Buzz
Prepare for an in-depth and honest review by Minh Châu on the buffet offerings at Tân Hoa Cau restaurant. Priced at 109k per serving, with over 60 delectable dishes to savor.
Greetings everyone, my name is Minh Châu. Last week, my family and I dined at Tân Hoa Cau restaurant, where we were pleasantly surprised by the affordable buffet priced at 109k per serving. Despite encountering mixed reviews online, we decided to give it a try after my mother had already made a reservation.
Embark on a culinary adventure at Tân Hoa Cau restaurant
The whole family arrived at the restaurant at 7 pm on Friday evening, so that day we were served various seafood dishes, skewers, and grilled snails. For those who enjoy seafood hotpot, it's best to come on odd days like Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, although it's a bit pricier.
Fresh grilled squid tray at Tan Hoa Cau's affordable buffet restaurant
The staff escorted our family to a round table on the first floor, and once seated, we began to select dishes. There are over 60 dishes at this buffet, with hot dishes served in trays and cold dishes like salads in large bowls.
It's strange that the buffet at Tan Hoa Cau restaurant doesn't label the dishes for guests, so I had to name the dishes myself to make it easier for everyone to follow.
The first dish I tried was the mango shrimp and pork salad. The mango and carrots were sliced into thick strands instead of being finely shredded like in many places, so they weren't mushy. The shrimp were peeled, and the pork was sliced quite thick. The sourness was just right, not overpowering, with a subtle sweetness and a good depth of flavor. This dish was very satisfying, not at all overwhelming.
Mango shrimp and pork salad, beautifully golden
Next, I opted for steamed clams with lemongrass and chili. Despite its red appearance, it wasn't overly spicy, just enough to tantalize the taste buds. The clams were uniformly opened, sweet, and fragrant. The broth was also sweet, with well-balanced seasoning, a slightly spicy kick that really stimulated the palate. Personally, I polished off a bowl of 20 steamed clams with lemongrass and chili, definitely worth a try.
Steamed clams with lemongrass and red chili, intensely flavorful
I also opted for 3 skewered grilled prawns. The prawns were marinated just right, very aromatic despite not being very large, probably about the size of an adult's thumb. Although not large, the prawn meat was sweet, tender, and fragrant with BBQ sauce.
Seafood buffet includes skewered grilled prawns
While eating and observing, my impression was that this place is extremely spacious with 3 halls, each hall with an additional floor. The decoration is quite simple, not overly elaborate but very clean, with staff regularly cleaning. This place is actually a type of wedding banquet hall.
The large hall on the first floor is where the food is placed
Having had a lot of meat, I turned to fresh spring rolls for a refreshing touch. Inside the spring rolls were a slice of boiled pork belly, a peeled boiled shrimp, lettuce, and chive. This dish was very refreshing, with fresh raw vegetables, and both shrimp and meat were the same. The dipping sauce was slightly sour, if you prefer sweet, feel free to add a bit of sugar.
Fresh shrimp and meat spring rolls are very refreshing
Since the dishes weren't labeled, the next dish Chau guessed was grilled scallops with spring onions. The scallops were grilled over a hot charcoal stove, emitting a fragrant aroma. The scallops were of medium size, grilled to perfection, tender, with the scallop juice blending with the pork fat and spring onions, incredibly enticing. When eaten, they weren't fishy, just creamy and rich.
Seafood buffet features rich and creamy grilled scallops with spring onions
Visiting Tan Hoa Cau restaurant without trying the fragrant stuffed snails with minced meat would be a waste. The filling inside the snail shells consists of: snails, minced pork, pork sausage, lemongrass; all ingredients are seasoned just right. The snails are crunchy, the meat is sweet, chewy, and fragrant with lemongrass. Dip it in some spicy ginger fish sauce, my mom loves this dish the most.
Fragrant stuffed snails with lemongrass aroma
The snail dishes were quickly devoured, Chau managed to grab about 5 finger-sized conch snails to eat. The conch snails here are about the size of an adult's index finger but quite plump, with a soft and rounded texture. The tamarind sauce is rich and tangy, combined with the fragrant aroma of coriander, very aromatic.
Sweet and sour tamarind stir-fried conch snails
I've always eaten stir-fried baby clams with pumpkin seeds, but I've never tried stir-fried baby clams with butter before, it's unexpectedly delicious. The creamy butter is rich and fragrant, slightly spicy, and the clams are infused with the spices. Dip it in this sauce with a slice of bread, and I was so full I didn't eat anything else and moved on to the dessert counter.
Stir-fried baby clams at Tan Hoa Cau's affordable buffet in Saigon
In addition to the dishes Chau ate, there are many more dishes, such as: grilled blood cockles with garlic, grilled scallops with spring onions, grilled razor clams with tamarind, grilled cheese mussels, spicy roasted snails, steamed velvet snails with lemongrass, grilled thorn snails
The dessert counter features fresh fruits such as watermelon, mango, guava, pineapple, etc., and various cakes or jelly desserts. The fruits are sweet and fresh, the pineapple is slightly sour. I particularly like eating jelly because it's sweet, refreshing, and chewy.
Glistening bright red watermelon
Summary:
- The buffet here is quite affordable if booked in advance, priced at 109K per person (300K per person before discount)
- There's a parking fee of 4K even though the parking lot belongs to the restaurant (quite puzzling)
- If you take more seafood than you can eat, you'll be charged for the excess, so make sure to keep this in mind
- The food is decent and diverse, served quickly and with a smile
>>> Get a discount of 109K per buffet meal at Tan Hoa Cau today
Address of Tan Hoa Cau restaurant: 149 Le Van Luong, Tan Kieng Ward, District 7, Ho Chi Minh City
Reviewer: Minh Chau
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