Restaurant Spotlight

Taste of Saigon

By Jonathan Harper

There is a hidden gem amongst the towering office buildings of Tyson’s Corner. Taste of Saigon is a restaurant that acts more like an oasis to the mania of one of the area’s busiest commercial neighborhoods. Not to be overshadowed by the surrounding venues, this is an ideal establishment with a professional décor for big-business clientele as well as elegant family-dining.

And who knew Saigon tasted so good? Again, family owned private businesses triumph over the mainstream chain restaurants and the Tu family can proudly take the credit. Family matron, “Ma” Tu, brought her expertise when she immigrated to the United States, eventually opening the original and stagnant Taste of Saigon in Rockville, MD and later expanding to the Northern Virginia area in 1996. The result is delicious blend of Vietnamese cuisine delicately modified with a French influence.

Entrées are well proportioned for full individual meals without breaking your budget or your belt. Traditional pho soups, noodles dishes and seafood entrees are complimented by more fusion condiments like thick cream sauces. However, its their signature Black Pepper Sauce that defines the chef’s specialties. An original creation of Ma Tu, herself, this is a mildly-sweet butter glaze topped with a black pepper spread that boldly accents entrées. One example. the Black Pepper Soft Shell Crabs are richly fried in black pepper seasoning and then covered with a sweet brown sauce. While I found this one of the best itemson the menu, some crab lovers might find it a bit overwhelming. Another specialty, the Black Pepper Steak takes a perfectly seasoned 10oz Black Angus, grilled and covered with a delicious creamy mushroom and brandy sauce. Though certain menu items are as costly as the low 20’s, most dinner entrées are reasonably priced at $13.95 or under. One can still eat like royalty for under $12.

For starters, the Crispy Fried Golden Squid is served with home-made sweet and sour sauce, excellent prepared and not overdone. The Angels Wings are an equally wonderful starter dish, combining fried chicken and juicy crab meat, a perfect item for younger eaters! Soup lovers will find an excellent selection. The Sup Dau Hu combines a hearty tofu chunks with a garden variety of vegetables from shitake mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower and baby corns with a neutral broth that enriches the veggie flavors. The more traditional Pho is a filling noodle soup with a thin beef broth, complimented by beef strips, chicken or a seafood ensemble of shrimp, scallops, squid and fish cakes. While Pho makes an excellent starter for a dinner out, it could also serve as a solo light lunch and is well worth the price.

One noteworthy entrée, the Honey-Roasted Duck is savory and mouth-watering, served over a bed of white rice crisps. Not overly salty or dependent on the honey glaze, this is an excellent item for even the pickiest of eaters. Vermiccelli dishes are ideal for eaters of all tastes and ages, combining spaghetti-thin rice noodles and a light sweat and sour sauce with a choice of topping, from curry chicken to grilled shrimp and pork. The Vermiccelli with Grilled Lemon Chicken was a perfect combination. For seafood lovers, the Sugar Cane Shrimp is an excellent choice, a large portion of minced shrimp, charcoaled that mixes a sweet aftertaste with a deceptively spicy peanut sauce, served in a rice-paper shell, fajita style. The Mussels with Black Bean and Ginger Sauce is another culinary treasure, again served in huge proportions and smothered with a ginger-heavy brown sauce.

With Friday happy hours at the bar and the outdoor patio soon to open in late Spring, Tastes of Saigon should be one of your regular out-to-lunch or after work destinations. Because of its location, this is the ideal venue for office parties and business meeting during the day, but should be utilized at night for its elegant family-friendly service and menu.

(8201 Greensboro Dr, McLean, VA 22102 Phone: (703) 790-0700)