Saigon Grill

It may not offer the specialties you can find at some downtown Vietnamese restaurants, but what Saigon Grill does it generally does quite well. Three standards: goi du du (shredded green papaya salad; shown at top; $6.25), with grilled beef, shredded carrots, basil, and a slightly spicy dressing with crushed peanuts; bo luc lac (seared steak cubes; shown below; $12.95), with greens and those interesting sesame taro chips; and xuong nuong (grilled pork chops; $8.95) marinated in lemongrass.

Although Saigon Grill makes a solid canh chua (hot and sour soup; $6.50 for a large order of the fish and shrimp version), a more interesting and very sizable choice is the Vietnamese seafood bouillabaisse ($14.95) a hot and sour lemongrass and tamarind broth with shrimp, sea scallops, crabmeat, fish, mussels, squid, and vegetables.

At least at the West Side location, the Japanese menu extends well beyond sushi and sashimi. Though I tasted my way through the ceviche, tiradito, and usuzukuri, nothing caught my fancy quite like this tuna tartar ($7.75).

Saigon Grill
620 Amsterdam Ave. (at 90th St.)
(one of two locations)
212-875-9072