Banh xeo sizzles at 40-year-old eatery
Banh Xeo Ba Duong is a popular restaurant in Da Nang that feeds over a thousand customers a day thanks to its secret sauce and extensive menu.
Banh Xeo Ba Duong on Hoang Dieu Street, Hai Chau District, is a familiar address for foodies in the central coastal city. The banh xeo (Vietnamese crepe) is sold here daily from 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. The number of customers on weekends or rainy days can count up to a thousand.
Mrs. Duong, 90, started selling banh xeo in Da Nang more than 40 years ago as a street vendor. This eatery is currently under the management of her descendants.
The main dish at Ba Duong restaurant is a typical central region-style banh xeo, with diamter of about 20 centimeters, smaller than its counterparts in the south. The batter is made from rice flour, and the filling includes shrimp, pork, and bean sprouts.
Quyen, Duong's granddaughter, said that all ingredients are carefully selected. The rice is soaked for about four hours before being ground into flour, which is then mixed with water and turmeric powder. The batter turns into a golden brown crepe and is soft inside with a crispy crust as it is cooked in the hot pan.
The cook is always highly focused as she has to keep up with six frying pans at the same time. You can see she keeps flipping the crepes to ensure all crepes are evenly cooked.
A portion of four crepes costs VND55,000 ($2.33).
In addition to banh xeo, Ba Duong restaurant also serves nem lui (lemongrass pork skewers), bun thit nuong (vermicelli with grilled pork), and bo nuong la lot (grilled beef in betel leaves).
Other ingredients such as herbs, lettuce, mustard greens, cucumber, shredded papaya, and dipping sauce are prepared in the morning to ensure freshness and deliciousness.
Diners can use rice paper as a wrapper, and put the banh xeo along with herbs on the inside to make a roll. It is served with a dipping sauce made according to a traditional recipe. This brown and viscous sauce has a rich and aromatic flavor of meat, bone, fat, and beans.
Da Nang resident Nguyen Thi Thom is a frequent diner at the restaurant. "On rainy and cold days, I can't resist this hot and crispy dish. The restaurant's dipping sauce has its own unique flavor as well. Also, the restaurant’s diverse menu is a plus point," Thom said.
Banh xeo Ba Duong has been featured on many travel websites, including Tripadvisor, and has received good reviews from domestic and foreign diners.
Besides the compliments, many people think that the restaurant is a bit tight, crowded and hot, especially in the summer. Some diners comment that the food quality is not always stable. And remember to check the address carefully to avoid eating at knock-off eateries.
