Hue Dumplings (Bánh Bột Lọc): tapioca dumplings made with caramelized shrimp, pork belly, and fried shallots, served with spicy sweet chili fish sauce
Bourdain Vermicelli Bowl (Bún Đặc Biệt) made with grilled prawns, grilled lemongrass pork, grilled lemongrass chicken, and fried crispy rolls, served with house nuoc mam
In mid-September, I visited Tay Ho Oakland Restaurant & Bar, an upscale Vietnamese restaurant on the corner of 12th Street and Webster in Oakland Chinatown, for the first time with friends. I had never heard of this restaurant until said friends raved about it, so I was eager to stop by.
To start, we shared the Hue Dumplings (Bánh Bột Lọc) — tapioca dumplings made with caramelized shrimp, pork belly, and fried shallots, served with spicy sweet chili fish sauce. They were unlike anything I've had before and quite a treat. These dumplings were thicker than I'm used to and since they're made with tapioca, you can see the filling within. Beyond being photogenic, they were incredibly tasty. (This bird's eye view of the dish might be helpful.) For my main course, I ordered a variation of my go-to vermicelli bowl: the Bourdain Vermicelli Bowl (Bún Đặc Biệt) made with grilled prawns, grilled lemongrass pork, grilled lemongrass chicken, and fried crispy rolls, and served with house nuoc mam. As is the theme at Tay Ho, they turn classic Vietnamese dishes into something that is truly their own. I'm used to choosing one or maybe two meat options with my vermicelli bowls; here they gave me shrimp, pork, chicken, and rolls to boot! Not only that, everything was delicious and good-looking. (Here's another overhead shot for your convenience.)
Tay Ho Oakland Restaurant & Bar is the perfect spot for elevated Vietnamese classics and new favorites prepared with their signature twist. They will leave you in awe of how delicious and, dare I say, beautiful dishes can be. They also have exceptional service that makes you feel at home. Next time I stop by, I will definitely order the dumplings again, another entree like the Shrimp and Crab Tapioca Noodle Soup (Bánh Canh Riêu Cua) or the "Shaken" Beef, and one of their very intriguing cocktails. Damn, now I want more tapioca dumplings...
Tay Ho Oakland Restaurant & Bar
344 12th St., Oakland, CA 94607
Open: Tuesday - Saturday 11am - 9pm
Check out more posts from Oakland.
