Brian Jeffrey
The restaurant known as Com tam bai rac, which translates to Landfill broken rice, is situated in ward 13 of district 4 in Ho Chi Minh City. Initially located near Xom Chieu Market, where traders gathered garbage, it earned its nickname due to the surroundings.
After relocating to Le Van Linh street, the eatery operates from 4 pm until the early hours of the morning and is busiest at night. Despite the original name implying a landfill, the new location is clean, with food presented on stainless steel tables.
The menu offers a variety of dishes such as ribs, braised eggs, and stuffed squid, ranging in price from VND50,000 to VND100,000 per serving. Popular items include broken rice with pork chop and skin (com suon bi) and rice with stuffed squid (com muc nhoi thit).
The cost of the dishes, however, is relatively high, with a serving of ribs priced at VND90,000, leading to the shop owner being dubbed ‘Mrs Bay razor blade’ by customers due to the perceived high prices.
Despite mixed reviews on pricing and quality, the eatery has gained popularity on social media, attracting both local diners and foreign YouTubers. South Korean YouTuber Choi Jong-rak praised the food quality, while Japanese YouTuber Kazuki Matsumoto found the prices too steep.
Overall, Com tam bai rac continues to draw a steady stream of customers, with its unique dishes and unconventional reputation keeping diners curious and interested.
