Bánh Canh Cua

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 – Banh 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, thebánh 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