Cuc Gach Restaurant — Restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City

I was told by several friends to come here for dinner. Sometimes finding a great meal is a group effort. My good friend connected me with his local friend. That friend told me to go here. The address he found was the wrong one but apparently it’s such a common problem the wrong place had print outs in English that read, “you’re probably looking for the other place” and a map to the actual restaurant. A few blocks later, I was here greeted by a somewhat indifferent staff. I didn’t have a reservation so they asked me to sit outside, which I obliged initially but the heat was unbearable and asked to be moved indoors. A table opened up and they promptly sat me upstairs. They guided me past the fish pond, up a treacherous stairway and through the hobbit doors. All so quaint and charming, but my American brain sees a concussion hazard/lawsuit. The story the host shared was that this was formerly a home and they opened up the attic to make more room for patrons. It made sense, the decor, the vibe feels like you’re being welcomed into someone’s well appointed 1980s home. There are several parties that look like work colleagues, really enamored by the kitschy cool of it all. Reading the menu, it suggested that you may want to ask the waiter for recommendations, which I did. One of the dishes he suggested was fried tofu and lemongrass. I was suspicious. Tofu? But you roll the dice and OMG was it totally delicious! soft and delicate, cooked perfectly and the lemongrass sprinkled on top to add texture and crunch. There was a nice wine list but only two options for white win by the glass. I ordered a glass of white wine and it wasn’t good. Shrug. This seems consistent with my experience in SE Asia so shame on me for ordering it. Next time, I’ll take the gluten hit and order beer. The other dish the waiter suggested was the braised beef. And while the stew it was cooking in, perfect, the beef was tough and chewy. I fished out the more fatty and gristly pieces, for better flavor and easier to chew. It was earlier in the evening so I imagine if the beef had time to break down, stew longer, this dish would have been awesome. The last dish I had was the melon flower beef which was solid. All in all, the entirety of the experience was great. Some minor nit picks but I would...

There are many reviews already vouching for this restaurant, so I will tackle this review from a different and personal angle. Rest assured the food is fantastic, theres something on the (huge) menu for everyone.

As a young Australian born Vietnamese, I find myself fearing that the culture (Saigon circa 1970s) my parents brought me up with at home would be lost with my generation. Fear that I won’t be knowledgeable enough to pass the food and the culture to my own children one day. Indeed in a constantly moving society, much of this golden era is lost even in HCMC itself.

In Cuc Gach Quan, I see a perfect preservation of this forgone era through food, furniture, music, atmosphere, and knickknacks decorating the place. Every single item in the restaurant seems to have a historical significance that my parents excitedly explained to me, bright eyed and reminiscent. A preservation celebrating Vietnamese culture that transcends politics. The food itself is cooked in a homestyle that has me choking back tears (perhaps of relief that my culture is very much alive in this place, perhaps reminding me of home in a way that I do not quite understand).

I see around me many tourists, undoubtedly seeking this place out through the esteemed Michelin guide. I feel a swelling pride that such beauty can be shared with the world through food.

The staff are wonderfully helpful and knowledgeable about their restaurant. You can feel they are passionate about their mission (yes I will call it a mission confidently after witnessing heartfelt chats between staff and my father).

Don’t let the large menu daunt you, cuc gach quan is a cultural sabbatical if you are so inclined. Unmissable...

We visited 230pm on a Saturday in July and it was quiet with just a few tables and construction downstairs on the ground floor of the restaurant.

Overall, I found this restaurant to be over-rated and over-recommended. If you do decide to visit, I strongly suggest you bring an experienced Vietnamese speaker who understands local cuisine. If you don't, you will be lost like we were and the staff are not very helpful.

The ordering experience is very challenging because its a menu unlike anything I've seen before. They list out every ingredient as its own line item and you have to essentially create your own dishes. If you're unfamiliar with Vietnamese cuisine, you will find this challenging. I expected the staff to be a lot more helpful but they were surprisingly dismissive, didn't make any suggestions despite my probing, and just told us to look up photos of what we wanted.

Regarding the service, I found it to be borderline unfriendly and neglectful. If you want anything you have to go flag down a server and sometimes they would buzz past our table pretending not to notice my gestures. At least once we ordered, the food came out reasonably quickly.

As for the food, I give it a 7/10. The ingredients seems good quality but the dishes lacked the usual fragrances and flavors we've gotten used to when eating good Vietnamese food. Overall the food was unmemorable but I acknowledge it may have had something to do with us not knowing...