Better Late Than Never! Saigon Grill review

Alex in NYC responded to my scathing Max Brenner review by asking if I had visited another neighborhood eatery, Saigon Grill. I have since ordered takeout on two occasions from this University Place location of the chain and was pleasantly satisfied with the results.

Friday evening, Chef LaLaLa, Marathon Man and I decided to unwind after a long week with dinner and some drinks and were looking for somewhere inexpensive, casual but tasty. Chef LaLaLa suggested Saigon Grill and hey, I'll never refuse an opportunity to eat anything Asian.

I was the first to arrive and was surprised at the bustling dining room and the large crowd waiting to be seated. This is not your typical Asian take out joint and the large dining room (this used to be a Healthy Pleasures supermarket) was upstaged only by the impressive large bar and seating area at the front of the restaurant.

Despite the crowds, we were seated fairly quickly and by the time my dining companions arrived, I was enthralled by my impressive Grey Goose martini with three olives.

We started with an order of Goi Cuon Tom (shrimp summer rolls) a soft salad roll with large pieces of fresh shrimp, bean sprouts and lettuce along with an order of assorted steamed dumplings. While I did enjoy the dumplings, I have had better less doughy ones (for lack of a better word) but these certainly did the trick soaking up my generous serving of Grey Goose. Marathon Man made quick work of an order of Bo Nuong Sate (beef sate) and left us gals to devour the rolls and dumplings.

I think we barely set down our chopsticks when our main courses arrived. Marathon Man chose the spicy & tasty twin delicacies (sauteed prawns & scallops with bell peppers & onion) and a similar dish sans scallops for the Chef. I went with a spicy Saigon beef dish special with asparagus and red peppers for my main course and three orders of brown rice for all!

The service seemed a bit rushed at times but definitely more "attentive" than you find in most establishments. And in spite of the quick table turn over, the food came out well-prepared, seasoned and fresh. A nice option to have in a hectic neighborhood!

Alex in NYC - nicely done! Anywhere else you'd like me to give a try?