Vietnamese food is pretty hard to come by in South Florida.  In fact, it is rare enough that I had never actually tried any Vietnamese food until I was in my twenties.  There was this little hole in the wall around the corner from an office in North Miami Beach where I worked as a receptionist at the time.  I recall always getting the same thing, too.  I would get the Vietnamese crunchy noodles.  I’m pretty sure that I was addicted to them for a while.

Since moving to the southern part of Miami Dade County, I had not seen Vietnamese food again until I found Miss Saigon.  Well, I didn’t find Miss Saigon as much as it was a regular lunch spot for several of my new coworkers, including a Vietnamese one.  It’s tucked away in a strip mall in Pinecrest, close to the Dadeland South Metrorail station.

Thai iced tea is a must whenever I pay a visit.  I first thought it was strange to serve a popular Thai drink in a non-Thai restaurant.  I have since discovered that almost every Asian restaurant in the area does it, so it’s not that weird.  Some places don’t make it as strong as I’d like, but the one at Miss Saigon is bold and sweet.

My entree of choice is almost always the lemongrass beef.  The lemongrass beef is these succulent stir fried strips of beef with spices and just a hint of curry.  It does come buried in onions, which aren’t my favorite thing, but I just move them to one side.  They have offered to make it for me without the onions. However, I feel like they play a big part in what gives this dish a great depth of flavor.  The dish does tend to be a little bit on the greasy side sometimes.  That aromatic oiliness is perfect for moistening your side of rice, though.

Normally, I don’t get any dessert when I come here.  This day, we got the Thai donuts because we were there for a birthday.  For those that have never had a Thai donut, I think I would describe it as similar to an elephant ear in taste and texture.  They are typically enjoyed with condensed milk, either dipped or drizzled.  They’re a nice treat for after dinner, but a little heavy if you had a big dinner.

I cannot vouch for the authenticity of Miss Saigon, but everything that I have tried on their menu has been tasty.  The services is friendly, and the food always tastes fresh.  It’s definitely worth checking out if you’re looking for something different.