Little Saigon Bolsa

Duuuu ma!
Little Saigon has definitely changed since I arrived in America on my single sail wooden boat from Hong Kong. T&K Food was the only Asian Market in town and the Asian Garden Mall (i.e, Phc-​Lc-​Th) was recently finished. I grew up in the 90s and that era was a lot different than the generation now. The town was battling Americanization and adaptation to the culture.
My generation witnessed racism, gang violence and drug addiction that plagued the town. Little Saigon used to be infested with gang violence and shootings occurred on a weekly basis. The typical weekend would consist of being targeted by Garden Grove and Westminster PD Gang Unit. Everyone knew who that POS cop by the name of Peter. There was Mission Control arcade on Brookhurst & Hazard. Rivalries with the Korean kids. My generation hated Irvine and Alhambra/​Monterrey Park kids. I still hate Irvine kids though. I don’t think I will ever let that one go.
The Little Saigon staples of Thanh My and Dong Khanh were the after hours dining spots. The generation where Café Lu was on Newhope and 1^st then moved next to the post office on Bolsa and then eventually away to Harbor and McFadden. The famous bakery used to be Song Long and Kang Lac is still there.
There was Rainbow Sounds for your car audio needs and BCC for your mobile needs. If you were under 21 and needed alcohol, you would go to the old liquor store in front of the Post Office. The liquor store eventually closed down because of the non-​Asian kids from Fountain Valley and Huntington Beach got word of it’s operations. It’s a different town and for the better.
However, the «AFTERs» generation didn’t have to experience any of those type of things. I used to laugh about being associated with Little Saigon but I take pride in the city now cause of how far the community has gone. I’ve grown up in this town and seen it changed over the years. I’ve moved away for college and work. I’ve taken trips around the world but the road has always lead me back here. Little Saigon is my home even though I can’t f*cking stand the drivers. Who the F*CK honks at you for a traffic violation they commit? Little Saigon/​Bolsa drivers.
DUUUU MA! BolZa Fo Life!

I love Little Saigon. The food is amazing and it’s such a fun place to visit. I have been coming here since I was a child. I especially recommend coming here during lunar new year The atmosphere during tet is very fun and exciting.

Simultaneously aggravating and wonderful. For the latter you’ll find a lot of cool good eats and they dont even necessarily have to be Vietnamese. On the former, the driving and parking is just frickin insane. I sometimes wish i had a tank to just mow all the bad drivers. So if eating go on the later side of a weekday and avoid the madness

Great place to find your Korean stationary! Stickers, Pens, Notebooks!
I have been coming here for what feels like all my life. I stopped coming here for a period of time, just because I didn’t want to have to go thru the same thing again. Nothing changed. However from the passed couple of years there have been improvements. It also helps that your brother lives in Garden Grove.
This is one stop shop really, like an indoor Chinatown! Get your jewlery cleaned, eat some snails, buy your daughter a new years outfit, get a coffee, lougne, buy some knick-​knacks, get your mom a Paris by Night DVD… did i miss anything?

I love Vietnam; from its food, to its culture, to its history, to its people, etc
This neighborhood is amazing. Although it’s not located in a huge and bustling city like Los Angeles or San Francisco, this neighborhood is still just as exciting as Chinatown in San Francisco or Koreatown in Los Angeles.

They’ve already started celebrating new year. It’s festive and colorful, full of special treats for Chinese New Year: traditional sweets, sticky rice cakes, bong Mai, bong cuc, and a myriad of other flowers, exotic fruits, and tons of decorative for sale. Red and yellow everywhere.
Just park in the lot, streets or neighborhood near Bolsa/​Magnolia and start trekking through where festivities are. Driving through is a nightmare.

Never been to Viet Nam, but this is close enough! You can eat everything and anything Vietnamese and it’s delicious.
It’s worth checking out if you in the mood.

