REVIEW: Blue Saigon - Pittsburg, CA

I’m sure we’ve all been there. We visit a taco truck, have some delicious food, anticipate when the next time we’ll see them again, only to find out, they’re at a different location because it’s a different day and you dread the fact that you can’t indulge yourself again. Sound familiar, right? No? Maybe that’s just me then haha. Either way, the folks at this next place have seemed to have found a fix for that...at least for the residents of Pittsburg anyways. THIS is the Blue Saigon Fusion Grill…

The Place -

Originally starting as a taco truck, the people at Blue Saigon gained enough popularity with the Bay Area crowd that they felt it necessary to open up a pop-up shop in the Pittsburg area. Specializing in Asian fusion cuisine, this place definitely has some good eats that people wouldn’t mind driving the distance for and visiting their restaurant rather than trying to find out where their food truck is going to be. Blue Saigon Fusion Grill, located in Pittsburg, CA, is nestled amongst other businesses in the Railroad Center Shopping Plaza on Railroad Avenue. My friends and I decided to visit the place after hearing about it’s success as a food truck and then later finding out they actually have a restaurant. Depending on what direction you’re coming from on Railroad Ave, you may have to make a u-turn one block up from the driveway entrance so that you can enter in properly. The parking lot itself is a fairly decent size accommodating, not only Blue Saigon, but its conjoined businesses as well, which includes a Starbucks and we all know how busy a parking lot can get with a Starbucks as your neighbor. We arrived at Blue Saigon around 7pm or so on a Friday and it was fairly busy. The real estate space itself is pretty small, but still has the ability to seat several parties in the building. During the lunch rush hour or weekend traffic, I can see how this can become a very cramped space quickly though. The neighborhood itself may not be the most appealing to some, but in all honesty, it’s not that bad and can certainly be looked over. The restaurant has Blue Saigon’s signature blue and yellow theme throughout with two signs on the counter and on the wall to remind you of where you are. The place has an “order at the counter” method with its menu directly above your head. All in all, it’s not the best place I’ve been inside of by any means, but it gets the job done with being able to sit down and enjoy your food.

The Service -

Blue Saigon Fusion Grill doesn’t offer a wait staff since you have to go up to the counter to order and take a seat at whatever table is available; however, the person we ran into was really helpful, chill, nice and laid back, which is always a plus. Apart from that, that was the only interaction we had with an employee and I don’t really have any complaints. I can imagine the Blue Fusion food truck has a little bit of a different vibe to it since it’s always out and about and interacting with customers in a different environment.

The Food -

This is where Blue Saigon Fusion Grill really shines and makes you forget about everything else, be it the environment, the neighborhood, or whatever qualms you may have about the place. There definitely is something about Blue Saigon that has made them successful all this time and the food is a big reason. As I mentioned before, Blue Saigon specializes in Asian fusion cuisine, which means they take typical asian dishes and elevate them with other culinary influences like method, ingredients, and/or taste. Because of their food truck origins, their menu is pretty focused only making a few dishes they know are big hits with the crowd. Everything from burritos, to fries, to noodles, they surely have something on their menu to satisfy the palates of any customer. Because it was my first time here, I wanted to sample as much as possible, but didn’t want to order everything on the menu, although it DID cross my mind haha. From reading all the Yelp reviews, it seemed like I had to get the Sisig Fries based purely on volume of people that were mentioning it. Another thing that looked appealing was the Warrior Dog as well as the Garlic Noodles w/Candy Chicken Wings. The Garlic Noodles were delicious and cooked how I like them; no vegetables, oily, with a prominent garlic kick. When ordering the Noodles, you can choose to order it just by itself or with a protein such as the candy chicken wings, shrimp, or beef. While the noodles were delicious, the chicken wings left something to be desired. The “candy” was pretty tasty, but the wings itself lacked in texture. Perhaps it was the batch of wings I received, but the combination of the slimy, sticky candy marinade and the fact that the wings weren’t cooked long enough to give the skin its crunchy texture one would expect from biting into a wing, left me not wanting to finish the entire order. I’d be willing to give the dish another try, but it wouldn’t be the first thing on my list to get again. Next, the Sisig Fries. For those that don’t know, Sisig, at its origin, is a Filipino pork dish cooked in various spices, peppers and lime juice. Typically seen at Filipino gatherings where this is the dish that people snack on, the popularity of it in America seems to be growing; however, some ingredients are slightly modified to make it more…appetizing...to the masses haha =P. Blue Saigon’s Sisig Fries start with crispy, seasoned fries making the bottom layer of the dish. The tender pork, seasoned and marinated in traditional spices gets layered on top of the fries, and then two spicy and aioli sauces get drizzled over the entire dish to provide a savory kick that’s sure to please the taste buds...and, my goodness, was it delicious! For some, the Sisig Fries can be a main dish and all that people are looking to eat; however, for me, the Sisig Fries were an excellent accompaniment to one of the best things on the menu...the Warrior Dog. Before I get into it, the Warrior Dog is probably the BEST hot dog I’ve ever had in my life so far and to be honest, I don’t think any other hot dog will be able to compare. Yes, it’s THAT good! The only thing I DON’T like about it, is the name haha (I’m a Kings fan...SAC-RA-MEN-TO!! =P). The Warrior Dog starts with a freshly baked bun, a grilled beef hot dog, cheese sauce, lettuce, pickled onions, kettle corn bacon, and an aioli sauce. Hungry yet? I sure am! Thinking about that Warrior Dog is making me want right now haha The bread is fresh, warm, and toasted, the kettle corn bacon gives it that extra saltiness that no one ever complains about (especially coming from bacon), the cheese and aioli sauce gives the Warrior Dog that traditional, yet smoky, flavor profile, and the lettuce and pickled onions provide a tangy and tart accompaniment to the entire dish. The hot dog, which is obviously the star of the Warrior Dog, is perfectly cooked keeping it juicy and giving that snap that most people look for when biting into one and THAT is what makes this dish what it is. With every bite I took, I got a crunch from the all beef hot dog, which made me not want this dish to end. When all was said and done, I would’ve gladly ordered a second one, which is probably what I’ll do next time haha

Overall -

While the location of the actual restaurant may not be the most appealing place I’ve been in, I STRONGLY encourage you to look past that and give Blue Saigon a try. Even if not in Pittsburg, if you happen to hear word that the Blue Saigon truck is coming to a place near you, I would definitely recommend you visit them for a lunch hour bite. Their dishes are unique, the eats are delicious, and the people are great! I look forward to seeing these guys again soon! Thanks, Blue Saigon!

Blue Saigon Fusion Grill

2243 Railroad Ave. Pittsburg, CA 94565

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