Last week, I laid out my plan to eat my way through Wichita chef Tanya Tandoc’s personal favorite places to eat in town – my own version of Julie & Julia. I won’t be tressing any chickens, though. Just eating them, perhaps.

When a friend invited me to lunch with her at Saigon, I jumped at the chance, knowing that it was also on Tanya’s list of where to dine in Wichita. On the way, she prepped me by saying, “People don’t go there for the atmosphere. It’s all about the food.”

Being the food geek that I am, I whipped out the “Tanya’s personal favorite’s list” to check out what she recommended at Saigon: spring rolls and plate A6 with grilled chicken and kimchee.

After making the trek all the way to North Broadway, Saigon was in sight. If you come here for lunch, be prepared to walk a bit. You may have to park across the street, as the parking lot gets very full. My friend was right; as soon as you step in the door, you are greeted with a plethora of brightly colored decorations that plaster the wall, including large plastic lobsters.

Being a newbie to Vietnamese food, I decided the spring rolls were a must. My lunch date also insisted that the egg rolls were equally as good, so we got both. As for entrees, I was a little overwhelmed by the large menu. Did I want soup? Noodles? Spicy? Not spicy? They have it all and more. (I also noticed that for all the vegetarians out there, there’s section for you as well!) We both ended up getting bowls of the Mi soup. I added shrimp and sliced pork to mine.

I kid you not, folks, our spring and egg rolls arrived within three minutes. It was amazingly fast service. My lunch date, who frequents Saigon, noted that it’s always this fast, which makes for a great lunch spot; even with a commute, there’s time to enjoy your food. Both the spring and egg rolls came with their own dipping sauce, each a divine flavor, pairing amazingly with each roll. I would, however, recommend rolling the egg rolls on an extra napkin to take off a little of the grease.

Within a few minutes, our bowls of Mi soup came out, piping hot. The soup was soothing and delicious, especially with a little squeeze of lemon and the “special sauce” that sits on the table. My lunch date called it “great comfort food.” The broth on the soup could soothe and fill any stomach.

Like any great Asian restaurant, we were presented with fortune cookies at the end of our meal. Mine read, “Tomorrow is a good day for trying something new.” And apparently I should have played the lottery with the numbers 9, 12, 18, 32, 41, 44. Fun fact: most fortune cookies are made in the U.S.

I will definitely be returning to Saigon in the future to try out more Vietnamese dishes, and I might be dreaming about the spring rolls in the meantime. One last tip: For those of you that decide to make this place your destination during a workday, make sure to bring some body spray or Febreeze to spray after leaving. You may not want to share the smell of Vietnamese food with your office buddies.

Related posts:

1. [eat] Lunch with Liz: Watermark Books & Cafe
2. [eat] 10 Fantastic Wichita Lunch Spots
3. [eat] Lunch With Liz: Hana Cafe
4. [eat] Wichita’s Best Thai Food
5. [eat] Lunch with Liz: The Beacon