Your New Favorite Pho Spot: Sit Lo Saigon | Sacramento Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce

Nov 10th, 2021

If you’ve visited Saigon Alley Kitchen + Bar in midtown, you’ll be a fan of its delicious spin-off, Sit Lo Saigon, located in Elk Grove. (If you haven’t visited either, add both to your to-do list!)

What makes Sit Lo Saigon unique isn’t just the team’s individual stories, but also how they work together to approach their customers. The owner, Mymy Nguyen, said, “At Sit Lo Saigon, there are three of us whom are first generation immigrants – two of us were born in the states and I was born in Vietnam. It was important for me as we switched gears to focus on Vietnamese food that we provide an educational as well as a cultural experience.”

Mymy explained how her team produces four noodle soups, describing them as a true labor of love. A 72-hour long labor of love, specifically, during which all beef broth simmers to achieve clarity and the pure bone broth flavor.

“There were really no shortcuts for us to take to assure our bowl of pho would bring you back to some of the best alleyway stall foods in Vietnam,” Mymy said.

With a loyal and rapidly growing customer base, Sit Lo Saigon’s team continues to focus on fresh pho noodles. Mymy explained, “In the states, we are so used to eating the preserved thin pho noodles we would almost think it was authentic, but in Vietnam, pho is served with banh pho tuoi, which is fresh made rice noodles with no preservatives. It has a softer, less bouncy texture compared to the banh pho we have in the U.S.”

Aside from the signature pho, Sit Lo Saigon’s menu also boasts Vietnamese coffee options, fruit smoothies, and a variety of lemonades and teas.

While Mymy described Sit Lo Saigon as a spinoff, the restaurant was in the works for years before the doors opened in July 2021. Mymy said, “We’ve actually been working on the concept for the last two years and wanted to make sure execution was nothing short of our standards of pho. It was very important for us to have quality pho like we would eat at home, ambiance for our patrons, and a fast system that was efficient.”

With the uncertainty of the pandemic looming over businesses, Mymy shared the nerve-wracking experience of planning the opening. However, during the first few weeks, the support was so overwhelming that the restaurant had to close a few hours early. The continued volume of customers and the positive feedback marked an exciting beginning for the new business. Mymy said, “It’s very much like everyone in the industry: the challenges of finding staff and the ups and downs of this unpredictable pandemic.”

Still, Sit Lo Saigon’s future plans are in the works, and a midtown location is too. The businessowner described her hopefulness for franchising options, and the goal of educating customers and younger generations on her favorite noodle soups.

“As we continually work on our craft, along with the additional media resources readily available, that food education provided to our patrons is important to us,” she said.

With a unique focus on food education and a growing fan base, Sit Lo Saigon is a burgeoning small business that locals will want to visit. Mymy said, “We promise you, this is not just another bowl of pho!”

Connect with Sit Lo Saigon online!

Website: sitlosaigon.com
Instagram: @sitlosaigon
Facebook: @sitlosaigon