You know the funny thing about recommending food to visiting friends here in Saigon?  My list of restaurants serving international cuisine is longer than the Vietnamese restaurants.  I’m not saying Vietnamese food here is bad but since I came from an Asian country as well (and is highly influenced by Chinese cooking), the Vietnamese cuisine (also influenced by 1,000 years of Chinese colonization) is almost the same as in the Philippines.  True, they have a different twist on the Philippine-counterpart but otherwise, they’re all just Asian food.

My friend Ria came up with her Food Trip Bucket List which I hope to try one way or the other before we depart Saigon.  You cannot believe her list!  To think I’ve been living here in Saigon longer than her.

1. Key Lime Pie and Lumberjack Pancakes at Elbow Room
2. Dips, quiches, salads in Au Parc
3. Scoozi pizza with red wine in Scoozi
4. Veal ragu at Bernie’s
5. Porkloin steak well done with baked garlic on the  side in New York Steak House
6. Deep fried sea bass with mango salad &  in Lac Thai on Mac Thi Buoi
7. Noodles with vegetables, fried spring rolls and grilled pork from Wrap & Roll
8. Breaded garlic crispy shrimp from Happy Karaoke. Or that karaoke place my officemates love to hang out at.
9. Chicken Rendang from Peaches.
10. Ribs and seafood fried rice at Red Tomato
11. Deep fried Stuffed squash flowers from Green papaya behind our office
12. Lambchops at Shri
13. Lambchops at Basilico
14. Risotto at Vasco’s in Crescent
15. Crispy breaded tuna lunch set from Dragon Hotpot
16. Salmon sashimi from Dragon Hotpot
17. Shepherd’s Pie at Sheridan’s
18. Salmon pasta at the Idecaf restaurant
19. Frankfurters in Gardenstadt
20. Black paella at Pacharan
21. Pica food at Sandals Scallops wrapped in bacon at Xu (Dani‘s suggestion because Sandals closed already)
22. Burgers and fish at Zanzibar
23. Moussaka at Skewers
24. Mac and cheese at Black Cat – killer ito!
25. Viet food in Hoa Tuc (hehehe! I don’t know the names)
26. Prosciutto salad in Annam Gourmet
27. Cheese Platter in Annam
28. Albondigas in La Habana
29. Risotto of The Deck
30. Sea bass in tamarind sauce with bok choi in Mekong Merchant
31. Baked fish in La Nicoise

From memory, I’ve tried 9 from this list so that leaves 22 more to go!  The most recent was our lunch (Ria and I) at the Elbow Room.  Indeed, the Key Lime Pie is perfect!  Sorry ’bout the quality of shot though.  And I also have to add that the Herb Chicken with mashed potatoes, spinach and gravy is one of the best meals I’ve had!  Must try!  See photo above. 🙂

Will have to come back to the Elbow Room for the Lumberjack Pancakes! 🙂

Check out the list here so you can see what I’ve tried so far. 😉