By Alex Reeves – @afreeves23

Admittedly, I was never a big fan of Cơm tấm (broken rice), though not for want of trying. Being a northern soul, the options up here in Hà Nội are, to the best of my knowledge, limited. Having gambled a handful of times on local recommendations, only to be met with a plate of overly crumbly rice, sandy sinews of pork skin and a dry, grisly cutlet, I was fairly certain that this was one of the few Vietnamese classics that I was destined not to enjoy. As the saying goes, you can’t really miss what you’ve never had. And it appears I had never really had Cơm tấm.

Too much to handle: Consider sharing one portion, two plates could feed a whole family. Photos courtesy of Alex Reeves

So, it’s safe to say that my silence wasn’t exactly that of the overawed variety when we pulled up outside Cơm Tấm Ba Ghiền, after two weeks sampling the more finite offerings of the rural south on a road trip. A travel buddy’s promise of ‘Michelin renowned local food’ had thoroughly tickled my fancy, but Cơm tấm? I knew how wrong I was no faster than my nostrils were filled with the sweet, smoky scent that only grilled, marinated pork surrendering itself to fire can produce, my despondency drifting off into the street along with the charcoal smoke.

No Frills: Cơm Tấm Ba Ghiền has a classic rustic appeal.

To many Saigoneers, the feature of this piece will be of little surprise, perhaps even bordering on the predictable. Recognised in consecutive years by Michelin (Bib Gourmand), more than a little harder on the pockets than most, definitely somewhere you could run into tourists. Though while it’s nice, and a great privilege to shine a light on lesser known spots, rather than chartering the path well trodden, sometimes it's important to acknowledge that some things are recognised because they’re actually really, really good.

This was my experience, one of rediscovering a dish that I had long since discarded into the bin of rare disappointments, tasted again as a revelation. It has undoubtedly redefined my understanding of arguably Hồ Chí Minh City’s most beloved culinary export. One of those meals that I knew before I’d (kinda) finished the plate, more on that later, that I would definitely be writing home about. Hopefully to others, a new favourite found, or at least something to ignite the flame of their soon-to-be smouldering love affair with cơm tấm.

Variety: There’s a whole host of different toppings to be added to the dish.

To those already loyal to this dish, you likely have your own beloved spot and equally strong opinions as to what makes it the best in town. This isn’t to disparage the many other purveyors of this classic, but to highlight a gold standard, or at least a baseline in quality. Though, I fear for many, once you’ve gone Ba Ghiền, there’s no going back. The plate is monstrous, almost of ‘Man versus Food’ proportions. Commonly enjoyed as a breakfast but equally at lunch or into the evening, my mind draws comparisons with all-day breakfasts back home in Blighty, the ones with ungodly amounts of food that mere mortals could not hope to truly contend with.

Thankfully, the portion sizes here are far from a gimmick and serve only to deliver maximum satisfaction, bordering on culinary hedonism. If you’re not of a gluttonous sort, nor feeling particularly ravenous, then I would go as far as to recommend sharing with a friend. It’s one spot in Việt Nam that I’m not afraid to admit took on my appetite and thoroughly dispatched of it. You don’t so much receive a plate at Ba Ghiền as have it heaved in front of you – with a pork chop weighing in at around 300g, coated in their signature sweet and sticky glaze, seared yet tender, as the centrepiece to a bountiful display of flavours and textures.

Flame Grilled: The pork chops are marinated for up to 6 hours before being charred to perfection.

Making up the rest of this medley, we have Bì, thick strands of shredded pork skin which add a crumbly texture from the roasted rice powder that stops them from clinging together, it’s dry to the tongue but moist to the chew, garlicky and will be unfamiliar to many palates, yet it grows on me further with each and every bite. There’s Chả trứng thịt, a steamed egg and pork meatloaf; which is a spongy, almost custardy affair. Herby in flavour, it is elevated to near transformation when dipped into the fish sauce, notably sweeter than its more pungent northern cousin.

Finishing things is Lạp xưởng, also known as Chinese sausage, it’s fatty and heavily cured, a firm texture with a sweet taste. There’s almost always a runny in the middle fried egg and a side salad which more closely resembles a slaw, made up of shredded cucumber, carrot and papaya, with a few chillies thrown in for a slight kick, the sweetness cuts through the saltiness of the abundant meat. It’s a real symphony of flavours; sweet, sour, smokey, spicy and savoury, all working together in unison. Described in this way, it may sound pretentious, but it really is anything but.

A Southern classic: They just don’t do 'Cơm Tấm' like this up north

The story of this dish, as with so many of the world’s finest culinary triumphs, is humble in origin. Rice, the foundation of the meal, is not your typical rice, it’s ‘broken’. The byproduct of rudimentary milling techniques, the fractured rice considered unfit for export was kept by farmers, while the long, whole grains that we’re used to seeing, were sold for a premium. Over time, broken rice gained popularity – whether due to rarity or novelty – as necessity, so often the mother of invention, saw it paired with a whole host of sidekicks, the best of which make up the modern iteration that we now enjoy.

For nearly 30 years, the family here has been dishing out the good stuff, and their popularity has only grown since Michelin recognition. This isn’t a restaurant that whispers. It sizzles, it smokes, it yells, you can hear it down the street, and you’d better listen.

Tucked into an otherwise forgettable stretch of Đặng Văn Ngữ in Phú Nhuận District, the space remains defiantly unchanged; communal tables, fluorescent lighting, and apparently no plans to expand. That, of course, is exactly the point. Deliberate, humble, and honest, just like the food. VNS

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Cơm Tấm Ba Ghiền

Address: 84 Đặng Văn Ngữ Street, Ward 10, Phú Nhuận District, Hồ Chí Minh City

Tel: +84 28 3846 1073

Price: VNĐ75,000 - 145,000 (US$2.90 - 5.60)

Opening hours: 8am - 8:30pm

Top tip: Share a plate with a friend, unless you’re really hungry!