Cơm Hến, or Baby Basket Clam Rice
by Cơm Hến Bé Liem, Huế, Vietnam
One of the must-try dishes in Hue, the ancient imperial capital of Vietnam, is com hen, or baby basket clam rice.
This local specialty tops steamed rice with tiny basket clams harvested from the nearby Perfume River. The clams are stir-fried with herbs and seasonings, then served over rice along with herbs, fried shallots, and crispy pork skins.
I was excited to try it and had done some research to find Com Hen Be Liem, a highly regarded local restaurant not far from my hotel in Hue.
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| Com Hen, or Baby Basket Clam Rice |
The restaurant was nothing fancy; quite the opposite. A makeshift open-air kitchen had been set up in a covered alleyway which was crammed with low metal tables and cheap plastic chairs. This is the kind of place that I knew in Vietnam was likely to serve the very best food!
Ordering was a bit chaotic! The restaurant was noisy and the staff, bustling from table to table as people shouted out their orders, were harried. Nevertheless, I was able to order a bowl of com hen (15K VND, or about $0.57 USD) and watched as the staff loaded up a bowl of rice with all the requisite toppings. The dish arrived shortly along with the traditional bowl of clam broth on the side.
The com hen was delicious! I liked how soft and tender the little clams were, and how they gave the rice dish a savory, meaty seafood flavor. The pork skins and shallots added a nice contrasting crunch, and the whole dish was filling, satisfying, and perfectly savory.
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| Cơm Hến at Cơm Hến Bé Liêm, Hue, Vietnam |
Menu and Prices
A serving of com hen (baby clams on rice), bun hen, or mi hen (clams served with different types of noodles) costs just 15,000 VND, which is less than $1 USD.
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| Cơm Hến Bé Liêm menu and prices |
Read more: What to eat in Hue: Must-Try Food, Drinks, and Desserts in Hue, Vietnam
Location
Com Hen Be Liem (Cơm Hến Bé Liêm) is located at 64 Nguyễn Công Trứ, Thuận Hóa, Huế, Vietnam near Hue's walking street. The unassuming little shop, set up in a covered alleyway, is open from late morning to evening and can get pretty busy during the meal rush.
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| Cơm Hến restaurant in Hue, Vietnam |
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