I've long ranted about subpar Vietnamese places in Hong Kong (and in New York). There are always…read moreexceptions to the scene and I would place Bún Cha in the "much better" category. They have made a smart business decision in setting up shop in that Central-meets-Sheung-Wan part of town and offer the kind of Northern Vietnamese fare that just about anyone can enjoy.
In some strange way, Bún Cha reminds me of places in Vietnam. It is incredibly small and located on a steep hill just across from PMQ. How they've managed to squeeze in some tables in here is beyond me, but know the seating is extremely tight. Even with a table or two on the outside, they experience lines / queues during peak service hours all the time. Unlike a lot of their nearby eatery neighbors, they stay open during that weird 3pm-6pm time frame, which is when I like to eat here. Crowds be gone.
Similarly to Vietnam, the Viet speaking staff works behind an open kitchen / counter in clockwork type fashion. Everyone has a role and they do it well. Thank the stars for the massive air conditioning units from above; back in the motherland the wall fans aren't enough to keep sweating from dripping into the food. Thank goodness they stack a ton of napkins for everyone to use.
Onto the food: My pho bo (really "pho tai") was wonderfully garnished with the basil, scallions, and onions with a small side of lime and chilis for additional zest and bang. I love that they include hoisin at the table (tuong den) because frankly, the broth needed it. It's definitely not MSG-laden but may be less potent in the eyes of other fellow pho lovers. In that sense, it was mildly disappointing, but certainly not a deal breaker. And for what it's worth -- it's a big ol bowl. No one mentioned anything about xe lua!
I've also sampled their version of bun thit nuong, i.e. vermicelli with grilled pork and it was refreshing. The pickled veggies were fresh and I appreciated the generous dousing of fried garlic, peanuts, shallots across the dish. Unlike some versions in the US / Australia where there is a massive heap of salad beneath, this one did not have that. Plenty of bún; just the way I like it. Add to that a jar with a handle full of nuoc mam, which I've not seen in any Viet restaurant in HK. Kudos on that.
The real star of the show was the cha gio, or Vietnamese spring rolls. They're more akin to the nem cua of northern Vietnam -- spring rolls stuffed with minced pork, crab, glass noodles, and fungus. They were light, crispy, and even airy; just like the stuff back in the motherland. Even the accompanying lettuce was stiff with freshness, which made the meal all the more pleasant.
It all comes at a price. At around $70HKD for the average noodle dish, it's hardly highway robbery but it's certainly along the same price point as most places in Central. They make a killing on the drinks, charging as much as $40HKD for stuff like Hanoi Beer, which is an easy $4HKD in Hanoi itself. Rent does need to get paid after all and with *good* Viet food in demand, they've certainly got one of the better options in town.
