Bún Thịt Nướng Chả Giò - Nguyễn Trung Trực — Restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City

In the vast, sprawling streets of Vietnam, amidst the hustle, the honks, and the ceaseless hum of motorbikes, I found myself at Bún thịt nướng - Nguyễn Trung Trực. The name itself might roll off the tongues of locals with ease, but for the uninitiated, it’s a riddle, a mystery that’s only unraveled with a first bite.

And what a revelation that bite was. Life-altering. The kind that makes you question every culinary decision you’ve ever made. The spring rolls? A masterclass in texture and flavor. Crispy, yet soft; tangy, yet savory; every bite was a dance of contradictions that somehow made perfect sense.

Then there’s the bowl of bún, a seemingly simple dish that hides its complexity. Each element, from the noodles to the grilled meat, harmonizes in a symphony of taste, creating a balance so nuanced it’s almost poetic.

Now, you might think the food was the star, but the ambiance played its part too. The rickety plastic chairs, the nondescript tables, the very air laden with a mix of grilling meat and traffic fumes - it all adds to the charm. The staff, with their surly nods and brisk manner, may seem distant, but it’s all part of the performance, the authentic street-side experience.

Bún thịt nướng - Nguyễn Trung Trực isn’t just a meal; it’s a journey, a story told one bite at a time. In the vast culinary landscape of Vietnam, this is one chapter you don’t want to miss. If you ever find yourself wandering these streets, do yourself a favor: pull up a plastic chair, order a bowl, and prepare to be transformed. Highly, unequivocally...

This District 1 street side stand has been around for 30 years and is established amongst the locals as having the best spring rolls in the bún thịt nướng game. And they aren't wrong!

With a rice paper roll exterior, they are not only loaded with tasty minced pork, woody mushroom and glass noodles, but it is their not-so-secret addition of minced crab meat that brings out a flavour sensation unlike anything I've tasted in a spring roll. Honestly the best spring roll I've ever tasted in my life.

Tradition stands where you are seated where they see best (even if they move you three times until they are happy) and they expect you to order immediately but really, if you order anything but the number 1 - you're doing it wrong!

The sisters cut the char off the grilled pork on the side of the road whilst another aunty checks their work before assembling the bowl. We ordered two extra skewers between three to share for added protein but the bowl doesn't need it unless you're hungry.

It comes with a decent serving of nước chấm. I suggest pouring half in and using the other half as a dipping sauce for the spring roll to bring out it's extra fishy flavour.

Coming with a singular tuber (have no idea why it's called this but it's essentially a Vietnamese pickled onion), you can add extra if that is your thing.

Honestly, don't eat anything but the number 1 here, and at 65,000 dong ($3.83 AUD) - it's too cheap not to order and enjoy another spring...

Best ! The staff here awesome. All older elders mostly but so so eager to serve customers and tourists. They are happy to interact as best as they can in their English and super friendly and genuine. It was great watching them working together as a team- welcoming customers, carrying trays of food across the road to the other side where more customers sat, cleaning tables, suggesting drinks..

They also actively and politely engaged with tourists and spoke English as best as they could or they would gesture. Probably the most good vibes customer service I’ve seen so far in HCM.

The food is really good. The carrot and white radish is so crunchy and zig zag cut. Really adds to the texture. Also the various herbs and the amount added forms a highly leveled dish- not slip shod. You can tell they have perfected their signature dish and are proud of their work. The meat is well grilled , not tough and the fried spring rolls are YUMMY. Just make sure you get a cool drink too to match your meal. 5 stars . Would gladly eat again and would even love to takeaway more spring rolls home to eat.

Shoutout to the cute elderly uncle there who gamely said in his most professional accent: “thank you very much” in English when handing me back my change. A lovely authentic...