Bánh Canh Cua 87
87 Tran Khac Chan
(across the street from Hem 94)
District 1
*****
Crab loaf & pork – ready for bánh canh cua
As Eating Saigon! readers well know, Saigon is filled with small local eateries, where, if you know where to look, you can find some of the best food on the planet.
Preparing bánh canh cua
Perhaps it’s being simmered on the street by an old woman slumped over a huge pot of broth. Or being grilled by a young girl in her open-air living room using her family’s countryside recipe. Every Saigon street corner and small alley has the potential of offering you your next excellent meal!
This week Hai introduced me to one such culinary gem where the owner has been preparing bánh canh cua for over 30 years – Bánh Canh Cua 87.
Bánh canh cua
I heard the excitement in Hai’s voice as he suggested that we really should have bánh canh cua today. I suspected I might be in for a treat. Off on the motorbike with great expectations!
We arrived to a crowd of locals pushing their way into the small eating room (always a good sign.)
Look what’s cooking here!
Hai order up two bowls of bánh canh cua as we jumped off the motorbike and luckily grabbed the two last empty stools.
The thick udon-like noodles, slithered through my chopsticks, but ultimately, they couldn’t escape my determination. Slightly chewy and firm in texture, the bánh canh noodles were surprising light going down. And equally as surprising, there was a pile of real, shell-free crab meat scattered throughout the noodle bowl. Add to that the chả cua (steamed ground crab meat loaf) that was moist and flavorful. And, yet more – huyết heo (pork blood cubes), a good-sized shrimp, pork slices, a quail egg, chopped green onions and more. A truly fresh, delicious, and satisfying meal. Cám ơn nhiều (thank you thank you) Hai for finding another Saigon gem!
Bánh Canh Cua 87 is now one of my new favorite Saigon eateries. Do yourself a favor and don’t miss this very special dish at this simple and comfortable restaurant.
Open from 2:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Rau má (sweetened & chilled vegetable drink)
UPDATE – JANUARY, 2024: OMG! THIS PLACE JUST KEEPS GETTING BETTER. In my top 3 meals in Saigon!
UPDATE – February, 2016: I briefly thought about replacing Bánh Canh Cua 87 on my “Top Picks”. BUT, we stopped by here tonight and … OMG! So very very excellent. Still full of delectable crab meat, shrimp and so much more. It remains a top favorite. Order đầy đủ (“a little of everything”). Just 78.000 vnd for two bowls and two glasses of rau má (sweetened & chilled vegetable drink.)
Tuyet, preparing banh canh cua for over 30 years!
Bánh Canh Cua 87
87 Tran Khac Chan
(across the street from Hem 94)
District 1
View Bánh Canh Cua in a larger map
We ordered to-go on a late afternoon on our 3rd evening in Saigon. My boyfriend is a frequent eater of Banh Canh Cua. So we couldn’t miss the opportunity to try out your suggestion while in District 1.
My boyfriend slurped every last drop of the soup. It has my boyfriend’s approval. I tried it myself and I think it was well worth the trip.
Thank you for the suggestion.
Dear Joe and Hai, I just discovered your blog today and have read a few of your postings so far, and I really enjoyed reading them.
As I’m planning my first trip to HCMC, your blog is very helpful. The way you write about your personal experiences makes me feel like I’m sitting at a table with you in Saigon listening to you talking about your discoveries.
How I wished there’s someone like you with your personal and in-depth knowledge blogging about quaint and interesting shops and crafts in Saigon as this is another area of my interest.
Thank you for a wonderful blog.
So glad to hear you’re enjoying our eating blog, George! Unfortunately, we’re not really shoppers. But if we (or our readers) stumble on an interesting venue – we’ll pass it along. 🙂