Located deep in a quiet alley on Hoang Hoa Tham Street, Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City, Xoi Bat is the only sticky rice restaurant to make it onto the Bib Gourmand 2024 list voted by Michelin Guide.
Not only is the price affordable, the restaurant attracts diners with its beautiful space and delicious, unique flavors.
The restaurant has a rather modest area with 5 or 6 dining tables placed close together. In return, the space is very open, airy, with lots of trees and is as beautiful as coffee shops.
Mr. Huynh Phuc Thinh, 29 years old, the owner of the restaurant said: "While many people know about pho and banh mi, sticky rice - one of the quintessence of Vietnamese cuisine - is overlooked."
Inspired by his mother's sticky rice dish, along with the desire to introduce traditional Vietnamese dishes to domestic and international diners, Mr. Thinh decided to open a restaurant despite not having much experience in business or cooking.
With the slogan "A very different bowl of sticky rice", the restaurant serves sticky rice with a variety of toppings, kimchi and a bowl of hot carrot soup.
The sticky rice here is made from soft, fluffy, golden sticky rice with the aroma of coconut milk and pandan leaves. According to the owner, the rice is usually divided into small batches to steam, helping to control and ensure the quality of the sticky rice throughout the day.
Toppings include shredded chicken, sausage, braised pork, pork offal, char siu, fried eggs... Except for sausage, all of these toppings are prepared fresh every day to ensure flavor and food safety.
Sticky rice with braised pork and pepper is the most popular dish ordered at the restaurant. Soft pork belly, lean and fatty, cooked with coconut water, fish sauce and caramelized sugar, has a rich flavor and an irresistible aroma.
Different from the way it is prepared in the North, the braised meat here is cooked for many hours, not too salty but imbued with the light sweetness and richness of coconut milk.
The restaurant is always packed at lunchtime and is constantly "exploding" with orders on online food ordering apps. The restaurant is open from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. every day. A portion of sticky rice here costs 39,000 - 65,000 VND.
"We want to elevate sticky rice, making it tastier, cleaner and more refined. At the same time, we hope to also introduce this unique aspect of Vietnamese culinary culture to the world," the restaurant owner affirmed.
