News-Democrat
Ngoc La, 52, was born in Saigon, South Vietnam, and grew up nearby.
"Where we lived, it was beautiful," said Ngoc. "There were lots of lakes. The food is good and there is pretty much seafood."
She and long-time friend Phong Nguyen, 39, recently opened a restaurant named for her birthplace. Called Saigon Vietnamese Cuisine, it's located in Belleville's Lake Christine Center.
The co-owners want the metro-east to taste the foods they are so fond of, dishes made with fresh vegetables, beef, chicken, pork, seafood and tofu, and flavored with fish sauce, soy sauce, onion and garlic. Lemongrass, an herb that imparts a citrus flavor, is part of the mix along with basil, mint and Vietnamese cilantro.
Ngoc's and Phong's families got to know each other through the Vietnamese community that lives in the area.
In 1988, Ngoc's husband Eric Ly emigrated to the United States. Ngoc and their two children joined him in 1993. They now have four children and live in Herron. Her husband opened Happy Garden Chinese restaurant there in 1999.
Phong, a chef for 22 years, cooked at Pho Grand Vietnamese restaurant in St. Louis and was chief cook at Kim Son in Houston.
"Most of my food, I am my own designer," said Phong, who lives in Belleville. "I think and design. I want to share my country's foods."
Born in Saigon City in 1969, Phong grew up helping his mother prepare meals for weddings. He still loves to cook.
Ask what an egg cake is and the fast-moving chef heads to the kitchen to show a long, rectangular casserole made with pork, yellow onion, green onion, black mushrooms, clear noodles and eggs. It is sliced and served as a side.
You'll meet the egg cake if you order the popular crushed rice and thin pork chop dish ($7.25). The chop is marinated in soy sauce and flavored with five-spice seasoning, lemongrass and soy sauce, grilled quickly, then served with the egg cake. Sides include a light salad dressed with a vinegar-soy sauce, ginger, garlic and chili pepper. A side of what looks like noodles is shredded pork and pork skin.
"Forty percent say, 'Take that off,'" said Phong. "If they taste it, they like it."
The delicate flower that dresses up the plate?
A carrot sliced thin, then wrapped.
Saigon's menu lists and describes 81 items. They range from egg rolls, spring rolls and skewered appetizers to salads, noodle dishes, hot pots, stir-frys and steamed dishes.
"Most Vietnamese food is very healthy," said Phong, steaming black mushrooms, bok choy and cabbage in the kitchen, then quickly sauteing them in a huge wok.
He was on the way to one of his showman dishes, Flaming Seafood, a mix of shrimp, squid and scallops that comes out in a covered pot circled in flames. Garlic and green onion add flavor. The dish is topped with Vietnamese cilantro.
"It's more work," he said of the flaming spectacle, "but it's more fun."
Flames climb around the dish on its way to the table. After a minute or two, the server douses them with a damp towel.
The restaurant, decorated with murals of Vietnam, has been open just a short time, but customers already have good things to say.
"The food is excellent," said Pat Jorgenson, of Belleville, eating a late lunch with her daughter, Dawn Taira, of Scott Air Force Base.
Pat tried a beef noodle soup laced with vegetables and rice noodles ($7.25). Her daughter's vermicelli dish combined barbecued pork, eggroll, vegetables with noodles.
"There are all kinds of fresh vegetables," she said. "It's excellent."
Phong already has plans for his next venture.
After Saigon opened, Ngoc was ready to throw away the "coming soon" sign. Phong told her to keep it.
"That's what we will use for Saigon No. 2," he said. "If this one is successful, I'll open one in Fairview Heights."
On the menu:
Appetizers
Vietnamese spring rolls (two mini rolls made with shrimp, pork and fresh vegetables in rice paper) $2.75
Beef on skewers (three skewers of lemon grass grilled beef) $6.25
Vietnamese-style salad
BBQ shrimp salad (grilled shrimp served with lettuce, carrot, basil, onion and Saigon sauce) $9.95
Traditional Vietnamese dishes
Shrimp and chicken bird nest (shrimp, chicken, vegetables and cashews in brown sauce. The bird net is made of shredded potatoes) $12.95
Vermicelli
Barbecued pork, eggroll vermicelli (grilled pork, eggroll, vegetables and vermicelli) $6.25
Steamed rice dishes
Crushed rice with pork chop marinated in garlic, lemongrass and soy sauce, served with an eggcake, and shredded pork and pork skin on the side, $7.25
House special
Flaming seafood (Squid, shrimp, scallop, fish cake, vegetable with brown sauce) $14.95
Saigon Restaurant
Where: 1636 Lebanon Ave. (Lake Christine Center), Belleville
Hours: 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sundays
Phone: 233-3388
© 2007 Belleville News-Democrat and wire service sources. All Rights Reserved. http://www.belleville.com
