Grillin’ like a Villain – clockwise from top left – muc nuong sate, goi bon bon, bo tung xeo, so huyet rang me
—
The Astronomer and I tagged along with a travel journalist named Peter a number of times last week as he explored some of Saigon’s best eateries for a piece in progress.
After our extensive food tour of District 4, we met up with Peter for dinner at Quán Nướng 3T in District 1. As its name implies, the restaurant specializes in grillin,’ and every table is equipped with a brazier for diners to cook their own supper. The only thing that could have made this place better was if we hunted our prey too.
Peter heard good things about the bo tung xeo (60,000 VND), so we made sure to get an order of that. The pieces of cow marinated in garlic arrived raw and ready to meet the heat. The fatty bits splattered a bit, but the burning sensation on my arm subsided once I tasted the results, which were tender and savory. Eating red meat makes me feel like a caveman.
The heo rung nuong xa ot (wild boar marinated in chilies and lemongrass – 45,000 VND) was also a treat to grill up. Sliced more thinly than the bo tung xeo, these little piggies cooked up quickly and had plenty of chewy cartilage for me to gnaw on.
Our last victims of the evening were the muc nuong sate (squid marinated in sate sauce – 45,000 VND). Even though the squid was not Phu Quoc-tender, the spicy and salty sate seasonings made up for the less than perfect texture.
We rounded out our protein-rific and grill-centric meal with an order of so huyet rang me (blood cockles with tamarind sauce – 35,000 VND). Unlike the bloody cockles I’ve enjoyed in District 4, these contained a bit of minced lemongrass which added a subtle new layer of flavor.
The goi bon bon (75,000 VND) was wonderfully fresh, but couldn’t compete with the beefy, piggy and squidy delights.
—
Quán Nướng 3T
29-31 Ton That Thiep Street
District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Phone: 8211633
Wow, that bo tung xeo looks yummy–especially with that flame! That’s impossible to achieve with my yakiniku grill for my portable butane stove. I love it when the flame can come up and char the bits of fat in the meat.
droolworthy post…is it lunch time yet???
Tia – When I tossed the wild boar on to the brazier, a HUGE flame shot up! The waitress had to come over and turn off the thing. I like dinner with a dash of danger!
Anh – I assure you that it’s lunchtime somewhere in the world.
N – I’d totally choose sushi over grilled meats. Wanna trade?
I’m sitting here crying into my sushi (more like drooling actually). Thanks for posting.
It’s a shame you didnt get to try my favourite dishes from this restuarant. I really enjoy eating the ‘thit bo pho mai’ (beef filled with cheese and a slice of onion) and the live prawns on skewers marinated in chilli and fish sauce.
Huong – thanks for letting me know. I’ll be sure to order them the next time I hit up 3T!
It looks yummy! I have a chance to visit there few days ago. Nice food but It’s very crowded. You should booking in advance before arriving.
Just so your avid readers know, that this place is located behind Fanny (Ice Cream Parlour). I was there, but could not find the BBQ place above. Disappointed, I must say…especially after reading your mouth-watering posts/pictures.
However, on the next evening when I finished my dinner at BBQ Garden, I went to Fanny for Ice Cream and that was when I noticed the tiny signage for Quán Nướng 3T. Bummer! 🙁
There’s always a Next-Time… LoL
was looking up this restaurant to see if they have a website, and found your post! when i was still in vn this restaurant is the designated place for me and my immediate family. SO GOOD! so hot and noisy, but so meaty and delicious. if you have a chance to go back, try vu de nuong (grilled goat udder). thats the main reason i always go back there 😀