Smoke wafts in the air, as the kitchen exhaust struggles to keep up, so that the enticing char-grilled aroma tempts you the moment you turn the corner of Đ. Đặng Văn Ngữ street in Ho Chi Minh City.
A family shophouse, tucked away in an alley in Phú Nhuận, has been transformed into an eatery that is popular among locals and tourists. Its neon sign blinks proudly, displaying its name and the year 1995 when Cơm Tấm Ba Ghiền came to be – the same year Mariah Carey’s “Fantasy” and TLC’s “Waterfalls” ruled the Billboard charts in the West.
Inside, staff members are busy preparing condiments and fresh shredded pork skins for delivery. Be they families with kids or lone tourists, everyone eagerly savours the delectable shredded pork skins, steamed egg meatloaf, and gigantic chargrilled pork ribs served atop broken rice, hiding the starch and dwarfing the plate by comparison.
This bustling scene is one that locals have been familiar with for decades. Except now, there's a line of impatient delivery men in green jackets waiting to pick up this flavourful broken rice gem as known as com tam, or cơm tấm, to satisfy hungry diners despite its location in the city’s outskirts.
What is com tam and its relationship with the people of Saigon?
Contrary to popular belief, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) boasts a vibrant culinary heritage that rivals any other region in Vietnam. Here, the finest selection of the country's culinary delights converge and reach unparalleled excellence. Com tam (cơm tấm – broken rice), a beloved dish cherished by food enthusiasts, stands as a symbol of pride for Saigon's locals. From commoners to the elite, this delightful delicacy has become a staple that unites Vietnamese people from all walks of life.There are many stories telling the tales of com tam, but one prevailing story stands out. In the 1930s, during French colonisation, Saigon aimed to be a bustling harbour. A lady named Ma Hai sold steamed rice with caramelised pork and eggs, too costly for blue-collar workers. To make it affordable, she opted for cheap broken rice, pandan leaves, scallion oil, and deep-fried pork fat. As it gained popularity, she added complimentary toppings like bi (shredded pork skin) and cha (steamed egg and pork). The word got around, and French authorities started requesting pork chops, leading to the added chargrilled pork chop.
Now, com tam is eaten with spoon and fork, featuring the classic combo "suon - bi - cha" – chargrilled caramelised pork chops, shredded pork skin, and steamed egg meatloaf.
But what is the relationship between this broken rice dish and Saigon?
“There is a phrase that some people in Saigon say, along the lines of, ‘if you haven't tried com tam, you haven't been to Saigon’”, says Trương Vĩnh Thụy, the son of the second generation of the famous Cơm Tấm Ba Ghiền in Ho Chi Minh City, a Bib Gourmand recipient in the inaugural MICHELIN Guide Hanoi & Ho Chi Minh City 2023.
The best place for this broken rice dish in Ho Chi Minh City
Now selling more than 3,000 plates everyday, Cơm Tấm Ba Ghiền is a popular eatery and is the only place specialising in this broken rice dish listed in the country’s first red guide. The 41-year-old Saigonese owner still remembers when his mother, Nguyễn Ngọc Điệp, started this very shop.“It's been about 28 years already that my mother started making com tam on the street in the 90s to feed her family. Previously, she made different dishes like banh mi and sticky rice, but somehow she decided to focus on this dish ever since 1995. And by 1997, the shop picked up, and it got very crowded. No one knew why it became so busy. From grilling two slices of meat back in the day, now it's a hundred,” shares Thụy.
When asked about how his mother learned to cook this delicacy, Thụy simply says, “She just knows how to cook like all Vietnamese mothers.”
Despite contemplating other career paths, Thụy made the heartfelt decision to carry on his mother's com tam legacy. "There's something intriguing about making com tam," he explains. Having grown up with the dish since its inception in 1995, he remains fascinated with its flavours, tasting the com tam daily to ensure every component retains its original essence to preserve his mother's recipe.
“I just love its flavours.”
What makes the com tam here unique or different from other places?
"The secret is to keep tasting to retain the flavours every day. It's about the fish sauce, lemongrass, garlic, and sugar you marinate your meat with. The fire is also crucial, as the flame must be strong enough to caramelise the meat while preserving its tenderness and juiciness."And when you have the rice, the egg meatloaf, the tiny shredded pig skin, the pig meat, the pork ribs, the pickles, and the sauce, along with some toasted rice powder and scallion oil and lard – it's the perfect Saigon way of eating."
What to order?
There are six options shown on the wall along with loosely translated English and photos to make it easier for tourists.If you can’t decide between 1. Suòn (pork rib), 2. Suòn Op La (pork rib with fried egg), 3. Suön Bi Chá (rib rolls with pork skin), 4. Stôn Bi Öp La (pork rib with pork skin and fried egg), 5. Thâp Cam (mixed), and 6. Gà Chả Ốp La (chicken with fried egg), Thụy recommends number 3, which is his favourite with a classic combination of com tam in the right proportions. This is the dish he grew up with.
Need an extra kick? Have it with fresh green chillies served on the side for an extra burst-in-your-mouth sensation. And paired with Vietnamese fish sauce, chillies, pickled carrot, daikon, and fresh cucumber, now that’s the perfect dish.
Being the second generation to run the place, Thụy hopes that his 6-year-old son or teenage daughter will take over one day after they've grown up. But they need to memorise the flavours as he did by tasting it every day. Otherwise, as he puts it in Vietnamese, “the flavour will fly away”.
Illustration image: © Mervin Lee/ MICHELIN Guide Vietnam
Bib Gourmand • Inspectors’ favourites for good value
