i first got to know about this place from my brother-in-law's post the night before i and my family went here. i was intrigued with the picture of a basil plant on top of their table, the leaves of which are offered to be plucked for flavoring on the pho.
the location is in the middle of a quiet middle-class neighborhood. it's a modestly-sized bungalow turned into a restaurant by a filipino husband and a vietnamese wife (i learned from the server). aside from the signage, the place is easy to spot because of the many cars parked outside and the adornment of basil plants right in front of the restaurant. homey is the best word to describe it.
the place was full when we got there for sunday dinner. the servers cleaned up a newly-vacated table with a smelly cloth to get us ready for our meal. i called her attention to it so she got a clean one to really clean it. if you think that was bad, i have to say that that was the only disappointing part.
our orders were taken quickly using an app on a tablet carried by each server. surprising for a "home cum resto". we had their beef pho, the best-tasting one i have ever had. the broth was so flavorful and the meat was tender. there was tripe which added texture and more beefy goodness to it. noodles were al dente, veggies crisp and who wouldn't like fresh-picked basil from a plant right on your table? we also had tamarind chicken wings and tamarind pork ribs which were also good, with wholesome flavor and both taste like how you imagine them. but both are not extraordinary compared to their other dishes.
the fresh spring rolls were served in the middle of the meal instead of being an appetizer. i didn't complain though as we were all enjoying our food. a meal this good will make you oblivious of which ones are entrees or appetizers. the spring rolls, like the pho, will beat the other ones served in the more popular vietnamese restos. the peanut sauce had the right sweetness which matched the the perfectly cooked chicken breast, rice noodles and fresh greens. the ban mhi was also superb. i got the special ban mhi which had liver pate and extra slices of beef to go with the usual greens served on french bread, which was also good, if we get strict about it.
we washed it all down with flavored teas, done with fresh ingredients. the wintermelon was refreshing and so was the tamarind iced tea. to taste something new, i had salted lemonade. it burst of lemon sweetness with a twist of saltiness. it was perfect. i capped the meal with their vietnamese coffee served in dripping "machine" which seemed to be a traditional equipment for their coffee. great coffee, too!
there's still a lot on the menu i have to try and i can't wait to be back. if there's vietnamese homestyle cooking, ca phe saigon is definitely on top of the list.