Xoi Com, a Michelin-lauded home-style rice restaurant

1Xoi Com, the traditional Vietnamese family meal tray honored by Michelin

Xoi Com is a small restaurant located in an old apartment building in Dong Da district, Hanoi. This restaurant has been honored for two consecutive years in the Bib Gourmand category (good food at affordable prices) of Michelin Guide 2024. When mentioning Xoi Com, everyone immediately thinks of the familiar image of traditional Vietnamese meals. Most of the diners who come here are those who want to find the taste of home-cooked meals, where there is rice cooked by their mother.

When entering Xoi Com, you will immediately feel the rustic, simple space, reminiscent of the old house of the 8X, 9X generation. From the wooden cabinets, old TVs, radios, to each traditional toy, all bring a familiar feeling. The dark-toned wooden tables further highlight the family dishes. In particular, the rice trays here with typical dishes with pickled eggplant are delicately presented, helping to evoke nostalgic memories of an old land, while making the meal look more beautiful and delicious.

A plus point of Xoi Com is that although the restaurant is always crowded and noisy, it strangely still retains the nostalgia of Hanoi in the 1990s with tiled floors, yellow walls and wooden tables and chairs. The gentle music of “Winter Story” in the nostalgic space further enhances the feeling of familiarity and coziness.

Currently, Xoi Com still maintains the architecture of an old-style collective house with a set of bowls and plates imported from craft villages. An interesting point for visitors here is that the restaurant serves desserts on plates made from ash glaze – a typical Vietnamese ceramic glaze from the 11th century. The nostalgia is also expressed through the large chopsticks used to scoop rice, giving you a truly Vietnamese culinary experience.

2The story of the restaurant’s birth told by the “9x” owner

According to Vietnamtravelio’s research, Xoi Com is the brainchild of Mr. Le Minh Tung, a young man of the early 9X generation. Mr. Tung opened the restaurant during the epidemic prevention period with the belief that everyone wants and deserves to enjoy a home-cooked meal full of memories.

The restaurant not only impresses with its delicious dishes but also with very small details such as using chopsticks typical of the three regions of the North, Central and South, reminiscent of old family meals. Mr. Tung shared that each pair of chopsticks, from the thick and round-headed North, the oar-like Central region, to the flat-headed South, all bring a sense of familiarity and closeness.

During the days when Hanoi had rotating power cuts, the restaurant still maintained the traditional method of cooking rice by hand using clay pots, washing rice in bamboo baskets and cooking rice with charcoal. This created a characteristic burnt layer that was extremely familiar to the 8X and 9X generations, when electric rice cookers were still a luxury. The restaurant’s name “Xoi Com” also evokes the traditional culinary style, when each tray of rice was an emotional touchpoint with family memories.

Mr. Tung is proud that the restaurant has been honored by the Michelin Guide for two consecutive years, not only considering this a personal achievement but also a recognition of Vietnamese cuisine. He affirms that the restaurant always changes its menu daily with fresh ingredients from the morning market, adhering to the principle of seasonal dishes to ensure that each meal is fresh and well-prepared.

The Bib Gourmand title from Michelin is not only an affirmation of quality but also an encouragement for Xoi Com to continuously improve and develop. Mr. Tung wishes to widely introduce the Vietnamese home-cooked meal culture with the image of families gathering around a wood-burning stove and cast iron pot to international friends.

3Outstanding flavors in every meal

Xoi Com was born with a simple dream: to bring a rustic home-cooked meal in the heart of Hanoi. The restaurant operates in a traditional style, similar to the way parents and grandparents used to go to the market and cook every day with each meal tray full of vegetables, protein, soup, side dishes and a pot of white rice.

The daily menu includes about 25 familiar Northern dishes such as stir-fried beef, fried shrimp, stir-fried chayote, sweet and sour ribs, stir-fried morning glory with garlic, tofu marinated in scallion oil, crispy fried pork belly and sour soup.

The dishes at Xoi Com are not elaborate but complete and neat, bringing a feeling of closeness and warmth like a family meal. Each dish is prepared according to folk experience with simple spices, familiar in every Vietnamese kitchen.

Ms. Thuy Linh – a regular customer of the restaurant confided that although it cannot be as delicious as the dishes her mother cooked, every time she steps into the space of Xoi Com, she feels like she has returned to her childhood, eating a simple meal with her family. The familiarity and rustic, simple flavors of the dishes at Xoi Com have touched the hearts of many diners, bringing a feeling of warmth and peace in the midst of a busy life.

4Dedication is shown through traditional meals

Xoi Com Restaurant has shown its dedication through traditional meals with the motto that the quality of ingredients is the decisive factor. The owner does not put the chef first but focuses on the origin and quality of the ingredients. All meat, fish and eggs are imported from large supermarket chains in Vietnam, while vegetables are sourced from small farmers in Mu Cang Chai, Yen Bai and Son La.

Ingredients at Xoi Com are carefully selected according to season and local characteristics. For example, the pumpkins must be old varieties, weighing about 6kg each, and the ginger must be of the type that has been preserved for many years to ensure a rich flavor. The broad beans must also be old varieties, with a light purple color around the edges and a distinctive flavor.

A meal at Xoi Com includes a vegetable dish, two protein dishes, a pot of rice and dessert for about 150,000 VND per person. Each portion is prepared in just the right amount, for example, a plate of sweet and sour ribs costs 85,000 VND and includes 5-6 pieces.

Ms. Thanh Ha – a customer in Dong Da district commented that the food at Xoi Com was well-seasoned but the amount of food was a bit small compared to the price. However, she highly appreciated the quality of the food and the service of the restaurant.

The owner admits that the prices may be high for the average person, but he believes that the quality of Vietnamese food is worth the price. The restaurant changes its menu every day and does not reuse leftovers to ensure the freshness of the food. Before opening, Mr. Tung will always check all the prepared ingredients to ensure standards, helping to bring diners the best culinary experience.

Xoi Com not only conquers diners with delicious dishes and reasonable prices but also with a cozy and intimate space. Being honored by Michelin in the Bib Gourmand category is a testament to the restaurant’s quality and dedication in preserving and developing traditional Vietnamese cuisine. If you are looking for a place to enjoy a true family meal in the heart of Hanoi, Xoi Com deserves to be in your travel guide.