mmm-yoso!!! is a food blog. Kirk is working a lot lately and so is ed (from Yuma). Neither of them has had time to write, much less read about food. Today, Cathy is filing a post so you'll have something to read.
Hi again. The other day, once again, I started driving with no purpose other than to find lunch. The Mister was along for the ride, not knowing where to go nor giving me suggestions except an occasional "well, you found more road construction" and- "turn here, I haven't been in this neighborhood for a while". Soon we were on El Cajon Boulevard and 
the parking lot at Saigon was not crowded, so we stopped. We have been here many times and always have enjoyed it, but it stopped being a deliberate destination for one reason or another.
People were occupying the smaller tables, and we sat at one of the 7 chair tables with the Lazy Susan in the center. That century-old kitchen gadget would prove to be quite helpful with our three item order which we intended to share. Whenever we sit at a table with more than two chairs, I tend to move around and eat from a plate at every chair.
The item which we ordered before even looking at the menu- Banh xeo– usually takes a while to prepare. ($6.50) The delicate turmeric flavored fried crepe/pancake is cooked fresh and filled with
sprouts, green onion, pork and shrimp. It is served with lettuce leaves and fresh mint for wrapping the pieces you break off and whatever you stuff inside..and the usual dipping sauce, nuoc mam (fish sauce).
Yes. I took three photos. We should have just ordered two bahn xeo and been done with it.It was so good and filling.
The Mister ordered a small bowl of pho with thin sliced rare beef and flank ($5.25). The aromatics from the broth were wafting toward me -the anise stood out and the flavor was deep and rich. This pho would be great on a chilly day. Very tasty and filling. You can see the plate of add-ins behind the bowl- basil, sprouts and the unseen jalapeños and a lime wedge. The noodles were not clumpy and this also was an excellent meal by itself. 
However, I wanted fish. The menu description "Catfish and rice $7.95" seemed to be what I wanted (no mention of hotpot). This came to the table sizzling and bubbling over the cast iron pot.
After a long while, the pot settled down. It was filled with catfish in a sweet-garlic-black pepper sauce. (A good sweet that a brown sauce has, not overly crazy yukky sweet.) Just catfish, sauce and those green onion fronds. It was exquisite and wonderful with tender, flaky, not muddy but very fresh tasting fish (some bones and some really good skin) that stayed hot the whole meal.
Glad we stopped here and refreshed our memory of why we used to return here over and over. We need to go through the menu… there are over 100 items.
Saigon 4455 El Cajon Boulevard (across from Hoover High School) San Diego 92115 (619) 284-4215
Hi Cathy! When I get the time I’m doing a Com Tam series but the one from Saigon was Gianormous and one of the best deals. That Banh xeo looks delicious! Must try.
Yumm. Reminded me of a clay pot catfish that was so tasty there a few years ago. Looks like a good meal.
It’s been a while since I’ve been there. That Banh Xeo looks huge (and tasty).
Great idea Dennis – Com Tam series! I can’t wait. Most places put smaller/dried shrimp in the pancake batter, but here there are just large shrimp as part of the filling. It is very good.
I suppose the pot is clay, or clay covered cast iron, ed; it was very heavy, even when empty. The Mister said he didn’t want to be the person cleaning it…
JF, the food is wonderful here, as always. I don’t know why we forgot and am glad nothing has changed.
Weird the sprouts is supposed to be cook lightly and not serve raw. Any case that just too much sprouts.
We were here recently for dinner, and while I didn’t look, my friend saw the last page of the menu, and the last item was number 350 something.
I hadn’t been here in awhile, and I thought the food we had wasn’t as good as it used to be. The claypot catfish was still delicious.
A bean sprout taco! Makes a Japanese Mexican’s heart soar with joy!
That looks like a pretty good portion of catfish. The “small” bowl of pho looks pretty large as well!
The catfish hot pot looks fantastic! That would be so good anytime with some rice.
The fried stuffed crepe looks absolutely fantastic! Wish we lived closer by!!!
Yes, usually the sprouts are stir fried in other versions of Banh xeo we have had, bill. I used the excess raw items (sprouts, lettuce, mint) and had a salad.
Sorry it wasn’t as good as usual for you, Sandy. That version of catfish, we had never had here before. But we will have again.
That is what it looks like, AZ!
Very large portions of each, Alyssa. Good thing it was lunch-we didn’t really have much for dinner that day.
It came with rice, Carol. I just didn’t eat any :(.
Banh xeo usually has small shrimp cooked into the batter, this version was different (those were fairly large shrimp inside), CandiRae.