Serving pho, banh mi and more, Downtown West restaurant a staple for over a decade
Forever on a quest to find the best local pho wherever I’ve planted roots, friends are always suggesting their favorites. I’ve never been to Vietnam, so in no way am I an expert. But stateside pho is a deeply rooted passion of mine, so I follow each recommendation with an empty stomach and an open mind. This particular house of pho, Bida Saigon, was recommended to me by none other than Rusty Odom, the publisher of BLANK.
Atmosphere: 6/10
Let us get the lowest score out of the way before getting to the (really) good stuff. Bida Saigon isn’t the place I’d recommend if you’re in the mood for an exemplary atmospheric experience. They keep their space simple and let their food speak for itself.
The restaurant is positioned in a humble location at the back of strip plaza in West Knoxville near the convergence of Downtown West and Ray Mears boulevards. Upon walking in, you’re first met with an open room containing only two large pool tables, which definitely caused an eyebrow raise on my part.
I was greeted promptly by a hostess, though, and was seated almost immediately in the adjoining dining room, a sparse, clean space. Drinks were ordered and delivered to the table in haste. I then ordered the #10 pho soup, which comes with rare beef, meatballs, brisket and tendon.
Keeping in mind a recommendation a friend had made years ago, I ordered my rare beef on the side. An obvious sign of great pho is that it arrives hot enough to cook your beef to whatever level of doneness you want it.
Broth: 10/10
When you try enough different kinds of pho, you start to notice who is getting their broth from the concentrate and who is steeping beef bones, whole onions and spices for hours at a time in order to make high-quality, lasting and flavorful broth.
Bida Saigon has a very traditional broth flavor. The cinnamon-forward, aromatic beef broth with something of a sweet touch did not disappoint. Contrary to other Southeast Asian soups which can be garlicky and onion-forward with a hint of lemongrass, Bida Saigon’s traditional pho is steaming hot and duly fragrant when it arrives at your table, and the gentle notes of star anise last through the whole meal.
Fresh dressings: 10/10
For those less familiar with pho, the dish comes in a large, shallow bowl containing your chosen protein (in this case, beef), rice noodles and chopped cilantro. A second dish is brought to the table with accoutrements to add to your bowl. These usually include basil, escarole (a spicy, slightly licorice-tasting, lettuce-like green), raw bean sprouts, lime wedges and jalapeno slices. These fresh dressings were crisp and bright, and there were ample amounts of each ingredient.
At another recommendation of a friend, I politely asked if the bean sprouts could be steamed. This isn’t how they typically come, and had there been a lunch rush, I probably wouldn’t have asked them to go to the trouble. But they obliged, and the sprouts were absolutely fantastic.
The raw soybean sprouts do offer a nice, crunchy contrast to the otherwise soft pho soup ingredients. However, steaming bean sprouts cuts out the tart, vegetal taste and offers a softer, almost turnip-like complementary flavor to the rice noodles.
Another tip: Be sure to smack the fresh greens before you add them to your bowl to release the flavor and amplify their taste.
Beef components: 10/10
When it comes to meatballs in a bowl of pho, you either love them or hate them.
The meatballs at Bida Saigon are springy-soft and they definitely would bounce if they were dropped on the floor. (I promise that this is a very good thing.) They are rich with flavor, have a unique texture and are exactly what any meatball aficionado would hope for.
Almost anywhere that offers pho offers a myriad of combinations: brisket only, rare beef with meatballs, just meatballs, rare beef, brisket, tendon, tripe … the list goes on and on. Unfortunately, Bida Saigon did not offer tripe (that I could find). Even though I don’t love it that much, its unfamiliar flavor and texture adds something special to a bowl of pho that I wouldn’t dare to miss.
You may have noticed tendon was in that list; if there’s tendon, I always order it. I’d assert that the quality and preparation of tendon is a good barometer for the quality of pho. If you’ve never ordered tendon, Bida Saigon is the perfect place to try something new.
Typically, tendon is chewy, has a muted, gelatinous flavor and doesn’t always have meat attached to it. When I dug into the tendon in my bowl at Bida Saigon, I was pleased to find that there was still some brisket meat attached to the tendon, and the flavor of the tendon was buttery, dynamic and a little bit salty. The texture was excellent, too. Even if you’re not a person who loves chewy foods, trying tendon will definitely be an adventure with your time.
Overall dining experience: 9/10
Not only is the pho at Bida Saigon fantastic, but the service is attentive and lightning fast, as well. If you’re in a crunch for time, this is definitely a great lunch-break spot – especially if you’re in the mood for a reliably delicious, flavorful bowl of pho soup. It also is the cure for what ails you; if you’re feeling under the weather, the soup is great for stuffy sinuses, and people swear by the medicinal properties of the broth.
Bida Saigon is family-owned and operated and has been serving traditional pho to Knoxville and its surrounding communities for more than 10 years. They have expanded their menu in recent years to include various other Vietnamese delicacies, too, from savory crepes and pork-based soups to rice plates and banh mi sandwiches – all of which are worth a sample.
Whether you’re a pho connoisseur or you’re hearing about this dish through the grapevine, Bida Saigon is serving some of the best in the city. It’s not to be missed!
