\"\u1ed0c,\" meaning \"shellfish\" in Vietnamese, is a local food essential to any night in Saigon. Perched on a low stool, picking at steaming shellfish while sipping beer \u2014 that everyday pleasure can be enjoyed in its finest form at \"\u1ed0c \u0110\u00e0o,\" tucked away in a District 1 alley. Featured in the Michelin Guide, this shellfish specialist has captivated everyone from locals to travelers. Here we guide you through a night of fresh shellfish, along with everything you'll want to know before you go.<\/p>\n
The restaurant sits down a narrow alley off Nguyen Trai Street 212B\/D48 in District 1. Follow the sign a little deeper and a lively shellfish restaurant comes into view. The three-story interior is kept clean, and the second floor and above are air-conditioned, so you can stay comfortable even on a hot, humid Saigon night. Seats fill up with everyone from local families to tourists, and with every order the savory aroma drifts from the kitchen \u2014 that bustle is proof of the restaurant's long-loved status.<\/p>\n
The stars, without a doubt, are fresh shellfish and crustaceans. The appeal lies in simple yet precise seasoning, with the garlic-butter stir-fry and salt-grilled dishes especially well regarded. Standards include \"\u1ed0c t\u1ecfi\" (sea snails finished with garlic and fish sauce), \"C\u00e0ng gh\u1eb9\" (crab claws in a fragrant butter-garlic sauce), \"S\u00f2 huy\u1ebft\" (blood cockles), and \"S\u00f2 \u0111i\u1ec7p\" (scallops dressed with onion oil and peanuts). Each dish runs around 100,000 VND (about 600 yen) and is reasonable, so the classic move is to order several and taste a little of each. Soak up the leftover sauce with banh mi (about 5,000 VND \/ about 30 yen) and savor it to the last.<\/p>\n
The menu offers a rich mix of shellfish types \u00d7 cooking methods, so if it's your first time, it's safe to start with the standard garlic-butter stir-fry or salt-grilled dishes. If you want vegetables, add the stir-fried water spinach \"Rau mu\u1ed1ng\" (about 30,000 VND \/ about 180 yen) for a good nutritional balance. At 60,000\u2013110,000 VND (about 360\u2013660 yen) per dish, it's easy on the wallet, so the Saigon way is to fill the table and share with a group. Needless to say, it pairs perfectly with cold beer.<\/p>\n