LITTLE SAIGON : Shops and Restaurants Offer a Taste of Something Different

Some of my non-Asian friends who have grown up near Little Saigon admit to never having visited the area. Maybe it takes a sense of adventure for a person who is unfamiliar with the language and culture to wander in among the two-story grocery stores, dimly lit coffee shops and alleyways decorated with the signs of the zodiac.

The wandering is well worth it, though. Little Saigon is refreshing in its difference: tomato shakes, bean cakes, songs in Vietnamese blaring from music shop speakers, an occasional man in shirt-sleeves pedaling a bicycle in that slow, commuting rhythm.

Little Saigon’s commercial district is divided along Bolsa Avenue, running roughly from Magnolia Street, on the west, to Euclid Street.

Parking and traffic problems are notorious in Little Saigon on weekends, when the area is flooded with Southeast Asian shoppers from as far away as San Diego and Long Beach. Weekdays are a quieter time to visit.

11:30 to 12:30: The Song Phung Restaurant is tucked into a corner of the Liberty Square shopping center, at Bolsa Avenue and Brookhurst Street. As do many in Little Saigon, the restaurant offers both Vietnamese and Chinese dishes. Lunch specials are only $3.99, served between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., and include a main dish, rice and soup. Selections include beef with broccoli, chicken with celery and peanuts and cooked salted catfish.

Song Phung has a real family feel. There are large, round tables that seat eight and have a Lazy Susan in the middle to spin the condiments. Diners can order dinner for six, from both the Vietnamese and Chinese menus, for less than $40.

Ordering a la carte may prove a challenge for the unfamiliar. There are 174 items, priced from $3.75 to $7.50. The Vietnamese egg rolls and pan-fried chicken with peanuts are likely to please.

12:30 to 1: When you leave Song Phung, it’s hard to miss Bolsa Music World and Karaoke Center. The center sets its speakers outside the door and fills Liberty Square with Vietnamese music.

Inside the small store, there is everything you need for an at-home karaoke setup. The store rents out the microphones, amplifiers and laser disc players for about $40 a day.

The selection of laser discs is limited. There are other shops in Little Saigon that you might want to check out. Bolsa Music World carries several Vietnamese-language discs and one Roxette disc. Go figure. There are also discs with a mix of English-language songs, from “Moon River” to “Baby I’m-A Want You.”

1 to 1:30: Across the parking lot from Bolsa Music World is the My-Lan Oriental Dried Food Market. There are supermarkets with bigger selections in Little Saigon, but My-Lan is a charming alternative to the bustle of the big stores.

My-Lan offers canned and packaged foods imported from Vietnam, Thailand, Taiwan and Japan. Much of it is sold in bulk, and unopened cartons of food are piled high along the aisles. There are rice noodles, bean thread, fried gluten and other items you won’t find in mainstream markets.

1:30 to 2: The next stop is a 10- to 15-minute walk west on Bolsa Avenue. It’s the Hoa Binh Fabric store, at Bolsa Avenue and Bushard Street, in the Little Saigon Plaza. Hoa Binh has fabrics I’ve never seen at the mall. There are 25 types of sequined cloth, exotic Chinese prints, crushed velvet in rich colors. The shop also carries some more American-style cottons and pin stripes for suits. It’s fun to take a look, even if you don’t sew.

2 to 2:30: At the eastern end of Little Saigon Plaza is the Sing Sing Bakery with its seven-tier wedding cakes in the window. The bakery serves soft drinks and desserts, as well. Red bean moon cake, lotus pie and green bean ball are among the sweets.

1. Song Phung Restaurant, 9870 Bolsa Ave. (714) 531-6018. Open Sunday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 a.m. Visa and MasterCard accepted.

2. Bolsa Music World, Karaoke Center, 9938 Bolsa Ave., Suite 104. (714) 531-2618. Open Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 10:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

3. My-Lan Oriental Dried Food Market, 9922-9924 Bolsa Ave. (714) 839-6345. Open daily, 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

4. Hoa Binh Fabric, 9500 Bolsa Ave., suites G and L. (714) 839-3685. Open daily, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

5. Sing Sing Bakery, 9600 Bolsa Ave., suites A and B. (714) 775-8307. Open daily, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Parking is available in the strip mall parking lots where businesses are located.