Saigon Cuisine

Saigon Cuisine has come a long way from its roots as a humble deli ? no, not the knish and bagel kind. The kind that turns out banh mi: Vietnam's take on the submarine sandwich that shoehorns a fluffy baguette full of roasted pork, pate, pickled vegetables, and spicy jalapenos. These days, owner Young Le's place operates as a full-service restaurant, sporting a menu of more than 150 authentic dishes, from pho with tripe and tendon to pan-fried Hanoi fish with dill to cauldron-sized hot pots of pork broth, shrimp, and sliced steak. There's a large dining room painted purple and gold with a well-equipped stage that hosts music from the homeland as a diverse crowd looks on. It's a great spot to share a family-sized meal, but you can still treat it like a deli if you choose: pop in midday for a six-inch banh mi larded with housemade cold cuts and a healthful mix of carrot, daikon, and cucumber, at only four bucks a go. Then gulp down a creamy/tart soursop smoothie studded with gummy tapioca balls you suck through a fat red straw.

• Cuisine(s): Vietnamese

  Hours: Sun 10am-9pm, Mon,Tue,Wed,Fri,Sat 10am-10pm

  Price: $

  Payment Types: MasterCard, Visa, cash

• Attire: casual

  Features: Takeout, Private Party, Catering, Banquet Facilities, Wheelchair Accessible, Vegetarian Friendly

  Serving: Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch

  Alcohol: Beer/Wine, Full bar

• Reservations: Not Accepted

  Parking: Free, Lot Available