Good inexpensive ethnic food in North Scottsdale is such a rarity and Saigon Nites is just that.
It's located in the Scottsdale Airpark area in the same center as Indian Paradise. The room is relatively nice, service is friendly, prices are very reasonable and most shocking of all, the food is authentic and very good - it's almost too good to be true.
We had the special pho (rice noodles in beef broth with thin-sliced beef, tripe and meatballs) and banh xeo (giant crepe filled with a mix of meat and beansprouts).
The pho's broth was sweet, clean and complex - tasted like it was made with a generous amount of beef bones cooked for a long time over low heat - no hint of any artificial flavoring. It was so good that I finished all the soup - that's never happened at Da Vang.
The banh xeo comprised of a large crepe made with rice flour filled with beansprouts, pork, shrimp and herbs. It's served with leaves of iceberg lettuce and the classic nuoc cham dipping sauce. This is probably one of the best-executed banh xeo I've had - the crepe was very thin and crispy. The filling was on the bland side but the dipping sauce made up for it.
We can't wait to go back and try the other things on the menu, including the banh mi (Vietnamese-French sandwiches).