Little Saigon Cafe

It is not closed we were just there in august! Awesome bahn mi.

LSC has CLOSED. The tough economy has claimed another eatery on Larkin street. After the remodel they couldn’t maintain the long hours, so the schedule was revised to 10am-​3pm. But most customers visit this area for dinner service. That’s why nearby Pagolac is only open for dinner. So the end result was not a surprise. If the location were a few blocks closer to Civic Center, then it would make sense to only be open during lunch hours.
But u can still find Happy Dumplings on Sunday mornings at the Stonestown’s farmer’s market.

Wow! Dumpling Heaven! We decided to check the place out after becoming big fans of the Happy Dumpling stand at the Stonestown Farmer’s Market. If it could even be imagined these dumplings were even better because the are so fresh and piping hot! In addition to the Pork and cabbage pot sticker we tried the beef and onion, extremely yummy!
Very small place, no décor to speak of, but the staff was quite friendly. I don’t find myself in the Tenderloin that often, but I may start having to find more reasons to go there and get more of those scrumptious dumplings!

Glorious flavors!
FRESH
FRESH
FRESH
So delicious, prepared to order, the freshness is just a big tasty hug. The man behind the counter — low key and very helpful.
And I’ll write it… F* you if you don’t like it or are persnicketty. You most likely have OCD problems and issues with pleasure.

DUMPLINGS! Lately I’ve been craving them. I keep imagining a plate of hot steaming boiled dumplings, ready for me to dunk in soy-​vinegar-​chili sauce. Mmmm.
I was having one of those cravings and remembered Little Saigon Café (aka Happy Dumplings) from fellow Unilocalers’ reviews. Quick walk over and JACKPOT their menu was filled with dumpling options.
$ 4.99 for 12 boiled dumplings? SOLD!
Then I noticed ‘Happy Dumplings’ on the menu. The way the guy described these speciality dumplings, they sounded like potstickers. He suggested that I get these instead and assured me that they’re delicious and filling.
$ 3.99 for 6 Happy Dumplings? SOLD!
Since their dumplings were made-​to-​order, there was a wait. Good thing they had a tv to keep me entertained. When my dumplings finally arrived, I did notice how ginormous they were. But at the same time, I was a bit appalled by its appearance (see photo). They were sloppy.
Taste-​wise they were not bad. I enjoyed the chewiness of the dumpling skin although some corners were super thick. The ingredients were flavorful. And those dumplings did fill me up. Will be back to try other items!
3 stars: Taste & Quality
1 star: Cheap prices

So, how could you not love a place called Happy Dumpling. Fresh, good, and yes, authentic. The hand cut noodles were very good as were all the dumplings and pot stickers I have eaten there.
Service is a little slow as they cook everything fresh, but overall a hit. Now if only they weren’t in the TL…

The name DOES suck. It’s so generic, it might as well be called «somewhere in the TL where it also smells like urine.»
But the food is good.
I had to ask what the difference was between Happy Dumpling pot stickers and Traditional potstickers. Because other than name and price, there was no distinguishing description. And the traditional ones are double the amount for twice the price.
Happy Dumpling Pot stickers — chewy (er) dough that has little chewy bubbles from rising (?). They are the size of half a fist. The filling looks as though the meat is pre-​cooked (because it’s browned, and browning inside of a dumpling with one application of heat requires miraculous powers far beyond the imagination of Asians). They are ample. Like bosoms. 6 for $ 3.99 (pork/​chive, pork/​cabbage, also available in fancier and pricier combos)
Traditional potstickers — ordinary dough. But the white guy who can speak few Chinese words insists that the dough is homemade too. I guess it just does not rise and bounce with bubbles. I did not get these because I thought of my figure and this skirt is already rather tight. 12 for $ 4.99 (same fills available). It sounds like a deal!
Lamb skewer — the meat was zaftig. As lamb should be. However, it smelled like homeless. It was most likely just the spices. But when I first unwrapped it, I was a little taken aback. Also it was skimpy. But it was $ 1.99 so I do not expect street-​festival abundant meat-​on-​sticks.
The dumplings were accompanied by a dish of very very tart vinegar. Black vinegar. Or worstershire sauce as the brits would call it (because they can’t learn a new name and instead try to fit their vocabulary around an different world). I would have preferred a little bit of soysauce and a little spicy something. Not the sweet chili sauce because that is vomit!
I want a cupcake now.

Little Saigon Café is definitely a hole in the wall!
Everything here is made fresh to order. Their menu is a bit limited to dumplings, noodles and rice plates– everything pretty darn cheap. They no longer have any vietnamese dishes on their menu– no more banh mi.
Dumplings, asian cooks, white guy owner and trance music– somehow it works out!

