A note on the words: pho is the Vietnamese soup of flat rice noodles in broth. Mi quang is a noodle dish from central Vietnam, which the restaurant’s own menu glosses as Quang style noodle with turmeric. The soft, unfried spring rolls are wrapped in rice paper; the fried ones come in a lacy net of it. Som tam is the Thai name for green papaya salad.
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SAIGON RESTAURANT on Tabelog (English) — opening hours, payment details and the Japanese address are kept up to date there, not here.
Hey, this is Hangover Meshi. This time I had an errand in Ikebukuro. It had been a while, and although the place looks unchanged, all sorts of small details have quietly shifted. With the errand done I searched for somewhere to have lunch, and there was a Vietnamese restaurant nearby: SAIGON RESTAURANT. It has been there a long time and I knew the name, but I’d actually never once set foot inside — so this was my first visit!
Up to the third floor by elevator.
Inside it was absolutely packed!! It really is a popular place. Exactly one table was free, so I got lucky!
Saigon Set: 1,380 yen
Chicken pho + fresh spring roll: 980 yen
Mi quang from central Vietnam + fresh spring roll: 980 yen
Dry pho + fresh spring roll: 980 yen
Order the Saigon Set and it comes with fresh spring rolls, net-wrapped fried spring rolls and green papaya salad. Then you choose whichever main dish you like. Som tam, is that what it’s called? I actually love green papaya salad. I wanted the papaya salad, so I went with the Saigon Set.
The fresh spring rolls are packed absolutely solid with filling, so they fill you up! Delicious.
The net-wrapped fried rolls have a crisp skin over a strangely fluffy texture, which is very pleasant. And the papaya salad is great! Something about that distinctive papaya flavor and the fibrous texture really works. So good.
Honestly, that on its own is enough volume to leave you fairly full.
The main dish I picked was the mi quang from central Vietnam.
Looks good!!
Does the pho of central Vietnam come with a little extra heat added, I wonder? A very deep chicken broth with a very gentle seasoning.
Add the cilantro and chili that come on the side to boost the aroma and the heat!
Squeeze the lemon generously over it and the acidity comes in as well, and it turns into something complicated. Delicious.
The noodles themselves are very chewy, go down easily and are easy to eat. But they pack the bowl densely, so there’s a lot of it. Getting through the whole thing leaves you full to the point of bursting, so if you’re planning to order the Saigon Set you may want to consult your appetite carefully first.
And this is the chicken curry.
Here’s the chicken curry! I had a bite, and the flavor is close to a Thai curry.
Plenty of coconut coming through, and the heat is restrained. Big, plump, tender pieces of chicken, and delicious!
You spoon it over this rice as you go! The curry is seriously good too.
A long-standing Ikebukuro institution, as you’d expect. This is a place where you can eat properly Vietnamese food, and above all the portions are huge, so I think you leave thoroughly satisfied. As long as you don’t go for something like the Saigon Set there are plenty of dishes under 1,000 yen, and it’s easy to see why it has stayed popular all this time! It was good enough that I want to come back in the evening.
SAIGON RESTAURANT (Vietnamese / Ikebukuro Station, Higashi-Ikebukuro Station, Higashi-Ikebukuro-yonchome Station)
Tabelog lunch rating ★★★☆☆ 3.5
I ate here and paid for it myself. Nothing on this site is a comped meal.
One more for the road?
