News-Journal staff writer Audrey Parente loves using chopsticks, but she used a spoon and fork at Pho Saigon, Vietnamese Cuisine during a meal she shared with friends Bob and Midge Solomon of Daytona Beach and Laurence Bennett of Ormond Beach during a mid-week get together.
What was the place like?
Midge Solomon said she was surprised how empty the parking lot was at what turned out to be a bright place with good food and really reasonable prices.
What was on the menu?
The menu was packed with choices, from appetizers of spring and egg rolls and fried chicken wings to many soup and egg noodle dishes, one with squid. Bob Solomon said he and Midge thought the service was very good and the food was excellent.
"We shared the egg rolls and also the spring rolls and they were both very tasty. We had noodles with beef and vegetables for our dinner. It was served very hot and was flavored with a taste that we both enjoyed. Even the green tea was very good," he wrote later.
Bennett liked his soup with pork, chicken, shrimp and vegetables. As usual, I couldn't make up my mind. I wanted wonton soup, because I could see everything was made from scratch and the vegetables were fresh, fresh, fresh. But they only had entree size, so I ordered that and an egg dish that was added with a sticky note to the menu. It was called Banh Xeo, but for all intents and purposes it was a fabulous crepe stuffed with stir-fried shrimp and bean sprouts. It came with a huge plate of fresh herbs and a little pot of a tangy-hot peanut sauce. Bennett got the leftovers.
How was it?
I loved it, even though I had to use a fork because I couldn't figure out how to break up the crepe too easily with chopsticks.
Anything else about the restaurant itself?
There was no dessert on the menu, so I wandered up to the counter and chatted with a 28-year-old who said he was new to the restaurant business and was helping his dad, the cook. All honor to dad's skill. Anyway, I asked if they would just add ice cream or something to the menu in the future, but as an alternative Midge and I ordered oriental Ca Phe Sua Da, which turned out to be chilled coffee over ice with condensed milk as a surprise. It worked, and we both thought it was delish.
How much did it cost?
Dinner for four: Two Vietnamese Ice Teas, $3.90; two orders of spring rolls, $6; one order of egg rolls $3; one order spicy chicken wings, $3.95; two egg noodles with beef $15.90; one Wonton Soup $6.50; one egg noodle soup with pork, shrimp, chicken and vegetables, $7.95; the Banh Xeo (crepe with shrimp), $8.99; and two Vietnamese coffee treats, $4.50. Total with tax and tip, $77.63.
Pho Saigon, Vietnamese Cuisine
WHERE: 312 S. Peninsula Drive, Daytona Beach
HOURS: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; noon to 8 p.m. Sunday; noon to 8 p.m. closed Monday
MISC: Handicapped accessible
PHONE: 386-257-4650
