Bún Chả, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

The Bun Cha here in Bui Vien Street is super famous. Lunch or dinner a line will form before it opens for business. Originated from Hanoi, I supposed this will be a taste of the North. Bui Vien Street in recent 3 years have been transformed into a happening place for backpackers.Previously it was the parallel Pham Ngu Lao and the perpendicular De Tham streets. Comd dusk this street is musky with sweat from all who come here looking for action. It's wine, dine and song.

Smack right in Bui Vien Street will be Bun Cha 145. It is well recommended in the social media so needs no introduction. The must have will be Bun Cha Noodles. It consists of a bowl of grilled pork in a bowl of clear soup with sweet and sour notes. The pork is smoky, tasty and aromatic. What do you expect from grilled pork from the Vietnamese?

Add the chilli slices and garlic pieces into the soup. Then the lettuce and lastly the Bun (thin rice noodles). Then dig in. Despite the various testimonies, I found the sweet and sour taste not complementary to the meat and noodles. Maybe I have had too many of the southerners' very strong fish sauce, beefy, lemongrass, pork (and others) bones soup. Again I emphasise it is more of preference than quality.

I ordered another dish as I found the Bun Cha portion was not sufficient for lunch. So I went for Fried Fish Paste in Green Rice. The fish balls were stretchy and QQ and the taste again was superior yet subtle. This I must say was very good. Worthy for fine-dining restaurant!

Address:
145 Bùi Viện, Phường Phạm Ngũ Lão, Quận 1, Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam