"Saigon's working-class masterpiece: broken rice with grilled lemongrass pork chop, pork skin and steamed egg meatloaf. The defining breakfast-lunch of Ho Chi Minh City."
About Cơm Tấm (Broken Rice)
Saigon's working-class masterpiece: broken rice grains (the small fragments that break during milling, once only eaten by the poor) topped with a grilled pork chop marinated in lemongrass and fish sauce, shredded pork skin (bì), steamed egg meatloaf (chả trứng), pickled daikon and carrot, cucumber and spring onions; served with a fish sauce dipping broth (nước chấm); the defining breakfast-lunch of Ho Chi Minh City.
Cơm Tấm (Broken Rice), a staple of Vietnam's cuisine
Saigon's Dish
Com tam, broken rice, is the defining everyday meal of Ho Chi Minh City: small fragments of rice, once the cheap leftovers of milling, topped with a grilled lemongrass pork chop, shredded pork skin, a steamed egg meatloaf and pickled vegetables. Humble in origin, it has become a beloved breakfast and lunch. It is served on a flat plate with a small bowl of nuoc cham.
The Broken Rice
The broken grains are not a flaw but the point. Their fractured surfaces soak up the fish-sauce dressing faster and more completely than whole rice, and their slightly softer, clumpier texture suits the dish. What began as poverty food became prized in its own right.
The Toppings
A full com tam is a study in variety: a charred, lemongrass-marinated pork chop, the threads of seasoned pork skin called bi, a steamed pork-and-egg meatloaf, and pickled daikon and carrot for sharpness. Each element brings a different texture and flavour to the plate. The grilled chop, smoky from charcoal, is the centrepiece.
A Working-Class Icon
Com tam is street food at its most democratic, sold from stalls with plastic stools and eaten at any hour, breakfast or lunch alike. The nuoc cham is poured over the rice and left to soak in before eating. Charcoal-grilled and assembled to order, it is the taste of everyday Saigon.
What to Expect
The cơm tấm arrives on a flat plate, the pork chop charred from the grill, the broken rice mounded alongside. The nước chấm goes on the rice immediately. The egg meatloaf is eaten last.
Why Try It
Cơm tấm reflects Ho Chi Minh City's culinary character, served at outdoor stalls with plastic stools and enjoyed at 8 a.m. or 2 p.m. with equal legitimacy.
✦ Photo Gallery
Insider Tips
Cơm Tấm Thuận Kiều and Cơm Tấm Bụi in District 3 are reliable addresses.
Add the nước chấm (fish sauce broth) immediately and let it soak into the rice before eating.
The pork chop should be charred from a charcoal grill, gas-grilled versions are noticeably different.
