It was in the spring of 2023, not too long after we launched Eat the Strip, that one of our readers wrote to us to check out Saigon Bistro.

Faye’s pithy email got straight to the point. It encouraged us to go check out the Vietnamese restaurant in Orleans. I just happened to be in the vicinity for a doctor’s appointment the other day, so after wrapping up I invited my partner and co-writer of the blog Danielle to join me at a nondescript strip mall on St. Joseph Boulevard in the heart of the Orleans.

There were two things on my mind as I made my way into the cozy restaurant. First, I had a feeling the food would be special as that stretch of St. Joseph has some incredible strip mall gems; corresponding exactly to the kind of place this blog aspires to chronicle. Second, I was quite curious to see how Saigon Bistro approaches traditional Vietnamese food while being halal.

Yes, you heard that right. According to the owners, Saigon Bistro is the first halal-certified Vietnamese restaurant in the region. It was opened in 2022 by a Lebanese man and his Vietnamese wife who met in Ottawa 30 years ago and decided to bring their multicultural home cooking to residents through their restaurant. Online, several clients applaud the restaurant’s authentic approach to Vietnamese cooking while also adhering to halal principles.

We’re greeted by Ali’s wife, who was incredibly welcoming, but preferred not to be named for this article. There are around seven or eight tables and we take a seat by the window. We order a well-cooked beef pho and crispy noodles with chicken, to share. Ali, who works in the back with his son and another employee, came by with the food and to chat.

“Customer feedback has been amazing,” he said when I asked about the community response the restaurant has received since opening. The couple worked with an aunt who owns a Vietnamese restaurant downtown to come up with authentic recipes, all while respecting halal guidelines. “It’s an endeavour of love,” Ali’s wife chimes in, adding that the experience has been incredibly rewarding.

Well, how was the food you ask? In one word: delicious. The pho broth was perfect, the kind that makes you sip straight from the bowl so you don’t miss a morsel at the end; the meat cooked to the desired level. The cilantro had a lovely kick and a hint of fennel brought the dish home. Danielle’s noodles were delectably crunchy with a hint of spice. The vegetables were fresh and there was a generous portion of chicken.

It was as authentic as any Vietnamese restaurant you frequent in Ottawa.

Both dishes were good, but I would go back for that pho in a heartbeat. And when I asked Ali about the secret behind the flavour, he explained the process included a lot of trial and error. They spend anywhere between eight to 12 hours a day cooking, he said, adding they have finally landed on a beef-based broth for their pho that satisfies their expectations. All this work is extra, Ali mentions, as his day job is with the federal government. This means he and his wife can only be open for dinner on weekdays, between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m.

We paid our bill, which came to around $45 before tip. Though other strip mall restaurants might offer cheaper fare, the care, passion and love with which Ali and his wife prepare Vietnamese food is well worth the few extra bucks. We’ll certainly go back for more.