Recently, Cơm tấm Ba Ghiền was mentioned by Michelin Guide in their Bib Gourmand list – a selection of restaurants that offer delicious food at affordable prices.
This is one of the most famous cơm tấm restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City. However, many people argue that the restaurant does not meet the criteria of being “good food at reasonable prices.”
Is Cơm tấm Ba Ghiền really worth the hype?
Cơm tấm Ba Ghiền has been in business for nearly 30 years and is known for serving the “biggest pork chop in Saigon.”
Trang Võ, a first-time customer, shared her experience: “I heard people talking about it on the internet, so I decided to give it a try. This is the first time I’ve had such an expensive pork chop. It seems like only rich people can afford to eat here regularly.
As for the quality, the pork chop is flavorful and big, but a bit dry and tough. The lack of soup makes it feel heavy. Overall, it’s a decent and impressive dish mainly because of the big pork chop.”
She also mentioned that she wouldn’t return to the restaurant because the portion of rice is larger than a regular meal. Besides the distinctive big pork chop, the taste of the dish is not particularly special to keep customers coming back.
Similarly, Nguyệt Nhi thinks that the price at Ba Ghiền is a bit high, but the food is abundant, especially the “one pork chop that can make you full for a week.”
She commented, “The restaurant is quite clean in the morning, but it becomes a bit dirty during lunchtime due to the large number of customers and limited staff. The pork chop with fish sauce is delicious.”
Speaking of the price, Trần Hà Thanh said, “I had a meal here about a month ago, it cost 120,000 VND for a plate of cơm tấm with pork chop and pork skin roll.
The pork chop is as big as two palms and it’s marinated perfectly, very delicious. One serving is enough for my family. So, I think the price is reasonable for the excellent quality.”
Tuổi Trẻ Online interviewed Đường Thế Phong, a regular customer who has been dining at Cơm tấm Ba Ghiền for 20 years. When he first discovered the restaurant in the early 2000s, he was a student with limited money, so he could only eat at Ba Ghiền occasionally. Despite the emergence of many new and better cơm tấm places, he still chooses to eat here because he’s accustomed to the taste.
“The special thing about this place is that they serve a wide variety of food. It has always been like this. Compared to ordinary restaurants, the price here may be higher, sometimes even double or one and a half times higher. But they marinate the meat very well, using their own recipe. Considering the amount of food they serve, the price is not too expensive,” said Đường Thế Phong.
The “Biggest Pork Chop in Saigon”
When Ba Ghiền was awarded by Michelin, many people on social media argued that the price of cơm tấm here is too expensive to be considered affordable. Regarding this issue, Trương Vĩnh Thụy, the restaurant owner, said that customers need to visit and experience it for themselves.
He affirmed, “I can guarantee that in Saigon, no other restaurant sells a lunch box for 81,000 VND with a pork chop as big as mine. On average, each pork chop weighs about 4.5 lạng, some even weigh 5 lạng. I use fresh and hot meat every day.”
According to Mr. Thụy, since 1995, his mother, Mrs. Nguyễn Ngọc Điệp, has been selling cơm tấm with a very big pork chop. Later, he increased the size of the pork chop as it is now, with the aim of making it the restaurant’s signature dish.
The weight of the pork chop before grilling ranges from 4 to 5 lạng. The pork chop is marinated overnight, then continuously grilled over charcoal to keep the meat tender. However, during peak hours, the meat is not well taken care of, resulting in some pieces being burnt and dry.
When placed on a plate, the large pork chop covers the entire portion of rice underneath. For an average eater, finishing the whole plate of rice is not an easy task. Many customers can only finish the pork chop and leave some rice.
Observing the restaurant, many customers leave a significant amount of rice uneaten, some even have to take half of the meal home.
A special cơm tấm plate with pork chop, pork skin roll, pork meatloaf, sunny-side-up egg, Chinese sausage, and grilled minced pork costs 149,000 VND. The lowest-priced dish is 81,000 VND. When eating at the restaurant, customers receive a 5,000 VND discount.
Apart from the food, the restaurant’s ambiance also catches the attention of many people. At first glance, the restaurant looks dim and old, with areas that haven’t been cleaned thoroughly. When asked about upgrading, Mr. Thụy said he wants to preserve the old charm of the cơm tấm restaurant. Furthermore, he mentioned that the price will not change, regardless of whether they get attention from Michelin or not.
