Having just celebrated their first anniversary this past spring, Saigon Bistro owners Minh and Hanh Nguyen are still working on making the restaurant the best it can be. In addition to expanding its space at 21 N. Front St. to include an improved Front Street entrance and additional seating, the restaurant is now offering a late night menu on Fridays and Saturdays from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m.

The late-night menu will include Bahn Mi (Vietnamese sandwich served on fresh baked French bread), Pho noodle soup (served with either chicken, beef, shrimp, or tofu), Bun Bo Hue (rice noodle soup with beef and Vietnamese pork sausage and spicy sate), chicken wings (tossed in spicy tomato sauce) and hand-rolled sushi.

“We want to be able to offer our friends in the service industry who work late hours the option of having a good meal at a reasonable price when they get out of work,” said front-of-the-house manager Scott Rubins. “And there are plenty of people out and about on the weekends looking for something to eat later at night.”

The decision to expand to late-night dinners does come at a price, however. Starting next week, Saigon Bistro will be open for lunch only on Saturday and Sunday, when it will serve a full menu as well as its Dim Sum menu from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“The lunch crowd has been good to us,” said Rubins. “But the Nguyens are parents of four and family is very important to them. They feel this is best for the business and for their family life as well.”

Dinner hours will be Tuesday-Friday from 4 p.m. to 3 a.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 a.m.

In other news, the interior expansion has allowed for a larger bar and permits have been filed for a liquor license. Beer, wine and sake have always been available but soon a full bar as well as some infused sakes will be available.

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