On a budget: Little Saigon

Too tired to cook? We get it! But tasty food is a must—never settle for less. That’s why we’re sharing our tips for truly delicious takeaway meals, the best delivery services and affordable places.

Little Saigon has two locations in Amsterdam, on the Zeedijk and the Haarlemmerdijk. At this small, no-nonsense Vietnamese restaurant, you’ll eat street food just as it’s meant to be. The menu features simple dishes such as phở (pronounced fuh), banh mi sandwiches and summer rolls.

Flavorful pho

But the flavor is far from simple: everything is packed with flavor, as you may know from Vietnamese cuisine. The phở is served with a large plate of fresh herbs, and for vegetarians there is pho chay, a vegetarian phở with a broth made entirely from vegetables. And that’s quite special, because Asian restaurants often don’t take the concept of vegetarianism very seriously.

The perfect start

The summer rolls (a type of spring roll made with rice paper) are filled with shrimp, tofu, chicken or beef. The perfect start to your meal. They come with a sauce made from peanuts and nuoc chiam, the classic Vietnamese dipping sauce made with sugar, fish sauce, water, garlic, lime juice and lombok pepper.

In the mood for some warm comfort food? Go for the curry with lemongrass, curry and chicken, or one of the satay dishes. Add a plate of fresh prawn crackers, spring rolls and a Saigon beer, and you’ll have a dinner for well under twenty euros.

Little Saigon
Haarlemmerdijk 30
1013 JD Amsterdam
020-8950816

Image: Little Saigon