Despite working at Joo Chiat, which is effectively Singapore’s Little Saigon, I rarely have Vietnamese food. However, I’m glad I decided to sample the Bún Thit Nuong Chá Giò, which is a Spring Roll, Grilled Pork combo on a bed of vermicelli noodles at Lap Vietnamese Restaurant.
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Yeah, I know, I actually had to dig to find the noodles too. Yes, the bowl is actually a large bowl. That’s right, the pork chop & vegetables were so awesomely abundant that it obscured the prodigious portion of noodles. The vegetables & vermicelli noodles were unseasoned, but there’s a bowl of sweet chili sauce provided that you mix into it all to power it up with sweetness, spiciness and just a little twinge of tanginess.⠀
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The pork chop was incredibly intriguing, as it was a little on the tough side, yet it was most definitely not dry. It’s been sensationally seasoned with a herb & spice rub that I can’t place for the life of me, and it’s acquired a delicious smokiness from the grill. Better yet, it’s served with the bone, and as expected, the meat got felicitously fatty & divinely juicy the closer you get to the bone.⠀
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The surprise star in the bowl definitely has to be the deep fried spring rolls. It’s charismatically crunchy, and Lap is incredibly generous with the minced pork in the filling. The minced pork is sensationally seasoned, and the crunch of water chestnuts is endlessly endearing. The perfect blend of savoury, soft meatiness juxtaposed with the indecent crunchiness of the chestnuts & the thin rice paper wrap? Sold, sold and SOLD.⠀
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Yessir, Lap serves up Viet food so good I’d gladly lap it all up all day any day. GOOOOOOD MORNIN’, SAIGON!