Taeki Chan When travelling around Ho Chi Minh City, it is almost impossible not to be tempted by the city’s incredible food scene. From tiny street-side stalls to stylish restaurants serving traditional Vietnamese cuisine, there is always something new to try.
During our stay, we decided to have dinner at Quán Bụi, a Vietnamese restaurant that had been recommended to us as a well-known and highly rated dining spot. More importantly, it was conveniently located near our hotel, making it an easy choice after a long day of exploring the city.
We were curious to see whether the restaurant would live up to its reputation.
For our dinner, we ordered four dishes: Cuốn Khai Vị Quán Bụi, Thịt Kho Trứng, Cá Bóp Kho Tộ, and Đậu Hũ Chiên Sả.
Cuốn Khai Vị Quán Bụi – A Platter of Vietnamese Wraps and Rolls
We started with the Cuốn Khai Vị Quán Bụi, the restaurant’s platter of Vietnamese wraps and rolls.
This was easily our favourite dish of the evening.
The platter brings together different wraps and rolls with fresh vegetables, herbs and accompanying dipping sauces. It offers a nice combination of textures, from soft wraps and savoury fillings to the freshness and crunch of the vegetables.
What we particularly enjoyed was the variety. Rather than committing to one particular flavour, the platter allowed us to try several combinations in one sitting.
The fresh herbs and vegetables also helped keep the dish light and refreshing, making it a pleasant way to start the meal.
For us, this was the standout dish at Quán Bụi.
Thịt Kho Trứng – Braised Pork with Eggs
Next came Thịt Kho Trứng, a classic Vietnamese comfort dish featuring braised pork and eggs cooked with coconut juice.
The pork is slowly braised in a dark, savoury sauce, allowing it to become tender while absorbing the flavours of the braising liquid. The eggs also take on the rich colour and seasoning of the sauce.
The flavour profile is typically a combination of sweet, salty and savoury, with the coconut juice adding a gentle sweetness.
We found the pork tender and the sauce enjoyable with steamed rice. It is the kind of dish that feels very much like Vietnamese home cooking.
However, compared with the appetiser platter, we found this dish fairly average.
Cá Bóp Kho Tộ – Caramelised Braised Cobia
The third dish was Cá Bóp Kho Tộ, or caramelised braised cobia served in a pot.
Cobia has a firm, meaty texture, which works particularly well for braising. The fish was cooked in a rich, dark sauce with a sweet and savoury caramelised flavour.
The concentrated sauce is designed to be enjoyed with rice, and each bite of fish picked up plenty of that flavour.
It was a decent representation of Vietnamese-style braised fish and certainly suited anyone who enjoys stronger, savoury flavours.
For our personal taste, though, it was pleasant but not especially memorable.
Đậu Hũ Chiên Sả – Fried Homemade Tofu with Lemongrass
Our final dish was Đậu Hũ Chiên Sả, fried homemade tofu with lemongrass.
The tofu was fried to give it a lightly crisp exterior while retaining a soft texture inside. The addition of lemongrass provided a fragrant, herbal aroma and gave the otherwise simple tofu a little more character.
This is the sort of dish that works nicely alongside rice and the other stronger-flavoured dishes on the table.
Again, it was perfectly pleasant, but we found it fairly average compared with the Cuốn Khai Vị Quán Bụi.
After trying four dishes, our overall impression of Quán Bụi was quite straightforward.
The restaurant offered a pleasant introduction to Vietnamese home-style cooking, and we particularly enjoyed the variety and freshness of the Cuốn Khai Vị Quán Bụi.
The Thịt Kho Trứng, Cá Bóp Kho Tộ and Đậu Hũ Chiên Sả were all decent dishes, but none of them really stood out for us. They were enjoyable enough, but based on this particular meal, we wouldn’t say they were especially memorable.
That said, one meal is certainly not enough to judge an entire Vietnamese restaurant.
Vietnamese cuisine is incredibly diverse, and Quán Bụi has a much larger menu than the four dishes we tried. It is quite possible that we simply didn’t choose the dishes that best showcase what the restaurant does particularly well.
For travellers staying nearby, however, Quán Bụi makes for a convenient option when you’re looking for a sit-down meal featuring familiar Vietnamese flavours in a more comfortable restaurant setting.
Final Rating: ★★★½
Our favourite: Cuốn Khai Vị Quán Bụi
Worth trying: The wraps and rolls platter
Overall impression: Pleasant Vietnamese home-style dining, although the other dishes we tried were fairly average.
Sometimes, a restaurant doesn’t have to blow you away to make for a pleasant dinner. For us, Quán Bụi was exactly that — a convenient and enjoyable Vietnamese meal, with one particularly memorable platter that stood above the rest.
