Photo by Cristina M. Fletes (Post-Dispatch)
Banh Mi So #1 — Saigon Gourmet
Banh Mi So #1 has printed new editions of its menu! That’s what passes for a dramatic change at this Dutchtown mainstay, and fans of Thomas and Lynne Truong’s restaurant wouldn’t have it any other way. For nearly a quarter of a century, the Truongs have served delicious Vietnamese fare bursting with the flavors of lemon grass and fresh herbs. The menu’s refreshed design did prompt me to veer from one of my go-to orders — pho, banh xeo (a pan-fried crepe) or com thit heo nuong (charboiled pork over rice) — in favor of the spicy beef soup (bun bo hue or something much like it), one of the dishes accurately labeled as “Amazing Specialties.”
Hours: Lunch and dinner Tuesday-Sunday (closed Monday)
Last year's ranking: Rest of the Best
Opened: 1994
Must order: Pho bo ($8.95)