City: Rapid City, SD

Category: Restaurants

Telephone: (605) 348-8523

Address: 221 East North St.

Description: Vietnamese food must build brain cells, because the people who run this popular restaurant have phenomenal memories. It doesn’t matter how long ago you ate here, they remember what you ordered and if you prefer your glass of water without ice. They recall what Harrison Ford had on his plate when he ate here in 1995 and which vegetarian dish Lindsay Wagner had in 1997. Wagner, TV’s bionic woman, could have been speaking for all of the Saigon’s loyal clientele when she sent proprietress Mai Goodsell an autographed photo that says, “Mai, both you and your business are a joy!”Mai, a native of Vietnam, and her daughter, Rebecca, are the most visible members of the staff, but we suspect the kitchen harbors a team of wizards who whip up magical dishes for lunch and dinner. The menu contains many items you’d expect to find at an Asian restaurant, but you’ll also find unusual dishes such as tofu lemongrass, a combination of noodles, bean sprouts, herbs, and tofu sprinkled with chopped peanuts and served with fish sauce; or chicken pad thai with shredded cabbage, carrots, cilantro, bamboo, rice noodles, and peanuts. The staff is amazingly flexible, so spicy items come in varying degrees of “heat,” and you can request that the cook not use MSG in preparing your order.When the restaurant moved into a spacious new building, the great food and welcoming atmosphere moved in, too. Longtime patrons will recognize the exquisite enamel and mother-of-pearl pieces from the former location amid the new decor, which features oval windows and interesting interior angles. Beer and wine are on the menu. There’s handy parking in front. The Saigon closes on Sun and in late Jan.