I recently learned that my friend Evelina‘s family eats Vietnamese-style roasted catfish (cá nướng da dòn) in place of turkey every Thanksgiving and Christmas. As anyone who’s ever experienced this crackly and caramelized preparation can attest, twice a year is simply not enough. When a major craving hits and the holidays aren’t in sight, Evelina grabs a table at Thiên Ân Bò 7 Món in Rosemead. It’s certainly not as good as grandma’s homemade version, but the catfish here is still pure “scrumptiousness.” Evelina’s words, not mine.
When a sudden hankering surfaced a few weeks back, The Astronomer and I were on hand to join the catfish queen for dinner at Thiên Ân. A gaudily framed photo of the famed dish greeted us as we walked through the front door. Flanking it on both sides were glowing write-ups from the Los Angeles Times. It’s no secret that this place is delicious.
Evelina called a few hours before our arrival to order a medium-sized catfish ($39) for our party of six. Our whiskered guest of honor was placed before us soon after we received our drinks. If you forget to call ahead, it can take up to 30 minutes for the fish to be prepared. Trust me, the wait is worth it.
