Êm - Comfort Food — Restaurant in Hội An

We visited on a Thursday evening without a reservation and were pleasantly surprised to find four tables available on the main restaurant floor. We were quickly seated and attended to by a friendly young waiter. Eager to try a variety of dishes, we ordered the following:

Prawn Spring Rolls Steamed Squid in Coriander Sauce Beef Pho Pork Belly and Bok Choy Noodles

The prawn spring rolls were a unique twist, with the whole prawn, including the shell, wrapped inside. The shell was fried to a perfect crisp, allowing you to eat it whole—a refreshing take on a classic dish.

Next came the steamed squid, which was delicious. The sauce complemented the squid beautifully, adding depth without overpowering the dish.

Then, the pho arrived. We were craving a great bowl of pho, and this one did not disappoint. Though the portion was smaller than traditional pho, it packed an incredible punch. The broth was fragrant and full of flavor, while the beef was perfectly cooked—tender and juicy. This was, by far, our favorite dish of the evening.

The pork belly noodles were equally impressive. The rich, flavorful sauce paired perfectly with the noodles and bok choy. The imported pork belly was marinated and cooked to perfection; even the fatty parts melted in your mouth. We couldn’t stop eating—it was that good.

There was a minor issue with one dish, but it was addressed promptly, and the owner, Em, personally came over to make sure everything was taken care of. We really appreciated his attention to detail and the personal touch he added to our experience.

Overall, I highly recommend this restaurant if you're looking for a modern twist on traditional dishes. We’ll definitely be back to try more...

Went to Em tonight - best meal so far in Vietnam - food and presentation were excellent, good service as well. Started with spicy beef w/lemongrass which was served with cabbage for wrapping and Thai basil and fried shallots on the side - beef had peanuts and ground toasted rice mixed in giving really good mix of texture when wrapped in the cabbage, and there was also a bit of spice in the beef to wake the taste buds up. Next was steamed pork wrapped in napa cabbage with a soy and anchovy sauce. Beautiful presentation and dipping the roll in the sauce lifted what could have been a bland pork cabbage combo. Then grilled pork belly skewers with sesame seed and leek - the pork belly and leek came out hot with a nice char that tasted of caramel. Finally the pork ribs with pickled cabbage. Ribs were in a sauce with galangal and fish sauce - nicely sweet and savory. The meat came easily off the bone while still retaining texture. And the pickled red cabbage was there to cut through the fatty richness of the pork.

Em is all the tastes of Vietnam packaged into beautiful little vistas of flavour. Please go and enjoy it...

Can’t say much about the atmosphere but the service and food was amazing. I was ill in bed with food poisoning and was instructed to eat bland food like congee. There were no restaurants in Hoi An advertising congee, but I read in a Google review that Em had once served a customer congee off the menu. So I called and was received by a slightly surprised owner of my special request to have congee delivered to my hotel (I was too sick to leave my bed). He does not offer take out food nor congee but came through for me. Better than that, they packed it with extra ginger and other known traditional herbs for stomach aches. The meal was super delicious and it helped me recover in a day.

Firstly, not in my wildest dreams would I expect this type of service anywhere which was why I was nearly begging for help. I was willing to pay double, triple or more for any help at the time. But they came through with zero delivery fee and a super reasonable price for the meal. AMAZING.

Thank you, Em Restaurant. When I come back next year, I will visit and try your other delicious dishes that others in Google review...