Much to The Astronomer’s dismay, traditional steakhouses just aren’t my thing. While I can appreciate a slab of meat as much as the next carnivore, I’d rather sink my teeth into noodles, fried chicken, sushi, and the like whenever we eat out. However, there is one worthy exception to my general sentiment: Vietnamese-style steak. It’s hardly the tenderest cut or preparation, but the flavors and fixings make it impossible to resist.
An expat magazine pointed The Astronomer and me to Lệ Hồng, a popular steak shack hidden away in Phú Nhuận District. We came for lunch and dined amongst local office workers, as well as a dozen motorbikes because the dining room doubled up as a parking lot.
Each order of steak comes with a simple side salad made of iceberg lettuce, pickled shallots, sliced tomatoes, and cilantro sprigs. The vegetables are lightly dressed in a vinaigrette made from white vinegar.
Warm and crusty baguettes are also included with each order for sopping, dipping, and filling up tummies.
To supplement our salads and baguettes, we also ordered a plate of khoai tay (French fries). Even though the spuds weren’t uniformly cut, each one was crisp and golden. No ketchup necessary.
The best part of Vietnamese-style steak is that it is presented on a cow-shaped cast iron skillet. My bo ne, which included sliced steak seasoned with salt and pepper, a sunny up egg, sauteed onions, pate, a few shakes of Maggi, and a spoonful of margarine, landed on the table sizzling and bubbling from the stove’s residual heat.
I tore off a hunk of baguette and went to town on the platter—breaking the yoke, smearing the pate, and soaking up the meat’s juices. It hit the red meat spot and then some.
The Astronomer ordered the bo luc lac without an egg. The steak was cubed rather than thinly sliced, while the fixings remained the same.
Now, if American steakhouses adopted some Vietnamese embellishments, I might be inclined to dine there more often. Steak was made to be served with pate, baguettes, and a runny egg.
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For more Vietnamese food adventures from our summer 2011 trip, check out these posts:
- Saigon Classic: Bún Bò Huế Yên Đỗ
- Saigon Classic: Flaming Roadside Bánh Xèo
- Saigon Dinner Crawl: Squeaky Meatballs, Sesame Sludge, Spicy Duck Tongues, and More
- District 4, Saigon: Our Home Away From Home
- Saigon Classics: Goat Three Ways, Coconut Ice Cream, and Vietnamese Fried Chicken
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Quán Lệ Hồng
489/27/39 Huỳnh Văn Bánh
Phú Nhuận District, Hồ Chí Minh City
Oh my, I absolutely love that cow cast iron skillet! I love reading about meals while on travel and this one looks like perfection. Any idea where I can find this dish in the SGV or LA area?
I want my steaks on cow shaped vessels only from now on.
man you’re eats were so good! i’m super jeals!
I’m trying to think of something that I have had that looks this good. Not a damn thing comes to mind. Egg yolks, steak and bread?! And pate?!?! Come on, this is fantastic!
Astronomer!! Gasp! How could you get this without the egg? I would like this now–with egg.
We used to live around the corner from Quán Lệ Hồng in Huỳnh Văn Bánh. You should have tried their mixed fruit salad with condensed milk and a separate glass of crushed ice (and optional Vinamilk yoghurt). It’s great!
This dish would surely take me out of my breakfast rut. I’m passionate about finding dishes that can change how we eat breakfast in this country.
Gosh, I’d love steak like that too! (The Portuguese also seem to serve fried eggs with their steaks often)
This looks so good…do they have anything like this in socal??!?
Natalie and Cliff – I’m not sure if this dish can be found in LA or OC. My knowledge of Vietnamese eateries isn’t great, but I think there must be one place in Little Saigon that serves Vietnamese steak.