Tasty Vietnamese in San Mateo

Ever since I discovered this great place, my coworkers and I end up going every week to this fresh, simple and quick Vietnamese restaurant.  Actually, I can't take credit for this tasty find, as Saigon City has been around for quite a while, and many had been before me, but I was pretty thrilled to find hot, fresh Vietnamese Sandwiches (Banh Mi $2.75), spicy, crispy Imperial Rolls ($4.50) and delicious Pho ($5.00) just out of the heart of San Mateo.  No decor to speak of, cheap prices, and a huge menu, I was sold.

Their barbequed meats are always moist and garlicky and our most recent find was the Grilled Minced Shrimp on Sugarcane appetizer ($6.95), which is accompanied by barbequed beef or pork, rice noodles, dry rice paper and hot water for softening, lettuce leaves, cilantro, cucumber, pickled daikon and carrots (Cu Cai Carot Chua) and Nuoc Cham, that sweet/sour/spicy famous dipping sauce.  After all that, I chewed all the sweet juices out of the sugarcane and that was truly all the dessert I needed.

Also great are the noodle dishes, nice chunks of chicken with fresh and varied vegetables and a rich non-greasy gravy.  My favorite is over pan fried crispy noodles, always a winner.  I hear the lemongrass beef is good, I guess that's on the menu tomorrow.  There is also a number of vegetarian dishes that always look good when they go by (what can I say, I'm a meat lover).

I love this place and could eat there pretty much everyday.  We have not had one bad meal, and while the service can be a bit brusque, we are in and out quickly, the food is always good and hot, and the prices reasonable. Check it out.

Saigon City
418 East 3rd Ave
San Mateo, CA 94401
(650) 340-8878
(this website has the menu but the prices do not seem that current)