Great Restaurants, Bakeries and People! «Together We Build A Better Future»
My 100^th review. Bolsa, where three thriving bakeries can exist side by side in the same plaza. Bolsa, where you can have 5 phở places within walking distance and the only issues are the arguments amongst friends as to which one is better. Bolsa, it is not just a place but an experience. Bolsa is where people join with food and create a mosaic of diverse eateries bound together by the single element of «community.» This is, and always has been, one of my favorite places to eat and socialize. It has many fond memories for me. Over the past few months I have been re-​visiting the old places and discovering the new. The meanings of Bolsa vary from individual to individual and run deep. As such, the scope of this review is based only on the eating experience.
Bolsa provides a limitless basket of flavorful dishes prepared by dedicated and talented hosts. These are hosts of family owned and operated restaurants, shops, and bakeries that treat you like family. These are the types of businesses where the owners talk to you, remember you and welcome you by name when you return. Bolsa and I are about the same age. As a neighbor of mine, I have seen Bolsa change greatly since I was a kid. My old friends used to refer to it as Khu Bolsa. I still call it «Bolsa» because that is how I remember it.
~~~Location/​Brief History
Orange County! Bolsa, so it can be argued, is bordered by the 22 Freeway/​Trask on the North, Magnolia on the West, Euclid on the East and Mc Fadden on the South. However the community expands even beyond that. While Bolsa used to be primarily one street, Bolsa Avenue, it has now expanded over the entire city of Westminster and well into Garden Grove and parts of Fountain Valley and even Huntington Beach. This whole area is foodie wonderland and known for its great diversity and flavorful options for the curious palate. Bolsa is the embodiment of «community». The diversity and family environment makes this place unique.
«Bolsa» began in the late 1970’s with a few shops and a pharmacy. It has been growing ever since. «On June 17, 1988, then-​Governor of California, George Deukmejian, came to Westminster and officially dedicated the name „Little Saigon“ to the area bordered by Westminster Boulevard, Bolsa Avenue, Magnolia Street, and Euclid Street.» (
) I actually remember this. I guess this was when people started calling it «Little Saigon.» In 1989, the City of Westminster designated «Little Saigon» as a tourist area .
~~~Highlights of the Area
Bolsa has everything. Just a few of the unique aspects include the following:
1.The best bakeries and cafes in Southern California: In addition to
authentic desserts, Bolsa has some of the best French food I have
ever had including the pastries, baguettes, and café. The
Vietnamese twist on these items are what the French could have
only dreamed of coming up with. Bahn Mi and Café Sua Da are
probably the best of the best! A few of my favorite places include
Hein Khanh (Westminster Blvd.), Kang Loc (Bolsa Ave.), Le
Versailles Boulangerie and Patisserie (Edinger/​Bushard), Banh Mi
Che Cali (Brookhurst near McFadden), Van’s, Lily’s, Top Baguette,
and Thanh Tam. My favorite was the now closed Song Long (Bolsa).
Back in the day, Song Long was the place!
2.Restaurants: Everyone has their own tastes. The fun part of Bolsa is
trying all the places until you find your own favorites. A few of mine
are: Uyen Thy Bistro, Favori Restaurant, Phở Nguyen Hue, Boiling
Crab, Artist Crawfish, Phở 79 and 54, Seafood Cove, Quan Vy Da, My
Nguyen, and Ngu Binh.
3.Food To Go: Hands down my favorites are Phuc Loc (where you can
still get Café Su Da for $ 1.00, Dakao Food to Go and Food to Go from
the bakeries.
4.Nuoc Mia Vien Tay on Brookhurst (sugar cane): This place and its
owners stand alone. Nothing but class and good sugar cane at this
place!
5.There are several unique coffee houses, lounges, bars, and
clubs. There are also many other unique businesses, parks, events,
etc. There are also a couple of strawberry fields still around!
Thank goodness for Unilocal.Everyone has different tastes and favorites that can be reviewed by «Yelping!» I wanted to thank Unilocal for providing such a wonderful platform for building a community of individuals who share their ideas, opinions and tastes with one another. I have posted several pictures of my favorite places and foods in «Bolsa.» I hope other Unilocalers will do the same.
So, over the years Bolsa has changed. I have many fond memories and have had great times. Some of the old places are still around and there are many new places. I realized that I have one last thing in common with Bolsa. Like Bolsa, I too have improved with time :)