More Saigon Street Food? No, this week’s focus on Saigon’s “western” food
As you may have noticed if you’re a regular reader of Eating Saigon!, I’m passionate about Saigon street food and discovering new places to eat in Saigon – in secret little alleys or out on the corners of busy Saigon streets. But, you likely also have noticed, that my both my sweet tooth and my Italian heritage occasionally rear up their heads and take control of my passion for eating.
This week, my western eating passions were particularly aggressive. Not only did I find myself enjoying a cured ham and swiss cheese sandwich at “trendy”, air-conditioned Annam Gourmet Market, and shopping for western spices for my kitchen at Thái Hòa and Phương Hà, on Hàm Nghi street, but on Friday night when my friend Tan asked where we should enjoy dinner, I suggested (actually insisted) on dining at Pendolasco. Since Tan is as obsessed with western food as I am with Saigon street food, it was an easy sell to him.
Pendolasco is among Saigon’s top candidates for decent – and sometimes excellent – Italian food.
Pendolasco’s pleasant dining room
Over my 5 years in Saigon, I’ve identified several good options for Italian food. I won’t mention the others here just yet. I feel compelled to visit each again, indulge in a sampling across their menus, and present my finding here on Eating Saigon! before I reveal their names (it’s just a job, of course :-))
My tradition dictates that every meal at Pendolasco MUST begin with their eggplant parmigiana.
Delicious eggplant parmigiana at Pendolasco
Simply excellent – delicious – wonderful, this appetizer is reason enough to dine here. It’s unfortunate that it appears on the menu only as an appetizer. I never can get enough of this wonderful food item. But, occasionally have convinced the chef to increase the portion size and provide it to me as my main course.
More often, though, we share the eggplant as a starter, and then fight with each other to scrape the crispy cheese and tomato sauce from the bottom of the bowl using the various breads offered in Pendolasco ‘s yummy bread basket. Oh – I should mention that we’ve also been enjoying dipping our slices of baguettes, sweet bread loaf, and even bead sticks in the herbed-olive oil and balsamic vinegar while waiting for our initial food course.
Pendolasco’s bread basket
Pendolasco’s simplest green salad
Again, sticking with tradition, we order a salad before our main course. Most often, the large and delicious tuna salad is our first choice. With generous amount of fresh greens, chunk tuna meat, and a mayo-based dressing, it’s a great (and somewhat filling) second course. Tonight though, neither Tan nor I were very especially hungry and we went for the smaller and simpler mixed green salad.
And then – always the big decision here at Pendolasco’s. Pasta or Pizza?
It has not been in unusual in the past, to shun our decision-making responsibilities by ordering BOTH pasta and pizza. But again, tonight, with just two not-so-hungry eaters at the table, we order just one – pizza.
Ham and mushroom. Very very delicious! Let the photo say the rest.
Pendolasco’s ham & mushroom pizza
In the past, we have enjoyed some very nice pasta dishes at Pendolasco and the featured “wine of the day”, as well. More on that another day.
In addition to sometimes excellent food, Pendolasco has some positive logistical elements to recommend it.
Convenient indoor motorbike parking
It’s location at “tourist-central” on Hàm Nghi street makes access for Saigon visitors quite straight forward – walkable from many visitors’ hotels. For locals and ex-pats, the generously-sized indoor-covered motorbike parking area is a big plus, especially now during Saigon’s rainy season. And on those wonderful dry and balmy evenings, Pendolasco’s outdoor gardened patio area offers a very pleasant tropical dining option.
Pendolasco’s outdoor patio dining
Here at Eating Saigon!, we give Pendolasco a Yum Yum rating on our Yum Meter. Typically, the service is excellent.
My only complaint – the non-smoking section is NOT smoke-free! My advice to the owners – make the entire restaurant Non-Smoking!
Pendolasco is open:
Monday to Friday: 11.00 until 14.00, and 18.00 until 22.00
Saturday and Sunday: 11.30 until 22.00
Pendolasco
87 Nguyen Hue Sreet
District 1
HCMC
(08) 3821 8181
www.pendolasco.vn
View Pendolasco Italian Restaurant in a larger map