Binh Duong

[tommy]

The noodle dish contained shrimp, those sea legs, what I believe are fried ersatz scallop balls (OK my ignorance is showing), a generous helping of mushrooms & veggies in an oystery brown sauce bracingly flavored with a good quantity of slivered ginger root. All this over extremely thin crispy noodles. You have to move quickly to push the noodles out of the sauce if you want some of them to remain crisp.

i ordered this dish the last time i was there. i'm not sure why i ordered it, but it's a fun dish.

the sea legs were horrible, and i couldn't eat those scallop balls. if they took those two things out, it would be a super dish.

[howard88]

Party of three had dinner at Binh Duong Sunday nite. Starters were spring rolls and shrimp, pork and lotus salad. Spring rolls were served hot and crisp and were tasty. The salad was so fresh tasting. The next time we go I will wait for the middle of the meal and have this as a delicious palate cleanser.

Next up was the extra big bowl of Beef Pho. Plenty for three people and some soup was left. The brisket for the soup was paper thin and had true deep brisket taste. As for the tendon, well if you like to chew a lot its for you.

Our next dish was salt and pepper squid. It was among the best I've had. Perfectly crisped and tender and the play with the sweet sauteed onions was a perfect combination.

We then had beef with mixed vegetables in a thin, brown sauce which was tasty and delicate. We also had an order of pork balls, eaten with garlic chili paste, and celantro folded into lettuce leaves. A great combination of tastes, salty, savory, fresh and spicy.

The Vietnamese coffee over ice tasted like coffee should taste.

We can't wait to return and sample other menu offerings.

[Wiener]

I don't know, guys. Those photos make the food look so delicious, however, I finally ventured into the place on Sunday afternoon (after waiting 45 minutes to be served at the Village Gourmet in Rutherford, where we walked out) and I was not all too impressed with the place. The soup contained a lot of thin oily fatty beef and seems to have been seasoned with some type of sweet spice, I could not recognize. We had the fried pork eggrolls, which were not all that wonderful, and much heavier than the delicious eggrolls at Little Siagon. The salted plum soda, a favorite of mine at Little Saigon, was extremely salty and small. We decided to stop with the soup and get out of the place. The three staff members were on cell phones throughout the afternoon and most tables were empty. It was mid-afternoon, afterall. I would be willing to try this place one more time and try the items in the photos, which did look tasty. Maybe we just made bad choices. I know the soup we had was the house specialty.

[tommy]

I would be willing to try this place one more time and try the items in the photos, which did look tasty. Maybe we just made bad choices.

over the years i've found that if you order what the Perlows order, you'll be all sorted out.

[Jason Perlow]

I would be willing to try this place one more time and try the items in the photos, which did look tasty.  Maybe we just made bad choices.

over the years i've found that if you order what the Perlows order, you'll be all sorted out.

You're finally learning.

Weiner: Sunday afternoon may not be a good time to go to this place. I think their main cooks are only there during the evenings. You want to go when the place is busy during a weeknight or a weekend evening.

As to their Cha Gio (fried spring rolls) -- yes, they are heavier than Saigon's. For the most part the Saigon ones are mostly vegetables, bean thread noodle with a small amount of pork in them. I like both of them but Binh Duong's have a strong fish sauce taste to them, which some people may not like. As a whole the restaurant is catering to ethnic Vietnamese, not Americans.

EDIT: I realize just now you were referring to LITTLE SAIGON, the restaurant that burned down in Nutley, not SAIGON REPUBLIC in Englewood. The comparison still stands, however.

Pho tends to use the cheaper cuts of beef -- they are in there primarily to add seasoning to the broth. For 5 bucks a bowl, I'm not going to expect good quality eye of round roast beef like KT uses at Saigon Republic! As great as her soup is KT does NOT make a traditional Pho, and its 8 bucks a bowl. What you get at Binh Duong is what you should expect at a typical Pho stall in Vietnam.

The restaurant as a whole is a very good value, they have a LOT of dishes there, its cheap as hell, so you can try a whole bunch of dishes there and not feel compelled to finish them if you find one or two not to your liking.

