Bánh căn Lệ — Restaurant in Da Lat City

Eating Bánh Căn in Đà Lạt was a truly eye-opening experience for me. Over the past few months, I’ve been exploring all kinds of Vietnamese food — and everywhere I go, the flavours just keep getting better and better.

During our time in Đà Lạt, my girlfriend brought me to Bánh Căn Lệ — a small, celebrated spot that’s recently gone viral on TikTok and other social platforms. Located at 27/44 Yersin (in a little alley) in Đà Lạt, this place is famous locally and loved by visitors. 

Here’s how the dish worked for me: • The pancake-like cakes are made from rice flour (and in Đà Lạt often egg is added) and cooked in individual moulds or clay pots over charcoal until they get a thin crispy crust and a soft, creamy inside.  • At Bánh Căn Lệ, the toppings vary: you’ll find versions with minced beef, quail eggs or chicken eggs, even seafood.  • The cakes are served hot, stacked or in groups, and come with a dipping sauce which — in Đà Lạt — is commonly a fish-sauce base with chopped onions and sometimes a hint of sour mango or chilli for extra kick.  • The dish is often paired with little meatballs (sometimes called xíu mại) and served with sausage (chả) on the side. 

I found the contrast of textures and flavours especially memorable — the crisp-edged pancake, then the gooey (or creamy) interior with egg, then dipping it into a richly seasoned sauce… it all made for a very satisfying breakfast or light meal.

The shop at Bánh Căn Lệ is modest but filled with character. The kind of place where you might have to wait 10-15 minutes as fresh batches are cooked, but it’s well worth it. 

If you’re visiting Đà Lạt, I definitely recommend you stop by Bánh Căn Lệ — and here are a few tips to make the most of it: • Go earlier in the morning, as the pancake batches are freshest then (and Đà Lạt’s cool air makes a hot treat even more enjoyable). • Ask for a variety of toppings — the beef, egg and seafood choices each bring something different. • Don’t skip the sauce: the fish sauce (or sometimes mắm nêm) base with chilli/onion is what elevates the pancakes. • Pair with a simple side (they often offer small sausages or meatballs) and maybe a warm drink — it’s a cozy...

Immediately becoming a huge fan of Banh Can at the very first time trying it, and I always have a crave for it whenever visiting Da Lat. This might be one of the best specialties which is such a game changer that will definitely elevate your whole trip into the next level.

This place is pretty well-known to tourists so queueing up and waiting for your turn are inevitable, but in exchange, your patience will definitely worth it.

Toppings for Banh Can are various, mainly quail egg, duck egg, meat with or without bean sprouts, but I don’t really recommend to order them together. For dipping sauce, there are 2 options: fermented anchovy sauce or fish sauce, you can also add some meatballs in if you want to. Especially, tons of chopped green onion is a dispensable ingredient contributing to the fullest flavor of the dish so it would be heaven for those who are able to eat scallion.

Although every order is fresh-made, it’s not too long waiting for a plate of piping hot Banh Can to be served, consist of 5 pairs each. They are crispy on the bottom yet fluffy on top and completely unseasoned, simple but taste wonderful.

Overall, it is a must-try delicacy, suitable to warm you up under an icy weather. However, the price is quite average, not too pricey or low, but worth a try once...

Deliciously hot, freshly made rice cakes with a slightly crispy exterior and fluffy interior. Toppings options are various combinations of quail eggs/eggs, minced beef, and bean sprouts. My favorite were the quail eggs since the yolks add the perfect amount of creaminess to the rice cakes. The beef rice cakes were a bit too soggy for my taste. I got the fish sauce with scallions for dipping. I recommend eating this with the chả (Vietnamese pork sausage) wrapped in banana leaves placed at the tables. Juicy, umami, and just the right amount of springiness. To my delight, both the sauce and the chả were served warm. This was exactly the breakfast I needed for a chilly morning: simple,...