Saigonese
“Started out with the spring rolls( cooked just right) and the mango salad which was delicious(enough for 2 -3 people).”
“The pork summer roll is a light, refreshing start to any meal we end up having (my husband says the bahn mi sandwiches are the best he's ever had).”
“I was expecting something like in Chinese restaurants where the sticky rice is soft and you can separate it with a little effort.”
Saigonese
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
7 reviews
Rate and write a review Cancel reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Stopped in here for dinner after my flight in to White Plains/Westchester County Airport.
I was coming down with a cold or something and wanted some Pho Ga to help fight off the plague.
I ordered the Summer Rolls and a bowl of Pho Ga.
The Summer Rolls came out in short order. They were stuffed with what appeared to be iceberg lettuce, along with the other ingredients. Texture wise, the rice paper was overly chewy and the temperature of the rolls leaves me to believe they had been pre-made and were sitting in very cold storage – cold enough that the lettuce texture-wise was almost frozen. Not very good.
Then the Pho came out. It looked good. The plate of aromatics looked good, except for the Basil, which was slightly wilted. I then tasted the chicken broth. It had almost no flavor. I added all of the ingredients: lime wedge, basil, jalapeños, and bean sprouts – and a good amount of Sriracha sauce. The chicken was tender and the broth was steaming hot – those are the only two positive things I can say about the bowl of Pho Ga I was served.
The gentleman who took my order asked me how it was. I was honest and told him that the broth had almost no flavor. His response was that it is a chicken broth. I don't understand that – as I've had some outstanding, delicious, flavorful chicken broths at other Pho joints.
Service was attentive and good.
Maybe you'll have better Pho experiences here with the other non-chicken Pho's?
Desperate for some pho, I ventured out to Scarsdale.
The location was a bit random but the interior was somewhat clean and modern.
I noticed that there were dried scraps of rice/food on the table and chairs but I figured that it happens. The server quickly took our order and helped us promptly. After receiving our order, he did seem a bit preoccupied, although there were only 2 other parties besides us. When we received our food, I noticed that the veggie dish (bean sprouts, basil, lemon, jalapeno) was not in good condition. Without even looking deeper, anyone could see that it was old. BUT, we didn't want to be picky so we tried to get some bean sprouts and that was when we noticed MOLD. We could immediately feel how limp the vegetables were. They were deteriorated to the point where mold had spread to parts of the dish. Once we told the server, I actually saw him grabbing fresh vegetables from a container. The quality was exponentially better. Why would you even try to serve that to customers when you have fresh vegetables right there?!
The menu did not have many choices but had basic main dishes.The pho broth seemed pretty diluted but the meat was good. The noodle portion was really small, as well. All in all, I was pretty disappointed 🙁
I wanted to stop by Saigonese for a while. Unfortunately I missed out in their long running Groupon and had to pay full price, and it was pretty expensive. Something like 70 bucks for 2 rice dishes, a pho, an app, tax and tip. That said, the food was quite nice and the papaya and beef jerky app in particular was one of the best things I've tasted in a while. Would probably go back again.
Passing the area at lunch time, while in the area on business. Let me start by saying that I have wanted to try Vietnamese food for some time but have shied away for reasons that are not for this venue.
Well today is the day I decided to move forward and try it. Much to my delight I love it. How foolish have I been all these years. I would love to give 5 stars but I'll explain the 4 stars in a minute.
Since it was my first time with Vietnamese food I asked the waiter for a little help. He was very accommodating and suggested the house special lunch.
House special is pork, beef, and shrimp with noodles and vegetables. I already said I loved it but let's say it again for emphasis.
The price. – $9.50. Unbelievable
Now for the 4 stars…. $20 minimum for credit cards. Very difficult for one person to spend more than $20 for lunch although I might try. Since I was in the area on business paying with a credit card is almost a must for record keeping.
Managment please reconsider this.
If I'm in the area I will definitely be back but if not this place has helped me find a great ethnic food that I have been missing out on for years.
I was feeling like Asian tonight, but not my usual go-tos. I remembered that Saigonese was written up in the New York Times a few years back, and some of my brothers' friends had positive things to say about it. With that in mind, I decided to head here tonight for dinner.
The restaurant is small – it almost looks like it was something else (perhaps a cafe) in a previous life and was never truly converted to what it's supposed to be. All things considered, I really didn't mind, the decor was simple but the servers were friendly and the food was pure.
We started with the pork summer rolls and the Vietnamese crepe. While both were good, I liked the summer rolls better – the pork mixed with the greens neatly packed in a roll was the perfect summer appetizer. They were served with a peanut sauce which was just okay, it could have used a little more flavor. The crepe was interesting; I was a fan of it in theory but it was a little sloppy. It was served with pickled veggies and lettuce leaves on the side which were (again) refreshing and a nice palate cleanser. For my main I had the pork and shrimp vermicelli – rice noodles served with shrimp, grilled pork, and a spring roll along with lettuce and fish sauce on the side. The spring roll was good, but I felt the noodles lacked flavor – even with the addition of red pepper and fish sauce. Maybe I'm not accustomed to authentic Vietnamese food, but it wasn't doing it for me.
Overall, I appreciate this place a lot. Even though I wasn't the biggest fan of the food, there's a sense of honesty in it that draws me in. I don't see myself coming back here too often, but I wouldn't be totally against returning.
I decided to give Saigonese a try because it had my (Vietnamese) roommate's stamp of approval, and I must say that it is a great find in the Hawthorne area!
It definitely satisfied a craving that I'd had for pho: the soup, the noodles, and all the condiments! I do wish they had a greater variety of cuts of meat though. I think they had the basics: meatballs, brisket, and steak, but I would have preferred tendon as well! Also, the brisket was a little thicker than I would have liked, and a little too difficult to chew..
The service is quite spotty, and even though the restaurant isn't all that big or that busy, I had to flag down our server in order to get his attention. That being said, although the food is served quickly, don't expect to get in and out of the restaurant in a hustle! It will still be a bit of a wait.
I'm legitimately amazed at some of the bad reviews on here. I, too, have eaten at tons of Vietnamese restaurants over the years. When my husband and I moved back to Westchester from Manhattan a year and a half ago, we lamented the fact that our dining options would scale back so significantly. So when Saigonese opened, we were thrilled … finally, Vietnamese food close to home!
The portions are abundant, and though the prices aren't cheap, they also aren't unreasonable. The house special bun is huge, with heaping servings of delectable pork and vegetables. And the beef brisket pho has become my absolute favorite, go-to food during this ridiculous winter. The flavors are subtle, but spot on. The pork summer roll is a light, refreshing start to any meal we end up having (my husband says the bahn mi sandwiches are the best he's ever had). Even my son looks forward to the chicken and sticky rice. We all share the fresh coconut water. The rainbow ice is one of the strangest desserts you'll ever lay eyes on, but there's a reason Westchester magazine voted it the best dessert for 2013. It is SOOOO delicious.
The staff always makes us feel welcome and pays special attention to my son, who now knows them well. My only gripe is that the bahn mi sandwiches are only served during lunch time.