[Rachel Perlow]

An extension of this is that the more people you go with the less the meal costs per person.

[Rosie]

I would be willing to try this place one more time and try the items in the photos, which did look tasty.  Maybe we just made bad choices.

over the years i've found that if you order what the Perlows order, you'll be all sorted out.

ABSOLUTELY. There are certain restaurants that you should never go to without the Perlows! It will make a difference between a so-so meal and a fabulous unforgettable experience. They get it right all the time.

[Rachel Perlow]

Hardly, we just don't advertise the bad stuff!

[Jason Perlow]

We're going to be at Binh Duong at around 6:30 tonight. PM me if you'd like to attend -- the more people the better -- I beleive their larger table sits 6, so we probably have space for 4 others besides me and Rachel.

[howard88]

Jason.

Looking forward to hearing about some new dishes from Binh Duong. We thoroughly enjoyed the food on our first visit.

[Rachel Perlow]

Hmm, new dishes... I ordered the red snapper. You have a choice of two sauces, a tomato/pinapple sauce or a thin ginger sauce. Both are good, as our waiter had the fish prepared with the tomato sauce and gave me some of the ginger sauce on the side. The fish itself was quite tasty, but a little overcooked. I'd order it again, but let them know I prefer it less cooked.

Jason had the beef and broccoli with oyster sauce. It was OK, the sauce was thinner than the chinese version of this dish, which we both preferred.

BTW -- they got some new/nicer tables and they've finally got the fresh lemonade soda going. :)

[Curlz]

So I said to myself, "Self, on a rainy/sleety/snowy night, what would hit the spot better than a nice bowl of Pho?"

The only problem with taking newbies to a restaurant that's still newish (to me) is that I/we end up having stuff I've already tried--but do you think I really mind? Nah! After listening to Jim (my songwriter bud) sing {WARNING TO ALL SHERYL CROW FANS...} "All I wanna do is have some PHO" one too many times on the way there, we sat down (at the new tables!) and proceeded to order Cha Gio, the shrimp and lotus root salad, a bowl of Pho Tai for me, and a bowl of the (chicken-based) seafood combo for him. I also got the limeade/club soda--YUM!

I was telling Jim things like "the last time I was here we sat there, ordered a bunch of stuff, etc." and then said (honestly) that "Jason and Rachel knew what they were doing, so I basically let them order last time, but now I can't remember what everything was!" It was then that our waiter said the magic words..."Are you a friend of Jason?" THE MAGIC WORDS!!! Heehee I explained that yes, I had been to the restaurant with Rachel and Jason, but that I had also been in once before that. He said "Oh, he sent me the pictures and the web site--it's good!" So I hope he's reading this--another tasty meal at Binh Duong, and another new customer (Jim), although I may disown him for singing "...and we'll have Pho Pho Pho 'til her daddy takes the T-Bird away..." on the ride home.

For those who haven't yet been, please be sure to tell them that you know Jason or that you're from eGullet when you go!

[iwakura42]

I just came back from Binh Duong with my parents. Delicious pho. I had the 'special' (assorted beef bits); next time I'll order the extra-large. I ordered the vaunted shrimp-pork salad, which was damn tasty though not as *incredible as past posters might have you believe. Would order again however. The service was a tad sketchy--dishes were delivered in short order, but I didn't get my Vietnamese coffee. Still, a bowl of pho has to be the most delicious five-dollar meal you can get in the US. I'll be going back to Binh, and often.

[Ruth]

Binh Duong (with Marcia Kiesel) is the name of the author of the Simple Art of Vietnamese Cooking (Simon and Schuster, 1991), one of the few comprehensive Vietnamese cookbooks in English (now out of print and selling for big bucks on the used market).

I was about to ask the same question. The author/restaurateur Binh Duong has, or had, two restaurants: the Truc Orient Express in Hartford, Connecticut, and

La Truc in Boca Raton, Fl. If this is the same Binh Duong you are in luck. I was at a cooking class he gave at De Gustibus in '91 when the book was published. He is an excellent chef. My copy of his book is falling to pieces now but it is the most authentic Vietnamese cook book I know.

