Hai Sizzling Wok
4351 Lafayette Rd
Indianapolis, IN 46254

I am not going to claim that I am an expert on Vietnamese Food or even Asian food in general.  My bro recommended that we stop by Sizzling Wok for dinner before we hit the Black Crowes Concert, so I said why not?

This menu is huge, so we had a little of this and that.  I took very poor notes and am writing it about a month later, so this might my worst review ever.

First up, my bro recommended the Spring Rolls for $2.50.  There was not a lot going on here.  I didn’t think that they were any better or worse than you can find at any other competitor.

Next up, Beef Salad for $6.  I love the cold beef salad that you get at Thai places.   I thought this version was good, but I have had better.  There was a ton of ginger in it, but the sauce didn’t do anything for me.  My brother liked this though, so I think that it was just personal preference.  Btw, what is the fried item on the right, I have no clue?

My bro ordered the Lemongrass Chicken for around $8.00.   I had a few bites and liked this quite a bit.  It was lightly coated with a little oil and came with a little sauce dish that I have no clue what was in it (obviously carrots).  There was a good amount of chicken and just a good dish overall.

I ordered the Spicy Beef Pho around $8.  It looks really spicy, but it wasn’t as spicy as Flaming Hot Cheetos.  Beef, onions, scallions, cilantro and Vermicelli noodles.  I have had a lot of pho lately at places like Sandra’s, Saigon, etc. and I have to say that I thought this was probably my favorite.  It doesn’t look that appetizing, but it surely was.   My only complaint was that the beef was really fatty and I found cartilage in a few bites.  However, the by-product of those funky pieces of beef fat made for one tasty broth.

Would I Buy It Again?  Yes, easily.  A few hits and misses, but you almost expect that when the restaurant has a huge menu.  I liked the entrees a lot and feel as if there are many items on the menu that I have never had.  I am looking forward to becoming more familiar with Vietnamese food.

-wibia

Saigon Restaurant
3103 Lafayette Rd
Indianapolis, Indiana 46222

Yup, that is me…and my best Perez Hilton imitation.

Saigon is reviewed quite a bit, check out their page on Urbanspoon.  After reading Indianapolis Restaurant Scene’s review, I had to give it a try based on everyone LOVING IT!!!!!!

The interior of the restaurant was refreshingly clean.  The menu is big…Cheesecake Factory big.  I think over 140 dishes on the menu.   It took me about five minutes to get through, though the subliminal message of the sticker on the window led me to Pho.

What I Ate:  Appetizer Sampler $7.50.  #34 BBQ Pork and Seafood PHO.

The appetizer sampler included spring roll, egg roll, crab rangoon, rocket shrimp and fried dumplings.  Honestly, I wasn’t impressed by anything here.  I could squeeze oil out of the fried dumpling, the rocket shrimp were fried with a slice of onion mixed in.  The spring roll wasn’t bad, but not as good as others that I have had in town.   All in all, I was nervous to get my pho.

However, this arrived to quickly restore my faith:

The picture doesn’t do it justice.  The BBQ Pork was tender and excellent.  In fact, some of the best I have ever had. However, the general “seafood” title to the dish included shrimp, salmon,  and scallops.  The seafood was so overcooked that I found myself spitting out a piece giving my mouth a break from chewing.  The difference between the pork and the seafood was the food equivalent of Danny DeVito and Arnold Swarzenegger in “Twins.”

What really hooked me was the broth and the smell.  If I had a cold, I am 99% sure this would cure it.  I found myself just continually eating and drinking this broth…it was really something to talk about.  However, if you are not a fan of pepper, you might want to choose something else.

Would I Buy It Again?  Yes.  With 140 menu items, I am going to assume there are a few misfires.  I would get PHO again, but skip the addition of any seafood.

Btw, did I mention how big this bowl was?  I was starving and this is all that I ate.  There were a ton of rice noodles, about a pack and a half of Ramen (couldn’t think of a better comparison.)  See, check it out including an awesome painted on mustache on mini-wibia (he is in disguise to maintain anonymity)  However, he is possibly the best future eater in the land:

-wibia