A Night at Suzy's

It was the Friday night of the long weekend, the energy in the air was kind of electric; everyone was coming out to have a good night and looking forward to winding down to some good food, good drinks and fantastic company.

With my best friend in town, I suggested Saigon Suzy at Cedar Square for dinner - the red lanterns had been calling my name for a while and I figured it was time to experience this mysterious spot.

Quick fact: Saigon was a city in South Vietnam, assumedly a large and busy one that was the city center and metropolis of its time. This name also informs the cuisine of the restaurant which is inspired by the street food markets of Vietnam and South Asia.

The décor of the restaurant makes the Asian aspect very clear: the first thing you see is the huge Chinese lantern arrangement that burns red in the evening and can be spotted from the car park. The red hues of the lanterns illuminate much of the restaurant coupled with some neon light signage, creating a moody, intimate, adult bar vibe that was quite intriguing.

The design of the seating arrangement in the restaurant modernize the space, some tables have bar stools, some tables have mirrors which reflect the ceilings above them - there is always something to look at.

For me, the highlight of the restaurant is the art. In a separate sitting area, there’s this wall with a huge painting of an Asian lady with curlers in her hair and a cigarette hanging for her lip - I loved it! Such a badass painting with a neon sign saying “Sex, Drugs and Rice Paper Rolls’’.

Then when you look up, there’s an arrangement of printed parasols all across the ceiling. I love a good statement piece and having 2 in one room? Mind-blowing.

Saigon Suzy (SS) defines itself as an Asian BBQ & Rock n Roll bar and listen, they were not wrong! Karaoke is a much enjoyed activity in Asia and SS actually has karaoke rooms for groups to use and sing their hearts out at will, which I find very cool.

SS has an extensive list of cocktails, I tried the Hanoi Hannah which was fruity and not that strong at all. Unfortunately the cold was stopping me from going all out - I was really just waiting on the food and let me tell you, it was worth it.

As a starter, we ordered Wok Fried Calamari, Prawn and Chicken Siu Mai Steamed Dumplings in wonton soup and sushi. Each dish was delicious but the most memorable was the calamari - it had a smoky BBQ taste to it (probably because of the wok) which was so amusing because we don’t usually associate anything smoky with seafood but this was spectacular.

For mains, I ordered Chicken ‘’Katsu’’ Curry and my company had a prawn & chicken stir fry, respectively. My curry was quite hearty, the gravy was thick but very tasty, even though there was some chili that caught me off guard at one point and I almost regretted it but it subsided quickly, I suppose that extra kick made the meal that much more delicious.

My chicken was crispy and soft and it truly felt like a home cooked meal, which left me pleasantly surprised, exactly what you’d want a curry to make you feel.

The vibe at Saigon Suzy is very much rock n roll, the playlist makes sure to make that clear! I am not the biggest fan of anything rock n roll but I could appreciate the vibe, some customers decided to have their karaoke right there at the table too! There were outdoor heaters which are a godsend with winter kicking in, I really appreciated that.

There is ample space inside and outside the restaurant, making it a great location for any occasion but there are also cozy corners that are perfect for a cute date or a girls night out.

Next time I go back, I’m dragging everyone I know and we’re having a karaoke night!

All images were taken by me, click here to view the full gallery.

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