[Pringle]

I just read through this as a response to my recent posting about a vietnamese craving. thanks for all the help guys! anyway, in one of those strange coincidences, i checked out the barista's page right afterwards and her top story today is about the relocation of little saigon that many of you mentioned. here's the story and the link....

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Restaurant News

A reliable source tells us that a new Vietnamese restaurant, Little Saigon, is moving to Bloomfield Ave. in Montclair, around the corner from Glenfield School. Not sure whether this is a new incarnation of the Little Saigon that burned down in Nutley a few years ago.

Fascino, meanwhile, announces its expansion. Maybe now it will be possible to get a reservation there without a note from the Pope.

Posted by Debbie Galant on September 29, 2004 at 11:00 AM

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http://www.baristanet.com/

Anyway, thanks again! I may have to get some pho for dinner tonight!

[Pringle]

Stopped in to Binh Duong for some take out tonight-- Pho Tai and and order of summer rolls. Everything hit the spot and was put together for take out very well. Broth was still very hot when I got home and cooked the beef perfectly. Also, plenty of the garnishes were provided on the side. DEliscious (and I even have some leftovers for a late night snack!). My only problem was the sauce that came with the summer rolls-- in the past I've always had a very thin, mild sauce.... but this was much thicker and strong. What do I know though? Not much, but at least my tummy is happy again. Thanks everyone!

[Curlz]

Glad you enjoyed it, Pringle! I don't know the answer to your sauce question, but I'm betting that Jason will. But I agree with you; they do a nice job of Pho for take-out, separating the broth, beef and ingredients. Enjoy your leftovers!

[Cook456]

Little Saigon was my favorite take out place.. :-(

Where is this new place exactly? Looks like I might have to take a ride tomorrow night!

[Curlz]

Binh Duong -- in the East West Shopping Plaza

61 1/2 Belleville Ave

Bloomfield NJ 07003

Phone 973-680-8440/8441

And rumor has it the Little Saigon is prepping to re-open in a new location!

[Rachel Perlow]

My only problem was the sauce that came with the summer rolls-- in the past I've always had a very thin, mild sauce.... but this was much thicker and strong.

←

Was it brown and peanutty? That's Nuoc Leo. I make a quick version with peanut butter, hoisin, sriracha and fish sauce. But restaurants should make it from scratch -- most recipes have a huge list of ingredients.

The thin vinaigrette type sauce is Nuoc Cham, made mostly with lime juice and fish sauce (nuoc mam), among other ingredients, made less intense by diluting with water.

If it was red and very hot, but a little sweet, that was Sriracha.

None of the above? Please describe further.

[Pringle]

Yes, brown and peanutty. When I've had it before it was like the watery one you described, but also had a slight peanutty flavor. Either way, both were very good, but I think I prefer the watery one just because the one I got from Binh Duong was a bit overwhelming. Thanks for the info, though.

[schmooty]

I had a really enjoyable meal here on Wednesday with a buddy of mine. Highlights included the amazing fried squid and a chicken in lemongrass dish that was sublime. I ordered the shrimp and crab soup which was also quite good. The only dish that was a bit disappointing was the beef and onion rolls over vermicilli. Jason's picture made the dish look too good not to order, but I found the beef to be way too chewy. With a total cost of $40 w/ tip, this place offers excellent value for the money. I look forward to going back, as there are many items that looked tasty.

[Curlz]

Bumping this thread up b/c I picked up lunch from BD today, and thought "Why the heck don't I do this more often?!?"

Nothing wild--pho thai and beef rolls w/lemongrass, but it's all SO fresh and SO delicious...

[JohnnyH]

Anyone been here recently?

[MJP]

I was there a few months back. I forget what we had exactly, but I do remember that it was really tasty. There was a noodle with ground pork in a citrusy sauce that really blew me away. Worth stopping by if you're near.