Bếp Mẹ Ỉn - Vietnamese Restaurant — Restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City

Fantastic restaurant in the heart of District 1 that completely exceeded my expectations for Vietnamese dining. The pork skewers were absolutely outstanding - perfectly charred, well-seasoned, and served with fresh vegetables and herbs.

The real adventure began when our server brought the rice paper wraps. The concept seemed simple enough: dip the rice paper in water, add your ingredients, roll it up, and eat. Watched a Vietnamese family at the next table execute this with effortless grace, making it look as easy as folding a napkin.

My first attempt resulted in what can only be described as a rice paper explosion. Too much water, everything stuck together, and when I tried to roll it, the whole thing disintegrated like wet tissue paper. Pork skewer ended up on the table, vegetables everywhere, complete disaster.

Second attempt I used less water, but rolled it so tightly that biting into it was like trying to eat a rubber band wrapped around meat. The young couple at the neighboring table were clearly trying not to laugh at my struggles.

By my fifth attempt, I'd finally achieved something vaguely cylindrical that held together long enough to get into my mouth. Not pretty, but functional. The Vietnamese grandmother sitting nearby gave me an encouraging nod that felt more pitying than congratulatory.

But the real revelation was the pickled pear drink - tangy, sweet, refreshing, and unlike anything I'd tasted before. Inspired me to write this short poem while waiting for dessert:

Pickled pear in glass so clear, Sweet and sour, brings good cheer, After rice paper defeat, This drink makes the meal complete.

Sarah would be mortified if she knew I was writing poetry in restaurants, but something about that pickled pear deserved documentation beyond a simple review. The balance of flavors was genuinely inspiring - tart enough to cut through the rich pork, sweet enough to be refreshing, and the pear chunks added texture that elevated it beyond typical restaurant beverages.

The staff were incredibly patient with my rice paper incompetence, even offering helpful demonstrations when my frustration became obvious. Never once made me feel like the clumsy tourist I clearly was.

Atmosphere is lively without being overwhelming - open-air courtyard where I could smoke my cigarette without feeling ashamed.

Highly recommend for anyone visiting HCMC. Just maybe watch a YouTube tutorial on rice paper rolling before you go, unlike certain stubborn Canadians who assumed it would be intuitive.

The pickled pear alone is worth the trip. Sometimes the simplest things inspire the most appreciation - even if it's terrible poetry written by a 69-year-old...

Unfortunately, my worst meal in Ho Chi Minh City was at this restaurant. I understand that food taste is subjective, but I truly cannot relate to all the glowing reviews from other customers.

Yes, the food here is pricy, and yes it is a very touristy restaurant, but these aren't issues as I was already aware of that before I chose to eat here. I am disappointed by the poor quality of food and the subpar service.

SERVICE: The staff who greeted us at the entrance was friendly. We didn't have a reservation but (un)fortunately there were vacant tables. We were seated at the floor table on the top level of the restaurant. After we sat down, the staff seemed to have forgotten about us. We sat for minutes, and no one came to take our orders. We even rang the bell several times but still no staff came. Maybe the bell was broken? In the end, a solo male customer helped us get the attention of the staff, but even he had to raise his voice 2-3 times before a waiter came.

FOOD: Goi Cuon Bi Thit Nuong: This was genuinely BAD! For spring rolls that cost 129.000dong, I would expect that the chef knows how to prepare decent grilled pork. The pork was very very dry, tough and flavourless. As this was the first dish served, it was a bad start to the meal.

Banh Xeo Tom Thit: I found the shell too sweet, but it was indeed really crispy. The filling is stir-fried with some kind of savoury sauce. Overall, it's fine but nothing substantial.

Gio Heo Muoi Chien Gion: Funny enough, the best thing I ate here were the vegetables and sauce that came with the pork knuckle. The sauce was very flavourful. The pork knuckle was okay but the skin could've been crispier.

I was excited about eating here, but it was such a letdown that I feel like I wasted one precious dining opportunity during my short...

An all-in-one type of Viet place to visit with many regional dishes to try

Food 1.7 🌟 10/10 Bánh xèo Nấm Bò Absolute crunch outside, flavorful, tender beef, mushroom still has a crunch in each bite 9/10 Bánh xèo Hải Sản Still that crunch outside, filled with seafood, but not as strong inpression as Nấm Bò 6/10 Vegetarian Spring Rolls The rolls are fine, just...the dipping sauce was not all there. Whether this dish is good or not, it's up to the sauce. 10/10 Bò Lúc Lắc The tenderness and flavorful of shaken beef and fries (with a little twist) 9/10 Stir-fry Zucchini flower Aromatic and flavorful vege dish 9/10 Chả cá Lã Vọng Well-done and clean fish. The shrimp paste is a tad lighter than what I usually have so it lost a tint hint of the flavour. 7/10 Bún chả This one was a meh-okay, not the place's strong suit, definitely had better to compare with. 15/10 Roasted-Deep fried Pork The meat tender with extra crispy skin attached. The sauce though...omg, the best dipping sauce available on the table.

Price 1.0 🌟 330k/person with drinks and VAT included, about 37.5k/dish Decent price for some very well-done dishes, and mediocre for those that are not. But overall, it's fair for the quality and quantity.

Service 1.0 🌟 Service was swift. Staff were friendly and attentive.

Environment 1.0 🌟 Cozy and warm place with cute "quê" style decor.

Overall 4.7 🌟 A Must-Try...