I was pleasantly surprised by Little Saigon Café (they need a catchier name, the current one is generic and doesn’t suit them well). Prices are very reasonable, the food is fresh and made from scratch, and the white guy behind the counter is really nice. He even assembled my banh mi sandwich. It reminds me of the cheap and good dumpling hole in the wall places in NYC’s Chinatown (though you won’t find a white guy behind the counter at any of those).
Little Saigon Café has banh mi, dumplings, noodle soups and rice plates. They had a few daily specials and some homemade hot sauces. Happy Dumplings are pan fried buns (sheng jian bao) filled with your choice of meat. They roll the dough and stuff it after you order it.
* Lamb «dumplings» (6 for $ 3.99): pan fried buns (SJB) with thick soft homemade dough skins and golden brown bottoms, filled with a juicy mixture of ground lamb, scallions, ginger and carrots, too salty but definitely shows promise, comes with vinegar dipping sauce.
* Pork belly banh mi ($ 2.75): Really good sandwich, even though the meat comes in tiny pieces (and it’s fatty, but it is pork belly). The toasted roll was soft and chewy and they added pâté (yum), mayo, pickled carrots and daikon, mayo, cilantro and red onions. It could use more filling but the flavors were great. I could see ordering another one and not even feeling bad that Saigon Sandwich is a block away (that’s the highest compliment I can pay to place that sells banh mi place near Saigon Sandwich).
Cash only

Dear Little Saigon Café Dumplings,
You are the most magnificent dumplings to have ever graced the streets of the tenderloin and I am so grateful you have decided to make larkin and ellis your home. I promise to treat you with the utmost respect and will tend to your varied needs and desires so long as you continue to do the same for me.
I’m especially fond of your generous and delightfully seasoned fillings of pork and chives or cabbage and the just right and not too doughy crispiness that have made my time with you so memorable, so special. Big Saigon must miss you dearly :) When the time is right and hopefully soon, hoping to try the lamb dumplings as those sound like just what the doctor ordered.
I must confess that I sometimes stray and order the won ton or noodle soups but rest assured that I remain committed to you forever more. Anxiously waiting to see you again!
Yours truly,
Rufus

Was on the way to Saigon sandwiches but got lost and distracted by the Happy dumpling sign. I like happiness. I like dumplings. How can I go wrong with a name like that. The dumpling were huge and quite tasty. The green onion pancakes were also very good.

Best Viet Sandwich place.
Meatball Sandwich for the win! :)
Just enough vegetables and meatball. Hehe. It just sucks that I can’t really taste anything after I’ve had a bite of the pepper… lol.

My review is strictly for the Happy Dumpling food tent at the Stonestown farmer’s market on Sundays.
Bargain bite heaven — choice of cabbage & pork, chives & pork, or vegetarian dumplings at 3 for $ 2.00. And the dumplings are made fresh on site. They’re huge. One order can fill any hungry stomach.
Happy Dumplings also happen to be a food vendor at the various street fairs. We caught them at the Fillmore St. jazz festival. Same great dumplings.
They’ve got business cards for Little Saigon Café so you can go to the sit down restaurant; but pay more for the same dumplings.

I cannot attest for Little Saigon Café’s food menu, but I can write about the quality of the café’s vietnamese iced coffee. So, today I went there just to order an iced coffee as I wanted to try a new place while my fiancée was less adventurous and went to her usual place, Lee’s Sandwiches, to get her drink. I was the only customer there when I ordered. However, I waited for almost 10 minutes for my drink (which is a quite a long wait for iced coffee in my opinion) and when it was finally brought to me, the owner said with a smile, «it’s fresh». I met my fiancée outside and we compared each other’s drinks.
My first reactions after having my first sip of Little Saigon Café’s drink were simply «YUCK» and «GROSS.» Rather than tasting like a vietnamese iced coffee (like my fiancée’s drink from Lee’s), it was extremely watered down and if it was part of a blindfold taste test, one wouldn’t be able to identify it as being vietnamese iced coffee or let alone any type of coffee drink for that matter.
If you’re looking for vietnamese iced coffee on this block, I do not recommend Little Saigon Café. Instead, I would suggest Lee’s Sandwiches (across the street) or even Baguette Express (next door) as the service is much quicker and the quality is much better.

Today I was really in the mood for those dumplings I had at the Fillmore Street Fair, so I walked the 2 miles to a teeny tiny little storefront. (and mind you there were 4 workers). When I ordered the cabbage and pork dumplings, I saw the lady turn around and fresh fill me an order… and when I say fresh fill, she cut and hand rolled out 6 little pieces of dough and hand stuffed and filled them… joy of all joys… I LOVE when stuff like this is made to order.
These are little fried pockets of L-​O-​V-​E, for $ 4, even a scrooge could enjoy that price.
I wonder if they would let you take them uncooked and give you directions on how to cook them at home so you could have them as a KILLER appetizer at a cocktail party — it seems like the kind of place that would accommodate any oddball request if they could.

