Having lived in Saigon together for over 5 years, Hai and I have found that when we plan to go out with friends for the evening, we always must choose between a “western” or a Vietnamese eating experience.
No longer!
Last night, East met West at CLB Bia 2F and we all loved it!
CLB Bia 2F – Great beer, Great Vietnamese food
First, we were served great Vietnamese food. The chef must be from the central coast of Vietnam since all our dishes had strong and delicious flavors and dipping sauces and everything had a bit of a spicy “kick”.
We started out the evening with two amazing salads. A crispy, grated taro salad flavored with a tangy tamarind-sauce. Then, a real treat of eel, deep-fried with lemongrass, served with a giant grilled bánh tráng “cracker.” Hai and I agreed – major YUM!
crispy fried grated taro salad flavored with a tangy tamarind-sauce !
Eel, deep-fried with lemongrass, served with grilled bánh tráng”
After our salads, the marinated beef (BBQ’d at the table) was tender and served with a delicious marinade of fish sauce, sugar, chili and quả quất (cumquat).
Our table grill for beef and prawns!
And then there were the amazing grilled giant prawns with a delicious green spicy dipping sauce.
Grilled giant prawns with a tangy green dipping sauce (spicy!)
All excellent and unique central Vietnamese dishes!
And, the spiciness of all the dishes was a perfect compliment to the nice assortment of beers offered at CLB Bia 2F (both western and Asian beers). All chilled, inexpensive, and particularly flavorful.
East Meets West – Bavarian beer and Central Vietnam cuisine – WOW!
I chose the dark German draught (from the Bavaria region). It was not bitter at all, even a tad sweet.
CLB Bia 2F BEER TOWERS
Several tables surrounding us were enjoying giant beer towers. Apparently, beer towers and beer clubs are currently the trend “sweeping Saigon.”
Finally, the open-aired garden patio setting at CLB Bia 2F was great.
Very comfortable ” open-air” patio seating at CLB Bia 2F
This place seems perfect for a bunch of friends to gather for a beer and some unique Vietnamese food, or anyone to stop by for a yummy snack on a lovely patio, all right near Saigon’s center.
A nice beer selection at even nicer prices
Oh, and very reasonable prices too. Our cost for 2 beers and a delicious mini Vietnamese feast for two was just 145,000 vnd ($7 USD).
We’ll be back for sure.
If you stop by and encounter one of the two owners, Ngoc and Vinh, tell them Joe and Hai from Eating Saigon! send their best. (At a minimum, you’ll get an extra smile.)
Open now from 6 pm to midnight. (But the owners say soon they plan to offer breakfast, then lunch from 6:30 am – 2pm).
CLB Bia 2F
79C Dien Bien Phu
District 1 (about 50 meters south down a small side street from this address)
View
Hi,I have been following your yummy blog with great interest.I shall be arriving in Viet Nam soon and will definitely give CLB bia 2F and withlocals.com a try.Thank you for the info.
HJ.