On this episode of The Sauce Podcast, host Lauren sits down with Edie Hsia (pronounced Shaw), general manager and bar manager at Saigon Café, for a conversation about cocktail creativity, Vietnamese cuisine, Asian food culture, and the growing hospitality community in St. Louis.
Edie shares how he helped develop Saigon Café’s evolving cocktail program — from clarified cocktails and bottled drinks to presentation-driven creations inspired by travel, flavor, and visual storytelling. He explains the clarification process behind one of the restaurant’s most popular cocktails and why aroma, appearance, and balance are just as important as taste.
The conversation also dives into the food side of Saigon Café, including the restaurant’s fan-favorite papaya salad, shaking beef, spring rolls, and the care that goes into sourcing ingredients and building flavor.
Along the way, Edie opens up about his Taiwanese background, growing up connected to his family’s legendary restaurant Tai Ke Shabu Shabu, and how returning to Taiwan later in life reshaped his perspective on food, culture, and hospitality.
Lauren and Edie also talk about travel, Asian nightlife and cocktail culture, pickleball, local restaurant favorites, and the community-driven energy behind the Central West End’s Red Lantern Festival.
In this episode:
- Building Saigon Café’s cocktail program
- Clarified cocktails and bottled drinks
- Vietnamese cuisine and fan-favorite dishes
- Taiwanese roots and family restaurant history
- Returning to Taiwan and traveling through Asia
- Favorite St. Louis restaurants and hidden gems
- Pickleball, community, and hospitality culture
- The story behind Red Lantern Festival
- Cocktail presentation and creative inspiration
Watch on YouTube or listen on Spotify and all major platforms. New episodes drop every Tuesday.
Presented by Swade Dispensary, with 12 locations across Missouri. Learn more at swadecannabis.com. Our other podcast sponsors are 4 Hands Brewing Co. and LHM.