Lê Văn Sỹ is best known for clothes shops, not food. Still, if you know where to look, this shoppers paradise offers a vast array of eating opportunities. Hẻm 284, tucked away at the end of the street near the canal, is a tiny street-food haven.
From baby clams to avocado smoothies and goats milk creme caramels, this alleyway is crammed full of Vietnamese delights. Here are my favourite spots to eat:
Cơm Hến Hue
This small stall near the end of the alley plates up delicious Central-Vietnamese food. The ingredients are fresh, prices are reasonable and they offer some of the best Hue-style food I’ve tasted in Saigon. Don’t leave without trying the cơm hến: rice served with baby clams, crispy pork skin and veg, washed down with a tasty clam-broth – only 25K VND.
Price 20-30K VND, Gluten-free. Located at Number 9, near the end of the alleyway.
Cơm Tấm Thảo
This is a good spot to chow down on a Saigonese classic: cơm tấm (broken rice with grilled pork and veg). Be sure to get a serving of chả (egg meatloaf) too: they cook it perfectly here!
From 30K VND. Gluten-Free, Vegetarian Options Available. Located at the entrance to the alleyway, on the left.
Há Cảo Thinh
This is the first of two adjacent stalls selling há cảo (dim sum). They are freshly cooked and served swimming in soy sauce, normally topped with a drizzle of chilli sauce: my mouth is watering just thinking about it. My recommendation? Order a plate of mixed dim sum then head to the stall next door for bánh cuốn (steamed rice rolls), which cooks it better.
25K VND/plate. Gluten-free. Located just past the entrance of the alleyway on the left (look for the rasta-coloured sign).
Sinh Tố Buôn Mê
If, like me, you’ve unexpectedly developed an addiction to avocado smoothies during your time in Vietnam, head over to Sinh Tố Buôn Mê. They offer a tasty kem bơ (avocado smoothie topped with coconut ice cream) for 30K VND.
Price 30K VND. Gluten-free, Vegetarian. Located at number 12, near the end of the alley on the right.
Yaourt
This little gem offers some delicious yaourt (Vietnamese-style yoghurt) and bánh flan (creme caramel served with crushed ice, coconut milk and coffee). The puddings here are really rich and stupidly creamy. What’s their secret? All the desserts here are made using goats milk. If you’ve got a sweet-tooth, the bánh flan here is a must-try.
Price 10-20K VND. Gluten free, Vegetarian. Located at no.5, half way up the street on the left.
To view the location, click in the top right and search for ‘Hẻm 284, Lê Văn Sỹ’.