There's a rule followed by savvy diners looking for the ultimate in ethnic authenticity: eat where the locals eat. The Little Saigon Cookbook takes you inside the local restaurants in Southern California's Little Saigon, the site of the largest single population of Vietnamese outside of Vietnam. Joel Rubin of The Los Angeles Times describes this enclave as "a tour through the extraordinary. " From the French-inspired bakeries, the lunch delis, and the food courts, to the weekend mayhem of the Pho house and wedding receptions at the boisterous seafood restaurants, these are the "extraordinary" meals that Vietnamese diners and others in the know enjoy every day. Interwoven among the recipes is a detailed history of Little Saigon, with an insider's look into the second fastest growing Asian minority group in the United States. A helpfulintroduction to the basics of Vietnamese cooking--discussing traditional ingredients, seasonal produce, proper combinations of herbs and spices, and sauces--demystifies this wonderful cuisine so readers can create their own Vietnamese dishes, just like the locals.