Saigon Pagolac

Tucked within a small strip center in the Chinatown neighborhood, Saigon Pagolac offers a tremendous variety of Vietnamese dishes, from do-it-yourself spring rolls to a baked catfish that’s as impressive to view as it is to taste.

The restaurant is a bit more refined than some of the smaller eateries in the area, with nice tablecloths, a large bar and accents like wall clocks offering the time in Saigon, Paris and Houston and various Asian statues and tchotchkes.  

Choose from a wide variety of appetizers, noodle soups, vermicelli bowls, rice dishes and combination plates featuring everything from sliced charcoal pork to beef steak to seafood.

Definitely try the ca nuong, or whole baked catfish. Crispy and well-seasoned, the fish simply falls off the bone once it’s cut into. It’s definitely a sharable plate for two or more. Another fun presentation is the marinated beef or squid cooked at the table on a small grill. Wrap the cooked meats in rice paper for your own rolls or simply dig in with chopsticks.