Last weekend, Rory and I were down in Southern California visiting our families. After a big lunch at my parents’ house on Saturday, we headed up to the grand daddy of Little Saigons in Westminster. We went with my sisters Yenchi and Tasha (they went with me to Saigon last year), Yenchi’s daughter Paulina, and we met up with an old family friend, Loan, whose family were our next door neighbors when we lived in Saigon. Loan brought along her niece, 9-year-old Kelalani. I hadn’t seen Loan in years and Lanchi is heading off to start her freshman year at Yale in August, so we all figured it would be a nice reunion/send off to goof around in “Bolsa” – the Vietnamese-American insiders’ term for Little Saigon. The main drag is Bolsa Avenue, hence the nickname. Loan’s family still lives in Little Saigon and there won’t be anything like Little Saigon in New Haven for Paulina!
What was supposed to be a short walk around turned into 4 hours of aimless wandering, shopping, and eating. My day-to-day life is packed with overly productive to-do lists, but that unstructured afternoon was a welcomed reminder of the pleasures of doing little. It was a nice vacation of sorts. Certain situations felt just like being in Saigon itself while others awakened me to the realities of being in America. Here are a few things I observed:
Same Name but Not the Same
Vietnamese immigrants to America often borrow the names of famous businesses in Vietnam as a way to signal authenticity. In Little Saigon, for example, you’ll see a Ben Thanh Market (9172 Bolsa, near Moran) but it’s nothing like the touristy but historic market in Saigon. In fact, it’s rather derelict seeming and unkempt, as if you’re in a poorly developed part of Vietnam. However, the market specializes in a few hard-to-find Vietnamese foods, particularly offal and coagulated blood (tiet canh) so business is steady and brisk. Loan said that their takeout counter has the best Vietnamese blood sausage around. At the real Ben Thanh Market, you go nowadays to buy fabric and eat at their hygienic food court.
Pedestrians Beware
Little Saigon is located inland off the 405 freeway (exit at Brookhurst and go east) and it’s flat and hot – like real Saigon. If you’re not under the shade, the sun can be blazing. All the asphalt and cement of the strip malls lining Little Saigon makes everything broil. To beat the heat, a few old-schoolers wear conical hats, while the rest of us depend on sunscreen.
I can be a bad jaywalker and when I went to step off the sidewalk, Loan screamed, “Hey, come back here. Little Saigon drivers drive carelessly, making illegal turns in the middle of Bolsa all the time. Why do you think they built these fancy center dividers?” Just like in real Saigon, you have to cross the street with care. Going as a group helps, and there were seven of us. Lanchi and I nearly got creamed by a Vietnamese lady tearing into a parking lot in her racy red Honda.
On weekend afternoons, food vendors are out in force selling their wares. One woman near Ben Thanh market had sticky rice dumplings wrapped in banana leaves. At the ABC Market (Bolsa and Magnolia) the action was fierce. Little old women dressed in traditional countryside garb offered beautiful lemongrass, chiles, herbs and leafy greens that they grew. The fruit sellers down the way attracted us with their fragrant displays of mangos, jackfruit, and mangosteen. “Hello, dear sister,” the women yelled to us in Vietnamese, “We have delicious jackfruit today. Let me help you choose some!” The jackfruit was sold whole, in pre-cut sections, and on Styrofoam trays. The afternoon heat made things smell like a street corner fruit market in Saigon. A few feet away, a Latino man plied pineapple and rainier cherries. He called out, “Nam dong! Nam dong,” which means $5 Vietnamese, to potential customers walking by. You wouldn’t find Vietnamese-speaking Latino street hawkers in the Motherland.
All Day Snacking
Just as if we were in Vietnam, our whole group descended upon Loan’s aunt’s restaurant, Photastic for a mega munch session. You’d think that we’d all still be full from lunch and the fresh squeezed sugar cane juice we’d quaffed at Banh Mi Che Cali deli/baker near ABC Market. But somehow, we made room for two types of banh mi sandwiches, goi cuon rice paper rolls, fried cha gio imperial rolls, and a generous selection of Vietnamese sweets and French-inspired pastries. All the food (including the baguette) is made on the premises and crafted with care. Photastic is located in a former Burger King space on Brookhurst (near Garfield). At first we all stared at the banh mi. Nobody wanted to be the first to attack the food but soon enough, we were noshing, talking, and making a mess of the over loaded table. Two hours passed by before we knew it, and the only reason we left was because we’d gotten durian ice cream to go and we had to get it home before it melted.
