BackEat & Drink » Food Culture » Dishcovery » Society Cafe's Cơm Xá Xíu Fine-Tunes a Cantonese Classic With New Techniques

Society Cafe's Cơm Xá Xíu Fine-Tunes a Cantonese Classic With New Techniques

Inspired by a Cantonese classic, Society Cafe & Dining’s char siu pork is carefully seasoned and prepared over two days, while the accompanying daikon and radish were pickled from scratch. Put together by famous food YouTuber Culinary Frank, cơm xá xíu is notable for the sous vide method used to marinate the meat more evenly. This technique brings out the char siu's full flavor while keeping the meat's original texture.

After going through sous vide cooking for an hour, the pork is further heated in the oven and finally hand-grilled to give it classic char marks. Frank cuts thin slices of the meat and carefully places them on top of a bed of white jasmine rice seasoned with a special char siu sauce. Bok choy, pickled radish, and daikon surround the evenly cut and aesthetically arranged pork slices.

A layer of the sauce is poured onto the char siu, and the delicate plating process is finished with an onsen egg, sprinkles of sesame seeds and green onion. “The onsen egg was my touch to this bowl, as it complements quite well with the meat,” Frank told Saigoneer when we last visited the cafe.

The Society Cafe & Dining's cơm xá xíu.

Sweet, salty, smoky, and umami complete the dish's flavor profile. The char siu slices are juicy, tender, and well-seasoned, compelling you to go for another bite. The accompanying sauce is not too sweet and enhances the meat's umami flavor and tenderness. The crunchy pickles and soft white rice add a nice balance of textures, tastes, and temperatures. The distinctive and harmonizing flavors appeal to a wide range of taste buds, so if you happen to be in District 1 at any time of the day, drop by Society Cafe & Dining for a bowl of cơm xá xíu.

Society Cafe & Dining

2nd Floor, 26 Lý Tự Trọng, Bến Nghé Ward, D1, HCMC

Print
icon

Related Articles

Paul Christiansen

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Cà Phê Sữa and Cơm Tấm With a Side of Espionage History

Kimchi is not a common cơm tấm accouterment. The extra helping of chili pepper heat, palate-cleansing bitterness and cabbage leaf crunch doesn't taste out of place beside a fully loaded plate of broke...

Khoi Pham

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Curry Shika and 12 Years of Making Memories in Saigon

Unlike a normal human, there is a chance that my body is not 70% water, but 70% curry; and a good 50% of that might actually be Japanese curry.

Khôi Phạm

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: The 40-Year-Old Phở Gà in Kỳ Đồng, Now Michelin-Approved

If you’re ever lost in District 3, Kỳ Đồng’s famous phở gà place will be the oasis you need in those trying times.

Paul Christiansen

in Dishcovery

Nem Cuốn Is the Refreshing Rolls We Need in Saigon’s Sweltering Summers

Even during the summer, when the sun bares its teeth and snarls at passing clouds, one must eat. But lugging a belly stuffed with hot, heavy soup, rice and meat through days devoid of shade sounds hor...

Paul Christiansen

in Dishcovery

A Flaky Pâté Chaud That's Been a Saigon Institution Since 1930

It took me 37 years to have my first pâté chaud.

in Dishcovery

Chả Cá Lã Vọng, Now in Burger Form at D2's Latest Burger Joint

With its tiled walls, neon signs, and red-and-white color palette, The Smash Saigon appears to emulate the classic aesthetics of American diners. These motifs are so heavily associated with American c...

Partner Content