Madam Saigon

The inviting exterior of Madam Saigon. Don't be fooled by the open doors, its actually quite cooling inside.


Complimentary Vietnamese spring rolls.


The simple garnishing adds life to the dish.


Or, you can choose to have it plain.

My classmate has been raving about this place that sells Vietnamese beef noodles for quite a few times and we finally got to try it last month. We were in the Bugis vicinity (known for its eateries along Prinsep and Liang Seah Street) and after browsing the eateries along the five-foot-walkways, decided to settle in the homely, boutique-like eatery that looks inviting enough from the outside.

You can tell the owner has put in meticulous thought and effort in refurbishing the place with a theme that reflects the type of cuisine it offers, opting for bold red Oriental woodwork and typical chinese plaque embossed with the eatery's name on the outside and the display of Vietnamese artworks and craft for the interior.

Madam Saigon, as the name insinuates, sells Vietnamese food and according to my friend, is reknown for their beef pho, which is essentially beef noodles in soup. The thing I never expected was meeting my former manager (during my waitressing stint) at this eatery. As usual, he had his winsome smile and his hospitality was efficacious. One of the most important elements of having a good dining experience (anywhere) is the service and the manager plays a crucial role, not only in looking after the running of the eatery and inculcating a certain service standard in the crew but also setting a good example of attending to the needs of the customers and ensuing that their whole experience is enjoyable. And its really hard to find people who are passionate, sincere and level-headed about service. Well, I think my former manager is one of those people who fit the bill and he made it fun to work under him.

Both Jan and I ordered the eatery's famous beef pho ($8+) and my former manager gave us a complimentary serving of spring rolls (nice!). The spring rolls, dipped in the special sauce that came with it was not bad, nothing exceptional about it though. On the other hand, I really dig the beef noodles. The dish came in a reasonable proportion, with a generous side serving of bean sprouts and fresh leaves which you can choose to add into the piping hot noodles. The clear broth looked healthy and the taste though mild, was distinct enough and my tastebuds were satisfied. The kway teow noodles were smooth and the beef was tender.

Madam Saigon is a no frills sort of place that will satisfy anyone in search of a simple Vietnamese meal and most importantly, this craving will not burn a hole in your pocket :)

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Address:
Madam Saigon
30 Liang Seah Street
Tel: 6333-9798
Website: www.madamsaigon.com
Opening Hours: 11.30am - 3pm (lunch); 6 - 11pm (dinner)
Sundays & public holidays 12 - 4pm (lunch); 5.30pm - 11pm (dinner)
Cuisine: Vietnamese, Indochinese
Price: $10 - $20 per pax
Dresscode: casual
Food: 7/10
Service: 8/10
Ambience: 7/10