Richard L.
Yelp
Post-pandemic update. The head chef has changed (nfi), but the quality and taste remains here at Nha Trang. That said, I was quite disappointed that they no longer serve Mi Bo Kho (MBK), which was hands-down the best MBK in the greater NoVA area (see the prior images and my review). You can imagine the difficulty in selecting a different dish after having my head dead-set on some delicious MBK. Alas, I went back to one of my favorite non-pho Vietnamese dishes - Com Tay Cam Bo Luc Lac (marinated steak in a clay pot of rice).
Delicious as ever, the steak is cooked to perfection with just the right amount of chew and tenderness. The sides of sauces provide a nice kick (if you want that spicy) or sweet/sour (if you want that traditional fish sauce flavor) and really bring the whole dish together.
The Cha Gio continues to impress, again one of the best in the area. Crisped to perfection on the outside, with a decent amount of meat/portions on the interior. You know you've got a sh*boop* Cha Gio when the interior is all "filler" and no meat. A nice touch is the extra herbs (mints, basils, etc.) that accompany the rolls. If you don't eat your Cha Gio with these herbs, you're doing it wrong. Pick up one of those mint leaves, use it as a hot dog bun and place the Cha Gio inside, and dip the whole thing in to the sweet/salty fish sauce for a delectable and pleasurable mouthful of an experience.
Nha Trang continues to be a hidden gem, tucked away in the hallowed halls of the Center of Eden. I do hope their chef will pick up the MBK, I'm sure the chef can do it just fine.
TL;DR: No more Mi Bo Kho (off-menu), but the other staple - Com Tay Cam Bo Luc Lac (Marinated Steak in Clay Pot of Rice) continues to be a banger. As always, you can ask for a little crispy rice in the clay pot for some more of that charred flavor and additional texture to the rice - I'd highly recommend.