“Xoi” (steamed glutinous rice) is considered to be one of the classic traditional Vietnamese dishes.  It is often served on special occasions such as ancestors’ death anniversaries and parties.  This scrumptious dish is made of round, white and glutinous grains of rice.  There is a wide range of “xoi”, each with distinctive tastes, including “xoi vo” (glutinous rice cooked with split peas) and “xôi xeo” (steamed glutinous rice).  Commonly, sticky rice is steamed with momordica cochinchinensis, peanuts, and black, red or green peas.  Innovative cuisine might serve “xoi” with chicken, birds and quail eggs.

Of all Da Nang’s restaurants which serve this type of food, the Tay Bac restaurant is famous for its special “xoi” dish which is named after an impressive character in a Vietnamese legend: Thang Bom.  The restaurant’s customers are very impressed with this kind of “xoi” because of its attractive colour, crispy rice with a lasting flavour, and the chicken with its unique taste.

Delicious Thang Bom “xoi”

This restaurant is located at the Hoa Son T-junction in Hoa Vang District’s Hoa Son Commune.  It is only about 15 km west of Da Nang, on the road leading to the Hoa Khanh market and the Ba Na-Suoi Mo ecotourism area.

The young owner of the restaurant revealed the fresh ingredients used to make this speciality food.  They are glutinous rice which is grown by the Co Tu ethnic minority people, and chicken raised in the local hills.  He also said that it takes the restaurant’s chefs only 30 minutes to make this kind of “xoi”.  He added that pieces of roasted or grilled chicken will be stuffed into well-cooked ball-shaped glutinous rice.  It is then put into the oven at 1000C before being served.

Attractive Chung Thuy “Xoi”

In order to make more eye-catching “xoi”, the restaurant serves heart-shaped “xoi” called Chung Thuy (Faithfulness).  This delicacy is served with hot sauce and fresh fragrant herbs.

It is said that the Thang Bom and Chung Thuy “xoi” dishes are the best choice for those who want to express their love for their partners.