Back pho more

I was pretty sad to discover in early January that Saigon Bay Restaurant on Howe Avenue had closed. It was the only place near the SN&R office to grab decent pho (it had adequate bun, rice plates, egg rolls, sweet-and-sour fish soup, and catfish claypot, too). I searched Yelp for more clues, and Yelpers pointed out a “coming soon” sign for Pho Saigon Bay a block away. After months of driving by and checking out the building progress (I could see workers inside doing interior remodeling), I’m happy to report that Pho Saigon Bay is now open at 1537 Howe Avenue. It’s part of a local chain that includes a Little Saigon location (6458 Stockton Boulevard), a Saigon Bay Express restaurant on the Sacramento State University campus (6000 J Street), and eateries in Stockton and Tracy. While it may not be the finest pho in all of Sacramento, it’s still the best within a few minutes of SN&R’s headquarters. Visit www.phosaigonbay.com for more information.