Everyone knows that Bolsa is not really Saigon, but for Vietnamese-Americans, it gives us a strong sense of home for a brief moment. For those who weren’t born in Vietnam, Little Saigon offers a slice of life there.
If you’ve ever been or live nearby, what have your experiences been like?
I love when modern life affords a nostalgic core for a piece like this.
I would like to try GOOD Vietnamese food. My memories are from an ex-boyfriend (1980's) whose co-workers at General Dynamics would rouse their wives from bed, and order them to cook vats of food for those punching out at eleven at night.
Love the name "Photastic." Bob's favorite place for pho is in Seaside. Maybe I'll get THERE sometime.
Thanks for the sweet writing, Andrea.
Posted by: Tana | June 29, 2009 at 07:20 PM
What a great post on culture, I love how people gather and get a sense of community and food seems to be the common thread. Not sure when I will ever make it to Bolsa but I have a better sense of what it is like.
Posted by: OysterCulture | June 29, 2009 at 07:27 PM
What a wonderful post. I love wandering neighborhoods like this, even if they are kind of walker-unfriendly. Is there any equivalent in SF? The only thing I can think of is the Friday Oakland farmers market which bleeds over into Chinatown. Maybe San Jose?
Posted by: Diane | June 29, 2009 at 09:41 PM
Little Saigon is exactly how you describe it. Everytime I tell myself I will head out to SoCal to visit my uncle and cousin, I visit for an hour and disappear off to eat banh mi and banh cuon. Sometimes I don't even visit because I am eatting instead. After reading this, I will make another attempt, cross-country, to visit my uncle and cousin in a couple of weeks. Let's see how this trip goes.
Posted by: thuy | June 30, 2009 at 01:26 AM
i'm sitting here in Italy drooling over the thought of banh cuon and banh mi. yummm. sadly, as a viet-american i haven't been to vietnam yet, but i've been all around, and little saigon has the best vietnamese food in all of the US and Europe!
Posted by: diane | June 30, 2009 at 05:21 AM
You've inspired me to do a "Day in Vietnam" in San Francisco's Little Saigon neighborhood and do my own comparison to my Saigon experience (which I wrote about here http://tinyurl.com/Saigon2008 )
To get the full neighborhood experience - since SF's Little Saigon shares space with hipsters, City Hall workers, and the homeless on regular days - I'll wait until Tet, which is celebrated large here.
Posted by: Lauren | June 30, 2009 at 05:05 PM
Your writing takes me to places where I could only dream of going...My mother-in-law lives in Seal Beach, maybe one of these days we'll work up the nerves to venture into Little Saigon for the experience. Thank you for the wonderful post!
Posted by: Sylvia | June 30, 2009 at 07:15 PM
Same, Same but Different!;)
Posted by: Sheila | July 01, 2009 at 02:34 AM
Thanks for all the great comments! For the past several days, I was at Disneyland, which is coincidentally about 10 minutes from Bolsa. I suppose you could call Bolsa a Disneyland of sorts for Vietnamese food abroad.
One thing I didn't mention that was kinda funny is that I am generally a fast walker but when we were in Bolsa, I found myself strolling, not quite as if I was doing the Asian shuffle, but rather things slowed down. What a nice relief that was. I save u plenty of energy to run around Disneyland!
Lauren, thanks for the link to your post!
Posted by: Andrea Nguyen | July 02, 2009 at 05:48 PM
Love your post Andrea. You hit most of the places we hit too! lol.
Here's the chaotic scene inside Banh Mi Che Cali deli/bakery the other day http://twitpic.com/a1foz . My wife and I call the "old lady" awesome and are respectful of how she does her business - most people know whom I'm talking about.
