Taeki Chan Sometimes, the best food experiences when travelling are the ones you never planned for.
That was exactly what happened to us one evening in Vietnam. After spending quite some time walking around looking for somewhere to have dinner, we eventually decided to try a restaurant tucked away in a small back lane near our hotel.
What caught our attention was the number of people dining inside. There were quite a few customers, which is usually a good sign when you’re looking for somewhere to eat while travelling. So, without knowing too much about the place, we decided to give it a try.
It was only after we were inside that we discovered we had stumbled upon Bếp Mẹ Ỉn, a Vietnamese restaurant recognised by the Michelin Guide.
A Cosy Restaurant Hidden Away in a Back Lane
Bếp Mẹ Ỉn has a very different feel from the larger restaurants you might find along the main tourist streets.
Tucked away in a back lane, the restaurant has a cosy and casual atmosphere. The space feels lively without being overly formal, with diners enjoying their meals in a setting that feels quite intimate and distinctly Vietnamese.
For us, the location itself was part of the experience. We had not specifically searched for the restaurant or planned to dine there. We simply noticed that it was busy and decided to walk in.
That spontaneous decision turned an ordinary evening walk into an unexpected dining experience.
Refreshing Drinks to Start
We began our dinner with two drinks — coconut water and an ice-blended mango drink.
The coconut water was simple, refreshing and especially welcome after spending some time walking around.
The ice-blended mango was sweeter and fruitier, with a refreshing cold texture that made it an enjoyable drink to have alongside the meal.
Nothing too complicated, but both drinks worked well for a warm evening in Vietnam.
Stir-Fried Morning Glory with Garlic and Fermented Tofu Sauce
One of the vegetable dishes we ordered was Rau Muống Xào Tỏi, or stir-fried morning glory with garlic, served with fermented tofu sauce.
The morning glory retained a nice crunch, while the garlic added a familiar savoury aroma. The fermented tofu sauce gave the dish a stronger and slightly more distinctive flavour.
It was a pleasant side dish that worked well with the other food on the table.
However, based on our personal taste, it wasn’t something that particularly stood out among the dishes we tried that evening.
Must-Try: Bún Chả Mẹ Ỉn
The dish that caught our attention the most was the restaurant’s Bún Chả Mẹ Ỉn, which is listed as a must-try.
The dish comes with Vietnamese vermicelli, garlic minced pork and pork belly, accompanied by fresh vegetables and herbs.
What makes eating this dish particularly fun is that it is not simply a matter of mixing everything together.
We dipped the grilled meat into the savoury dipping sauce before wrapping it together with the fresh vegetables and herbs and eating it in one bite.
The experience reminded us a little of Korean BBQ, where you wrap grilled meat with vegetables before eating it.
And this combination worked quite nicely.
The smoky and savoury pork was balanced by the freshness and crunch of the vegetables, while the dipping sauce brought everything together. The different textures also made each bite more interesting.
Of all the dishes we tried at Bếp Mẹ Ỉn, this was probably one of the more enjoyable ones for us.
That said, despite being a recommended dish, it wasn’t quite the “wow” experience we were expecting.
Fried Rice Served in a Coconut
We also ordered the Cơm Chiên Trái Dừa, or fried rice served in a coconut with shrimp and egg.
The presentation was certainly one of the more interesting aspects of this dish. Having the fried rice served inside a coconut immediately makes it look more appealing and gives it a little more character.
The rice itself was savoury, with shrimp and egg mixed throughout. It was enjoyable enough and made for a satisfying addition to the table.
However, just like the other dishes, we felt that the overall taste was fairly average.
So, Was It Worth the Visit?
Our experience at Bếp Mẹ Ỉn was an interesting one, mainly because we discovered the restaurant completely by chance.
We weren’t looking for a Michelin-recognised restaurant that evening. We were simply hungry after walking around and noticed a busy little restaurant hidden in a back lane.
The restaurant certainly has its charm. Its tucked-away location, lively atmosphere and Vietnamese-style dishes make it an interesting place to visit.
The Bún Chả Mẹ Ỉn was probably our favourite among the dishes we tried, particularly because of the interactive way of eating the grilled pork with the dipping sauce, vegetables and herbs.
However, when it came to the food itself, our overall impression was fairly average. Perhaps discovering its Michelin Guide recognition after we had already entered raised our expectations a little too much.
Still, not every memorable travel meal has to be a spectacular culinary experience.
Sometimes, it is the story behind the meal that makes it memorable — walking around without a plan, spotting a busy restaurant in a quiet back lane, walking in out of curiosity and discovering that you have stumbled upon a Michelin-recognised restaurant.
And for us, that unexpected discovery was what made our dinner at Bếp Mẹ Ỉn worth remembering.
