1 Introducing Bai Rac broken rice restaurant
Address: 73 Le Van Linh Street, Ward 13, District 4, Ho Chi Minh City
Operating hours: 16:30 – 00:00
Bai Rac broken rice is very famous in Saigon. Photo: dantri
Hidden behind Xom Chieu market, Bai Rac broken rice restaurant has become a familiar place for many Saigon residents, especially those who love broken rice. Although there is no prominent sign, the restaurant is always very crowded at night. Ms. Bay’s family has maintained business here for nearly 30 years, and the restaurant has become one of the “stars” of broken rice cuisine in the evening in Saigon.
The rice dish here is expensive but still attracts many diners. Photo: dantri
Besides, the restaurant is also extremely popular with tourists when choosing to travel to Saigon. Many people have added Bai Rac broken rice to the top list of delicious restaurants that they must definitely enjoy on their journey to explore this magnificent city.
2 Explanation of the name Bai Rac broken rice
Many people, when hearing about Bai Rac broken rice, are very curious about the origin of this name. According to the Vietnamtravelio travel guide, this name comes from the first days the restaurant was opened in front of the Xom Chieu market gate, near the garbage collection area of small businesses. Since then, diners have given the restaurant this name as a souvenir.
The restaurant is open at night, from afternoon to evening, a familiar address for night owls. Photo: cafef
However, after moving to a new location many years ago, customers no longer have to deal with the bad smell from the landfill. Now, the restaurant has an official name: Com Tam 73, named after house number 73 Le Van Linh, Ward 13, District 4. The restaurant is located on a spacious sidewalk, always kept clean and tidy. Unlike many broken rice restaurants around, this place does not use glass cabinets to display food. Instead, broken rice is presented on two tables combined.
Even though it opens late, the restaurant is always very crowded. Photo: thanhnien
The menu of Bai Rac broken rice restaurant is very rich with many attractive dishes such as spare ribs, ribs, pig ears, eggs, roasted pork belly, fried chicken, sausages, stuffed squid and boiled and stir-fried vegetables. The meat is sliced thick and large, the fried chicken is moderately soft, and the color is very attractive. Surely the first time you come to this unique broken rice restaurant, you will be confused not knowing which dish to choose from such a diverse and eye-catching menu.
See more: Check out 8 broken rice restaurants at night for the Saigon night owl festival
3 Attractive flavors of Bai Rac broken rice restaurant
According to Mrs. Bay, the owner of the restaurant, the dishes here are seasoned according to family recipes, “standard home-made rice”. No matter how many guests there are, she always pays attention to each dish, carefully selecting ingredients, ensuring meticulous cooking, following the correct recipe so as not to lose the fresh flavor. Among them, the traditional pork rib rice and egg rolls and meat stuffed squid are two dishes that are praised and rated by diners as the most delicious.
Menu of attractive dishes at Bai Rac broken rice restaurant. Photo: thanhnien
According to comments from diners, the restaurant’s rice grains are cooked from broken rice, typical of Southern broken rice dishes. And fried eggs are fried so that the yolk is still liquid without being fishy. The ribs are marinated according to a separate recipe, without using commercially available BBQ sauce, creating a different flavor compared to other rice restaurants. The meat is soft, easy to cut, not too sweet, the meat still retains moisture without being hard, combined with the slightly burnt taste during the grilling process, making it even more delicious and attractive.
The eggs are fried until just cooked, keeping the yolks still liquid. Photo: thanhnien
The fish sauce at Bai Rac broken rice restaurant is also very special, not as thick as most other restaurants but has a moderate liquid consistency, combining a very characteristic sweet and sour taste from tomatoes or pineapple. In general, the plate of broken rice here is extremely high quality, worthy of the popularity that everyone tells each other about. However, some diners also think that the portion of rice seems a bit small, and when mixed with onion fat and egg yolks, it is easy to get bored.
Squid broken rice stuffed with meat is the best-selling dish here. Photo: tuoitre
4 Controversy surrounds the expensive price of the popular broken rice restaurant
One of the most controversial issues about Ba Bay rice restaurant is definitely the “sky-high” price of the dishes. Two plates of rice here have a total price of up to 195,000 VND. In particular, a plate of stuffed squid with meat costs 110,000 VND and a plate of rice with ribs and fried eggs costs 85,000 VND. If you order extra iced tea, towels or extra rice, the price can be double or even triple compared to many other shops.
The shop owner is taking each portion of rice according to the customer’s request. Photo: cafef
Ms. Bay said: “All dishes are prepared by my family. Every morning, the ingredients are delivered and the whole family of 6 people have to work hard to serve customers in the afternoon. However, the food is not made at once but divided into many batches. When it runs out, the people in the kitchen will prepare and bring more. This method helps diners always enjoy hot food without dust.”
The rice is also polished, cooked just right, not crushed or dry, creating a unique elasticity and aroma. A plate of white rice is often sprinkled with shiny green onion fat, extremely stimulating. Although each dish has its own price, the restaurant does not have a menu with specific prices, making it difficult for customers to ask the price when crowded, leading to many cases of strangers being surprised when paying.
Super quality ribs at Bai Rac broken rice restaurant. Photo: cafef
According to Vietnamtravelio, since its inception, the price of Bai Rac broken rice restaurant has always been more expensive than the general average. When the price of a bowl of pho was only about 20,000 – 30,000 VND, a plate of rice here cost from 60,000 VND or more. It is because of this expensive price that Mrs. Bay, the owner of the shop, is nicknamed “Mrs. Bay with a razor blade”, famous for her sidewalk shop that “cuts” prices like a restaurant.
With the development of social networks such as Facebook and TikTok, the shop has become more and more popular, but since then, many debates have arisen about quality and price. Some customers defended the shop because they had been with it for a long time, saying that the high prices were also due to the brand the shop had built. On the contrary, there are also opinions that the price and quality have changed, causing loyal customers to gradually leave, giving way to new customers who know about the restaurant through social networks.
Even though the price is expensive, the restaurant still has many regular customers. Photo: dantri
However, if you think that this broken rice restaurant took advantage of the viral sensation and arbitrarily increased the price, it is not true. The restaurant has been expensive for a long time but is still crowded, which partly proves the quality of the food. In Saigon, there is no shortage of broken rice restaurants with all prices, from affordable to luxurious. But on that culinary map, Uncle Rac broken rice still has a certain place.
Despite many controversies, up to now, Bai Rac broken rice restaurant is still a familiar place for many people in District 4 in particular and Saigon in general. The later it gets, the more crowded the restaurant becomes, creating a vibrant atmosphere that makes anyone visiting this city admire the unique nighttime culinary culture.
If you have the opportunity to travel to Saigon, do not miss the opportunity to visit this famous broken rice restaurant. Photo: tuoitre
Above is some information about Bai Rac broken rice restaurant for your reference and a memorable culinary experience. Don’t forget to refer to the Vietnamtravelio travel guide to discover more delicious restaurant addresses all over the country.