By the way just tweeted this post http://twitter.com/lovingpho/status/2588527453. Meet me in Bolsa.
Posted by: Cuong | July 11, 2009 at 01:51 PM
I really loved this post. I'm not Vietnamese, but my boyfriend was born and raised in Vietnam, and we've visited Little Saigon many times in the last few years.
I wrote a post about how crazy Little Saigon gets around the Lunar New Year earlier this year: http://fridgg.com/blog/lunar-new-year-and-vietnamese-grilled-fish-with-crispy-skin-288.html Some things probably got lost in translation (I don't speak Vietnamese yet, and his family doesn't often speak English around me), but it's interesting how he says Little Saigon compares to Vietnam (I haven't been yet, but hope to soon).
Posted by: Allison Day | July 20, 2009 at 02:35 AM
Hi Andrea,
I'm so happy to come across your blog. I was born and raised in HCM city and I came to the states as an exchange student five years ago. I'm almost in tears when reading this post especially the picture of the little old lady selling herbs makes me miss home so much.
My German-American husband convinced me to try new Vietnamese recipe every weekend. I used to call my mom on the phone and asking for recipe. I'm not so lucky as my family back home has a maid/nanny and I never get to cook in the kitchen.
Thank you very much for your wonderful blog !!!
Posted by: Vi Leitenberger | August 02, 2009 at 09:14 AM
Hi Vi -- My goodness, you've only been here 5 years? I'm delighted to hear from you. For the best taste of home, make your own Vietnamese food. It's not hard, believe me! Use this site to explore and ask questions! Thanks for the kind words.
Posted by: Andrea Nguyen | August 03, 2009 at 11:08 AM
Your writing takes me to places where I could only dream of going...My mother-in-law lives in Seal Beach, maybe one of these days we'll work up the nerves to venture into Little Saigon for the experience. Thank you for the wonderful post!
Posted by: naturheilkunde | October 05, 2009 at 01:58 AM
My pleasure, Naturheilkunde. Seal Beach is practically spitting distance to Little Saigon!
Posted by: Andrea Nguyen | October 06, 2009 at 11:08 PM
Hi Andrea
I am from Taiwan and have been living in the States for years.
Recently I start cooking Vietnamese food and I love it. Your blog and book ( Into the Vietnamese Kitchen) have been great sources for me. Thank you for the informative blog and the great book!
I live in Denver and will visit my friend in southern California next week. I will take the opportunity to visit the Bolsa in Westminister. After serching Yelp for good Viet restaurants, I found most of them are pho places. I love pho but would like take this opportunity to try out some dishes which I read from your book ( like Ca-Ri Ga... or seafood-kho dishes), instead of pho. Do you know any good restaurants there?
I am sure you are very busy. So if you don't have time for this question ( you may have gotten it a lot), I would just try out a random one in the area.
Still, thank you for all the information and knowledge of viet cooking you have brought to us.
Posted by: Celina | November 05, 2009 at 08:26 AM
@Celina -- Let's see -- try Vieng Dong on Brookhurst as they've been around for a really long time and have northern Viet fare and homey dishes. Their bun cha noodles are very nice. I think they have some kho too.
Then wear loose clothing and stroll along Bolsa Avenue -- and do what I do -- power eat. Taste a bunch of stuff and move on.
Also check with:
http://www.ocweekly.com/restaurants/search/?cuisine=Vietnamese
http://whiteonricecouple.com
I'm a professional home cook and I have to be frank -- the best food will emanate from your kitchen. I know that you need a frame of reference so check some spots out and have benchmarks. Also, pho restaurants often have many other things than pho.
Posted by: Andrea Nguyen | November 05, 2009 at 11:15 AM
Thank you for the information, Andrea. I will take my time to explore the Bolsa.
Posted by: Celina | November 06, 2009 at 08:35 AM
Hi,
I live half an hour from san jose, but never know where to go when I drive down there. Any not too be missed restaurants or experiences. Thanks, Andrea. Tiffany M
Posted by: Tiffany | July 07, 2010 at 12:02 AM