Caramelized pork belly with egg and rice from Prague’s Sapa


It always pleases me when I come across something new during my trips to Prague’s Sapa that I haven’t known before. During my last visit, I made exactly such a discovery. A small bistro in the very back part of Sapa, which doesn’t even have any seating, only Vietnamese people were shopping there during my visit, and it primarily focuses on one dish brought to perfection. Caramelized pork belly with egg and sticky rice.

Caramelized pork belly with egg and rice
Caramelized pork belly with egg and rice

The smiling lady, after a simple order of “one pork belly,” will gradually scoop sticky rice from one pot into a plastic box, then fish out pieces of pork belly from the sauce in another larger pot, as well as a piece of chả cốm meat and one egg from the same pot. She will cut the meat and egg right in front of you with sharp scissors, so there will be no problem with consumption. Finally, she generously sprinkles the portion with dried shredded pork and dried fried onion. A delicacy that costs 250 CZK (10 EUR).

Preparing meals in Prague's Sapa
Preparing meals in Prague’s Sapa

Bistro Lán dê – Xôi-Che is small, without any exaggeration, you order food directly in the kitchen and preparation area. There is a fire burning under several large pots on the stove, fried ready-made delicacies are displayed on a small counter, and bulkier foods are waiting for their next use on a table in the preparation area.

Fried sweet potato and shrimp patties (bánh khoai tôm)
Fried sweet potato and shrimp patties (bánh khoai tôm)

I also tried the fried sweet potato and shrimp patties (bánh khoai tôm), which the saleswoman praised. However, the patties didn’t impress me much, as it was too soaked in oil for my taste.

Sweet fried ball with filling (bánh cam)
Sweet fried ball with filling (bánh cam)

Similarly, the sweet fried ball with filling (bánh cam) didn’t taste good to me. The fried ball and patties together cost 90 CZK (3.60 EUR).

Bistro Lán dê - Xôi-Che
Bistro Lán dê – Xôi-Che

Bistro Lán dê – Xôi-Che can be found a short distance from the Buddhist temple, you should not miss the red signboard. I will definitely stop here again for pork belly with rice. And I will be happy if I find out the name of the dish in Vietnamese over time. Is it “thịt kho tàu” or “xôi thịt”?

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