though so I ordered an iced tea. I was pleased to receive freshly brewed Jasmine tea, but disappointed that it was a bit over steeped and bitter. No big whoop.

The older couple seated behind us had ordered what looked like an appetizer sampler and their running commentary featuring quotes such as "This is too spicy" and "What the hell is that?" was very encouraging and convinced the wife and me to order the same. According to the menu this dish was the BBQ Platter and featured the following items: "Crispy spring rolls, beef stuffed grape leaves, shrimp pop, grilled meat ball, rice vermicelli, and lettuce. Sprinkled with crushed peanuts". Sounds bitchin'. We also ordered a cabbage salad and bowls of Pho. The standard broth with beef and noodles for my wife, and the full boat tripe, tendon, and rest of the cow version for myself.


The BBQ platter arrived and we dug in. I will present my impressions of the items in ascending order of awesomeness.

1. Grilled meat ball: Delicious, perhaps a bit firm but mildly spiced and paired well with the small dish of dipping sauce provided. The dipping sauce seemed to be rice wine vinegar, sugar, chili flake, and fish sauce, but I could be wrong.

2. Crispy Spring Rolls: Another tasty tidbit. Filled with pork and veggies, they were not as delicate as other Vietnamese rolls I have had. In fact, they reminded me very much of Lumpia (Filipino spring rolls).

3. Shrimp Pops: These consisted of shrimp meat that had been pulverized, mixed with spices and then molded around a stick of grilled sugar cane. I found the shrimp to be a bit rubbery in texture and felt it could have used more heat, but I'll admit my ignorance here and wonder if it is traditionally as bland as this was. The star here was the sugar cane, which when gnawed upon gave up the most delicious juice I have ever sucked out of a woody stick. Oh man that sounded bad. Whatever...if you ever order the shrimp pops just make sure you chew on the sugar cane. You won't regret it.

4. Beef Stuffed Grape Leaves: WE HAVE A WINNER! The English name "Beef stuffed grape leaves" cannot possibly begin to hint at the sheer and utter deliciousness of these little pockets of meat and foliage. In fact, my powers of description will inevitably fall short as well. All I can say is they are a must try item. Simply fantastic.


So far so good.

After finishing off the appetizer the cabbage salad arrived. This was a medium sized bowl filled with shredded cabbage dressed with something suspiciously similar to the dipping sauce I mentioned earlier and topped with slices of fried tofu and bits of crispy fried garlic. Not bad at all but, as I ate it, I kept thinking to myself "I could make this at home".

Thanks for the idea, Sai Gon!


Midway through the salad the Pho arrived.

It was presented in the traditional way which, for the uninitiated, means a steaming bowl of beef broth and noodles with fresh cilantro and green onions topped with paper thin slices of raw flank steak that cook before your eyes in the hot broth. My Pho Dac Biet also had bits of tendon, tripe, and meatballs. Long slow cooking makes the tendon and tripe tender and velvety.

Of course these items aren't for everyone, but to me they add authenticity and satisfy my food snobby urge to eat like the locals or some shit.

The Pho was serviceable, not the best ever, I thought the broth could have used more star anise and ginger and I was very disappointed at the absence of the traditional Pho condiments. Namely: Hoisin sauce, Sriracha, Lime, Basil, and Mint. Some bean sprouts might have been nice too.

Overall we thought Sai Gon was a very good place to eat and I am totally willing to give them a pass on the Pho situation because they are the only Vietnamese restaurant in Orange County and as evidenced by the yammering of our neighbors, it takes balls to open a place that serves something out of the ordinary when more than half of your clientele will be people who have no idea what the hell your food is all about.

This leads me to the thought that the owners may be dumbing down the food a bit to satisfy folks who love nothing more than eating something bland and safe.

Believe me, I have seen it happen.

One thing I know is that when I return, and I most definitely will, I will ask them to hold nothing back and prepare my food like they were going to eat it themselves.


I would highly recommend Sai Gon, and if you are able, I would beg that you go there yourself. Places like this need our support and a meal eaten here is a vote for diversity and against the crushing monotony and sameness that has characterized Orange County dining for far too long.