Comments on: Cơm Tấm Mộc – Ho Chi Minh City

By: Richard

Richard — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 09:27:03 +0000

I love Com Tam Moc, the best one I have enjoyed!!!:)

By: Michelle

Michelle — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 19:59:33 +0000

Oh my god, I didn’t know there are such variations in Thit Kho. I thought that coconut juice is just a Southern touch to the dish because, you know, we add coconut in every dish we make =) I just learn something everyday reading this blog

By: DVQ

DVQ — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 15:43:08 +0000

If you refer to Thit Kho, the meat is normally chopped in much smaller size, less left-over liquid compared to Thit Kho Trung or Thit Kho Tau.

Thit Kho Tau, the word Tau has nothing to do with “Chinese”. It means “light” (as in light taste).

In fact Thit Kho Tau is different from Thit Kho Trung (or often called Thit Kho Hot Vit). In principle you don’t use coconut juice (the water) in Thit Kho Tau but you do in Thit Kho Trung. There should be more liquid in Thit Kho Tau than Thit Kho Trung as well (it takes longer time for the egg to absorb the liquid in Thit Kho Trung). Nowadays people mix up all the names and this principle is therefore also flexible. Hmmm I just asked my mom

By: Gastronomer

Gastronomer — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 09:37:41 +0000

DVQ – You know, I thought the nuoc mam was quite decent at Com Tam Moc. And I tried Banh Cuon La when I first arrived in town, but haven’t returned since because The Astronomer and I left really hungry.

Htran – Good point. Meat is so much pricier! I think they’re just trying to cater to Western palates. The location is right next to Ben Thanh Market, if you know what I mean. And no worries, street food is a live and well in HCMC.

Vivian – My family always referred to caramelized pork with eggs as Thit Kho, but that is a very small sample size. I guess Thit Kho Trung would be THE most accurate

By: vivian

vivian — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 06:59:11 +0000

Just want to clarify something, thit kho with hard boiled eggs is called Thit Kho Tau in Vietnam (‘Ta`u’ as in ‘Chinese’, not ‘ship’), or Thit Kho Trung (similar to: Thit Kho Dua`, Thit Kho Cu Cai…). When people talk about Thit Kho, many families still think of Thit Kho with caramelised sugar alone, not with anything else. I know Vietnamese restaurants in many countries usually serve their Thit Kho with hard boiled egg, and some ab-normal people like me don’t like it, as I don’t like the egg in Thit Kho.
Other than that, I hope it’s not the end of street food either. I can’t imagine living without them while in Vietnam. I seriously need to find time to go back soon…

By: htran

htran — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 13:51:41 +0000

I totally agrees with you about the hard boiled eggs in thit kho. Thit kho without the caramelized eggs is incomplete.
I am also puzzled by the skimpy rice portion since it is cheap compare to meats.
Is this the beginning of an end to real street foods? I hope not.

By: DVQ

DVQ — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 11:01:37 +0000

This place is quite a decent place. The food is good, not great. The dipping fishsauce is ok, not bad not great. With Com Tam, the dipping fishsauce is to make or break the dish.

You should have also checked out Banh Cuon La, next door to this one (if I remember correctly). Banh Cuon in AC