Saigon Café in Buffalo, New York: A Review

Located amidst the exciting hub of the urban sprawl on Elmwood Avenue, the Saigon Café provides authentic Vietnamese and Thai cuisine. The funky downtown atmosphere definitely contributes to what I considered a pretty decent meal.

Be forewarned, the restaurant is extremely small. In fact, most of the tables can comfortably accommodate only two. Perhaps this is what contributed to the noticeably romantic vibe in the air - the night we happened to visit, the restaurant was dominated by adorable couples enjoying red wine and each other's company. The outdoor seating was a nice alternative to the slightly muggy air inside. There are only about four or five metal tables outside, and I'm afraid the close proximity to other tables made dining a touch uncomfortable. Seated up against the front window, we actually felt like we were sitting at the same table as an adjacent couple inside.

All the same, you still get to observe all the lively Elmwood action while you await your food. During any given night of the week, there's tons of people out and about, walking bulldogs, bar-hopping, and having a good time. We went on a Thursday late in the evening, and there was much to see!

Saigon Café does not pretend to be anything other than the unpretentious restaurant that indeed it is. There's nothing too fancy here. Jeans and t-shirts are more than welcome, as are fancier dresses. All sorts of people find their way there, so don't fret about dressing-up or down. Going along with the middle-range dress-code is the very reasonable pricing. Nothing on the menu was too expensive - many of the dinners were under $10!

On to the menu, then. For all you vegetarians out there, you'll be pleased to find whole pages of meatless entrees with tofu and plenty of veggies. Saigon Café also offers a wide variety of curry dishes with your choice of chicken, steak, or tofu. If you're thirsty, why not try one of the numerous Thai and Vietnamese beer and wines? My partner ordered a Thai beer, which was thick and delicious.

We started with fried Calamari for an appetizer. The breading wasn't too thick, like something you'd get at the fair. It was more light and flakey and, I thought, much more appetizing. The Calamari was served with a deliciously sweet sauce.

Far from the connoisseur of Thai food, I chose a random entrée: the Xao Lang, which was a large plate of green-ish sauce, tender chicken pieces, and tons of peppers. My partner ordered the green chicken curry, which had a sweeter, almost milky coconut flavor. We were also served a bowl of white rice to share, which we dipped in our abundance of sauces. I'm certainly no expert, but it seems that the thing with Thai food is the unique spices. It's so different from many other ethnic foods. It's immediately recognizable and instantly satisfying.

Throughout our entire meal, we were treated with excellent service. When we took our seats, water was immediately served and was refilled frequently. Waiters were never scarce, and they were all friendly and helpful. Good customer service is just a little something that adds a lot the overall dining-out experience.

All in all, I found Saigon Café to be a pleasant restaurant with reasonable prices. While I'm not a specialist in either Vietnamese or Thai food, I found my meal scrumptious, filling, and unique. The downtown location supplied the restaurant's urban appeal, and the good service made the meal even more enjoyable.

Saigon Café is open Mon-Thu 11am-10pm; Fri 11am-11pm; Sat 12pm-11pm; Sun 12pm-9pm.

It is located at 1098 Elmwood Ave in Buffalo.