For Vietnamese people, irrespective of where they live around the world, nothing can beat a home-cooked meal with a steamy-hot rice pot and other traditional foods.

A traditional Vietnamese meal, usually consisting of a savoury dish paired with a bowl of hot soup and a plate of vegetables, has long been instilled in the ‘cuisine’ of each Vietnamese household.

For overseas Vietnamese returning to the homeland and wanting to search for the familiar taste of home, or simply those who want to explore traditional cuisine, I would be remiss not to suggest Cơm Niêu Sài Gòn (Sài Gòn Clay Pot Rice), a 25-year-old dine-in restaurant that offers authentic Vietnamese cuisine.

Cơm Niêu Sài Gòn (Sài Gòn Clay Pot Rice) in District 3 is among the top restaurants for those who want to enjoy traditional Vietnamese cuisine. VNS Photo Gia Linh

I went back to this restaurant after years since my last intimate meal there with my family, and I was pleasantly surprised by how little had changed.

Built mainly from wood and surrounded by shady trees, the restaurant has an inexplicable calmness and peaceful ambience that contradicts the hustling life of District 3 in central HCM City. Traditional wooden tables and chairs are scattered outside the garden for those who want to immerse themselves in nature and enjoy live music at night.

The inside brings a more home-like atmosphere, with warm, yellow lights, antiques as decorations, and paintings adorning the walls, giving it a traditional Vietnamese vibe.

Apart from their delicate dishes, what makes Cơm Niêu Sài Gòn stand out is its unique way of cooking white rice. As its name suggests, Cơm Niêu Sài Gòn still maintains the traditional method of cooking rice in a clay pot, which helps bring out the flavour and texture of the rice.

The restaurant is best known for its unique method of cooking rice in a clay pot to enhance the fragrance and texture of the rice. VNS Photo Gia Linh

Besides the two rice clay pots that my friends and I ordered immediately, it really took us a while to choose other dishes. It is still surprising to me how diverse and creative Vietnamese cuisine is as I scanned through the menu. Be it fish or pork or chicken, there were around ten different dishes made of each main ingredient.

We then agreed to follow the usual meal pattern, with two savoury dishes and a soup, and added in some dishes that we had never tried before.

It took only around ten minutes for all the dishes to be served, and we first introduced our palate to stir-fried pumpkin flower stuffed with minced pork.

Pumpkin flower is not something new in our cuisine, especially for those coming from the South, but the flavour was enhanced significantly thanks to such a creative idea. The flower was soft and lightly sweet, crunchy on the outside but soft and juicy on the inside. For only VNĐ118,000 (US$4.80) a plate, it was such a great start!

The rice pot was what we really looked forward to, and it did not fail us. A VNĐ30,000 ($1.25) rice pot is enough for one to two people. The taste of freshly cooked rice hits different when cooked in clay pots, with a slight earthy flavour and crispiness from the scorched outer layer. Every rice grain that we scooped was shiny and chewy. For the Vietnamese, a meal is delicious only when the rice is delicious.

Extremely fresh ingredients are what enhance the overall dining experience. VNS Photo Gia Linh

With our hot bowls of rice ready, we jumped right away into the entrees. We ordered a pot of braised catfish, which is a must-have in every traditional meal.

Permeated into the large chunks of fish was the savoury, sweet caramelised sauce that went so well with hot rice. A hint of spiciness from the dried peppercorn and the crunchiness from bits of crunchy pork fat in the dish brought an interesting note to the familiar taste. Served in a clay pot, the dish was still warm by the end of our meal.

While the braised catfish was a safe option for us, the next dish, stir-fried freshwater baby shrimp with starfruit, was the unexpected star of the meal. It genuinely was quite a large dish compared to a price of VNĐ138,000 ($5.70).

The extraordinary combination guided us through spectrums of flavour, from a savoury taste to a refreshing, slightly sour one. I must say this was one of my most favourite dishes made with those tiny shrimps. It was simple, yet so addicting that we devoured the whole thing in a blink of an eye.

It is never wrong to finish a home-cooked meal with a bowl of hot soup, and we opted for something new this time – minced shrimp with chilli leaf soup.

It was nothing near what we thought it would be, in a positive way. The shrimp was so fresh and juicy, and the leaves were cooked to perfection to maintain the fresh green colour. Instead of the spicy kick, the chilli leaves had a slight bitter taste when being chewed, but it was completely bearable and helped refresh our palates. Priced at VNĐ168,000 ($7), we think it is totally reasonable for the amount of fresh shrimp inside.

The restaurant is also famous for their unique cơm đập (smashing the rice pot), a special performance made upon order. In particular, one waiter will hold a clay pot, smash the pot with a hammer, then throw the piece of cooked rice up high for another one to catch. The rice is then thrown up and down several times before being served.

The secret lies in the crispy outer layer, which helps maintain the shape of the rice ball despite being handled so strongly. It is an irresistible dining experience that I highly recommend.

Our bill came to a total of VNĐ750,000 ($30) including VAT, which was such an inviting price given the quality of the meal and service. We already knew the ingredients, and we could somewhat expect the taste of each dish, but it was spectacular how such ordinary elements were combined to create such a new experience.

Having explored different cultural gastronomies around the world, I must say there is nothing better than home. We feel a sense of belonging and secure under the familiar flavours that shape our national cuisine and define our identity.

I highly suggest Cơm Niêu Sài Gòn for those who want to enjoy a frugal yet high quality Vietnamese cuisine, or simply just to reconnect to the intimate feeling of home. VNS

Cơm Niêu Sài Gòn

Address: 27 Tú Xương St, Võ Thị Sáu Ward, District 3, HCM City

Tel: 0901 301 808

Facebook: comnieusaigon.restaurant

Opening hours: 6am to 11pm

Comment: An intimate, family-like restaurant with tasty traditional Vietnamese dishes.