This is a perfect spot when downtown to meet friends for a cheap and tasty lunch.
The Happy Dumplings certainly deserve their place as this establishment’s signature item. Each pouch achieves that wonderful quality of being crispy and having a nice toothy chew… like a pie crust that is tender and still flaky. My favorite was the pork and chive. The pork was perfectly seasoned and juicy without being greasy. The vegetable dumplings were also quite tasty with good flavor and nice mouth feel. While we did not order to the pork and cabbage dumplings I have no doubt that they would have been as tasty as the other two selections and at $ 3.99 for six huge dumplings you really cannot go wrong.
I also found to the $ 2.00 lamb skewers to be a rewarding selection. The lamb has a good sear coupled with a nice crusty dusting of spices that provides a good counterpoint to the small morsels of fat in the meat.
The green onion pancakes were a little bit of a let down compared to the rest of the food. While their flavor was decent they seemed to lack the essential chewiness that would make them great as a stand alone dish. Both my dining companions and I agreed that they would be better used for some sort of delivery vehicle for another dish (read BBQ Chinese Pork or a salad of some type).
Little Saigon Café is just that LITTLE. There are really only three and a half tables that can be used inside the tiny space which can lead to problems for patrons who want to dine in. That said the friendliness of the staff, the price of the food, its quality and the excellent selection of John Coltrane playing in the background will ensure many return trips and many more Happy Dumplings are in my future.

CASH ONLY (not sure when they’ll get a credit card machine). I wanted to grab a quick Vietnamese sandwich but Saigon Sandwich & Baguette Express were closed. I remembered Little Saigon Café had a steam table with ready made pot stickers and thought I could grab some of those.
Walked into the tiny café and noticed they’ve changed the format. It’s no longer got ready-​made steam table food, everything is made fresh to order.
I asked the Caucasian guy what’s his favorite sandwich and he said the Grilled Pork banh mi $ 2.75 is good, so I got that. I also got a Vietnamese iced coffee w/​condensed milk $ 2.25. My total was $ 5.48, CASH ONLY for now. He also recommended the Special Combination $ 3.25. Will try next time.
The sandwich was tiny, I wish it was bigger but the flavors were good. Nice toasted baguette, tender juicy pork, I think a bit of pâté, pickled veggies, & I said jalapenos.
Other stuff they got:
Spring rolls 3 for $ 3.75
green onion pan cake $ 2 — will try next time
lamb skewers $ 2 — will try next time
chives & pork pot sticker (6) $ 3.99 — will try next time
cabbage & pork pot stickers (6) $ 3.99
vegetarian pot stickers (6) $ 3.99
Noodle soup $ 5.75−7.25 — will try next time
rice plates $ 5.75−6.75 — will try next time
They have14 chairs & 5 two-​top tables so a really tiny café.
Hrs:
M-​F 9:30−9
Sat-​Sun 10 – 6

During the Jazz Festival I knew there was going to a lot of expensive vendors, but MAN, there were a ton. Most food items were in the $ 6 – 8 range and the portions weren’t even fair. Then I came upon the «Happy Dumpling» tent. They were selling six huge dumplings for $ 4!
They had two choices of pork filling, two choices of chicken filling, and one vegetarian filling. I chose the pork with cabbage. I was worried that the dumplings were going to either be pre-​cooked or frozen; until, I saw them making the dumplings right on the spot. When I got my dumplings were fresh and steaming hot.
The skin is nice and chewy with a crispy crust. The insides are moist and juicy too. After three dumplings I was pretty full. After six dumplings I was totally stuffed. Definitely great bargain festival food! Nice people too. If I go to the Jazz Festival again I will look for their tent.

I never been to a restaurant that was closed for remodeling less than a month after if opened. This used to be the V & N Chinese food place, before the first remodeling attempt. The seconding remodeling made the place look a lot nicer. Gone are the steam tables. Now it looks like a small café. They serve nice Vietnamese sandwiches for less than 3 dollars. I tried their meat ball sandwiches. It was pretty good. Not too spicy. The meat was tasty. The bread was well toasted. The toppings were fresh. I heard their pot stickers were pretty good. The staff was pretty friendly. I was satisfied with my dinning experience and look forward to trying out their other items.
I like the interior of the restaurant. The place looks nicer than the previous remodeling attempt. It also looks nicer than the V&N Chinese express, and the short lived pizzeria that occupied this place.
I think the owner/​owners are starting to come up with a nice sustainable and «comprehensive vision» of how this place should look and be run.

This place is new, so I’m hoping it’ll get better.
Right now, the hot food tray items are limited and look like they don’t have a high enough turnover rate.
The green beans with garlic cloves were subpar, but the garlic cloves were nicely done.
The fried chicken wings would have been better, but there was a good stack of them and they were pretty dry. I just think they’d been sitting there too long.
The menu is a little hard to follow since they do made-​to-​order dishes as well as lunch box style food trays.
They have your typical 2-​item & 3-​item boxes with rice. Of course it’s a bit more for fried rice, but I only saw chow mein and no fried rice. Not sure if they were making a fresh batch or not.
In any case, I just hope they work out some of the kinks, ’cause right now, the service is a little haphazard (although very friendly) and the food is only average.