Little Saigon day vacay

Close your eyes. Do you smell that? Cilantro. Lemongrass. The unmistakable funk of fish sauce. What do you hear? The hard slap of baguettes against a counter. Ceramic tea cups sliding across tablecloth. Conversations in Vietnamese, Cantonese, Mandarin, Tagalog.

You’re in Sacramento, just 15 minutes outside downtown. But it feels further away, and that’s the point. This is the land of milk and honey—tea, that is. Boba shops are everywhere. There are too many pho joints to possibly try. It’s the perfect neighborhood to spend all day eating, overeating and forgetting about what ails you in the default world. Here’s SN&R’s recommended itinerary for the ultimate Little Saigon binge fest. Bring cash.

9 a.m.
Pegasus Bakery & Cafe

Get your morning started at this cute little bakery stocked with buns, cakes, egg tarts and Japanese-style crepes. Most pastries lean sweet, but if you’re craving savory, look for ones stuffed with hot dogs or Spam. If you want to start your day with an outrageous dessert, try the “egg puff taco,” a Hong Kong-style spherical waffle folded around ice cream, fruit and whipped cream. 6825 Stockton Boulevard, Suite 265; (916) 662-7733.

10 a.m.
Pho Anh Dao

There is no consensus for Sacramento’s best pho place, but you might as well follow the chefs to this old-school spot where there are no menus and the wait times are legendary. Get there right when the place opens at 10 a.m. to increase your chance of speedy service, but even then, prepare to settle in and relax. Pro tip: When you order the popular chicken version, pho ga, you can request all white or dark meat. 6830 Stockton Boulevard, Suite 165; (916) 428-2826.

Noon
Asian Pearl

Now you’re ready for dim sum, right? If you come on a Sunday, expect a wait at Asian Pearl, the best dim sum spot in the neighborhood. Flag down carts full of enticing dumplings, buns and other small plates. But don’t get too full—you still have a long day ahead. 6821 Stockton Boulevard, Suite 165; (916) 391-8881.

2 p.m.
Duc Huong Sandwiches

You need a break. How about some caffeine? Vietnamese iced coffee, strong and sweetened with condensed milk, is sure to the do the trick. And while you’re here, you might as well grab a sandwich, too. Duc Huong makes arguably the best banh mi in the city, largely due to its superior, freshly baked and crusty bread. 6825 Stockton Boulevard, Suite; (916) 428-1188.

3 p.m.
Thanh Son Hien Khanh

You need another break? OK, fine. Mosey into this small shop beloved by the Vietnamese community for its fine soy products: fresh soy milk, soybean pudding and fresh and fried tofu. There’s also an excellent variety of che, Vietnamese desserts based on sweetened beans. 6749 Stockton Boulevard, (916) 391-6751.

5:30 p.m.
Quan Nemh Ninh Hoa

No trip to Little Saigon would be complete without a stop at this institution. The house special, nem nuong cuon spring rolls, hit every possibly desired note: fatty, funky, sweet and tangy with a blast of herbaceous freshness. 6450 Stockton Boulevard, (916) 428-3748.

7 p.m.
Sixteen Degrees Fahrenheit

Ice cream sounds like the perfect light dessert to soothe your bursting belly. Here, it’s made-to-order and rolled up, a trend with roots in Southeast Asia. The result is an aesthetically pleasing sundae with a bit more chew than traditional scooped ice cream, plus toppings such as mochi, fresh fruit and cookies. 6905 Stockton Boulevard, Suite 240; (916) 917-5578.

8:30 p.m.
Firehouse Crawfish

Second dinner is calling. Head over to this Asian-Cajun wonderland for hands-on, bib-wearing fun. Firehouse Crawfish is sort of like a locally owned version of the Boiling Crab, where you order spicy, boiled seafood by the pound. Garlic noodles makes for an ideal pairing. 6519 Savings Place, Suite 205; (916) 429-9084.

10:30 p.m.
i-Tea

Time to wind down with some bubble tea. There are a number of options, but this relative newcomer to Sacramento, which started in Taiwan before expanding to the Bay Area, stays open until midnight on the weekends. The teas are freshly brewed and can be loaded up with tapioca pearls, pudding and flavored jellies. For a change of the pace, the mango sago—a drinkable version of the popular Hong Kong-style dessert—is exceptionally refreshing. 6461 Stockton Boulevard, Suite 4; (916) 706-2614.