The folks behind cozy Vietnamese-themed nooks Cicada and The Eaves have recently opened Saigon Babylon in the Sonder 907 Main hotel in Central Square, which also houses Day fave Althea. I’m not sure there’s a cooler pair of hotel eateries – especially ones that don’t feel like hotel eateries – in the Boston area. Saigon Babylon, which took over the top-floor space that was formerly the Blue Owl, has the same Southeast Asian decor as The Eaves but is about five to eight times bigger and has an outdoor perch that gives a unique view of the goings-on in Lafayette Square below.
The cocktails, food and menu echo the menu of The Eaves over in Bow Market in Somerville (which, at the time of this writing, is closed temporarily), meaning you can get the delectable shrimp appetizers (shrimp salad and micro shrimp with coconut scallions) and pho and duck entrees that would bring diners in droves if only they could score one of the roughly 20 seats without a weeks-in-advance reservation. Unfortunately, the same is a problem at Saigon Babylon even during these city-clearing summer months when one thinks they can stroll through a doorway and sit right down. Don’t try it. You can’t.
The cocktail list features Japanese whiskey, tamarind and lemongrass seasonings and natch, there are sakes for sipping and a short list of wines that is well curated. Want something that’s both aperitif and dessert in a glass? Try the Good Dealer, a gin-infused egg cream with “pho spices.”
There’s a slim but focused eats menu peppered with diverse flavors and textures, including old friendlies reminiscent of The Eaves. I decided to spread my wings, go for the new and different, and try the squab appetizer and monkfish entree – I mean, the Mad Monkfish is across the way. In Central Square, monkfish is the thing, right?
The squab was a bit of a mind blow, rich, dark ground meat with shiitake mushrooms that was surprisingly beefy – you never think of fowl as you eat this dish, though it has good, gamey inflections. It was a healthy serving atop pickled veggies and a crispy rice base, and there was a spicy fish sauce to add. Think of a light beef Bolognese done South Asian-style and you’re not far off. Each layered texture and flavor shines on their own and as a collective, and you don’t want it to end.
The monkfish came as tender cheeks and filets, lightly browned atop a bed of succulent vermicelli with dill and shrimp paste to accent. Monkfish is such underappreciated pescatarian fare, but the crew here seem to treat it with sacred regard on a dish that is nuanced and subtly satiating. Entrees also include a vegan pho stir fry and, for the carnivore, an oxtail and rice noodle dish with a red wine reduction.
Saigon Babylon is a festive dining experience, but make sure to plan well ahead for this night out, especially if you’re hosting a bigger party. (A big community table that allows walk-ins can also be reserved for large groups.) I’m curious to go back in the fall or some late night and try the deck. It has little to no shading, so if you’re dining before sunset and we’re back into another heat wave, heat dome or whatnot, the appeal dims. Saigon Babylon also has no website per se, just an Instagram account (and Resy), which is cool and great and a trending thing, it seems, in the restaurant biz – but without a traditional website, it’s hard to gather critical logistical details a customer might want. The same is true of places sharing their menus only through a third-party order-out system such as Toast. But I’ll stop now before I babble on.
Saigon Babylon, 907 Main St., Central Square, Cambridge
Tom Meek is a writer living in Cambridge. His reviews, essays, short stories and articles have appeared in the WBUR ARTery, The Boston Phoenix, The Boston Globe, The Rumpus, The Charleston City Paper and SLAB literary journal. Tom is also a member of the Boston Society of Film Critics and rides his bike everywhere.
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