Located in the bowels of Tin Hau, Saigon Etoile serves up typical Vietnamese street fare on its menu. This ranges from a selection of pho dishes, bo bun mixed rice noodles and banh mi sandwiches to well-known starters like rice paper rolls and paté chaud. The menu is very reasonably priced, making the eatery a perfect choice for a fast but delicious meal. We went to sample a few of the dishes and were pleasantly surprised.
The traditional pork banh mi ($68) was the first item we tried. The Vietnamese sandwich was well balanced, with a range of textures ranging from the soft slices of pork to the crunchy cucumber and shredded carrot. We particularly enjoyed the intense flavour of the pork slices, which really came through in the dish. Overall, the flavours were also well balanced.
From the three different choices of bo bun noodles, we selected chicken. We thought this was the strongest dish out of all the different items we tried. The flavours were bold and on point while still being balanced, with no single ingredient overpowering another – this is sometimes difficult to achieve in dishes where many ingredients are used. We strongly recommend trying Saigon Etoile’s chicken bo bun ($78)!
The raw beef pho ($68) was a decently executed dish. However, we did find that the noodles were somewhat overcooked, softening too much in the broth.
Verdict
Overall, Saigon Etoile is amongst the best restaurants in the Tin Hau area and is putting out delicious Vietnamese street food. The dishes are well executed, and the staff are extremely welcoming and friendly. It’s a great place to hit up if you’re in the neighbourhood – make sure to try the bo bun!
118 Electric Road, Causeway Bay, 2517 7135
This write-up is based on a complimentary media tasting provided in exchange for an honest review and no monetary compensation. The opinions expressed here represent the author’s.
For more reviews like this, like Foodie on Facebook
