Pickled eggplants with shrimp paste, braised fish, sweet and sour stir-fried pork ribs, stir-fried chicken offal with luffa, fish braised with galangal, and stir-fried mussels are popular dishes in family-style meals in northern Viet Nam.

Meals are served on trays, bringing a feeling of closeness and familiarity to diners. Photo: H.L

In Da Nang, there are many restaurants serving northern family-style meals. Amongst, the Com Mam Restaurant, located at 44 Thai Phien Street, Hai Chau District, has been well-known for its close-to-family space, attractive menu, and inviting prices, thereby bringing a familiar feeling, and stimulating the taste buds of those who always love family meals.

Simplicity, warmth and comfort are the criteria for serving guests at the Com Mam Restaurant.

In particular, dozens of rustic dishes, with a hint of Ha Noi cuisine, such as pickled eggplants with shrimp paste, braised fish with galangal, stir-fried bitter melon with eggs, and stir-fried pork rinds with salted vegetable, are served on an old copper tray, making the restaurant space look like a family kitchen.

For Hanoians, a plat of boiled ‘ga mai ghe’ (the hen is about to give birth to her first brood) is an indispensable delicacy in the family meal on special occasions. The dish is enjoyable when being dipped in green chilli salt or lemon pepper salt thanks to the natural sweetness of the chicken meat, and the salty and hotness of the sauce.

Besides, the restaurant also serves many central regional-style familiar delicacies such as braised pork with shrimp paste and lemongrass, sweet and sour fried ribs, and ‘banh trang cuon thịt heo’ (belly pork and vegetables wrapped in soft rice paper).

Aside from the rich menu, the architectural space with classic dark brown tone is one of the plus points at the restaurant. The doors familiar to Vietnamese people’s home architecture are cleverly combined with tables, chairs, walls, tiles and decorative lights, hereby creating a familiar and cozy space for enjoying Ha Noi cuisine.

Reporting by HUYNH LE - Translating by M.DUNG