The charm of crunchy-skin grilled fish
Thiên Phú has been in my draft list for over 18 months. I wanted to write a post worthy of their dishes, but a proper post requires proper pictures, and either I was too hungry at the time or I just sucked at taking pictures at the time (I still suck now, but less than before) that every single picture was blurry like a blizzard. I was more concerned about food than food blogging so I didn’t snap many shots and didn’t check the clarity of the shots I took before digging in. I also didn’t know any photo editing. Basically, I was plain dumb.
At many points I thought about abandoning the post altogether, but we had a good meal that time and I even fed the birds in the parking lot while waiting for my friends to come join us. The birds were full, we were full. The restaurant was, as usual, empty except for us (because their menu is catered to large groups and wedding parties), so we got extra attention from the staff. Such memories kept me from deleting the draft that had nothing but terrible pictures. Then my parents came to the rescue when they revisited Thien Phu in the spring and took some luminous shots, like the beef and shrimp salad above and the seafood stir fry on rice below.
The salad, like most Vietnamese salads soaked in that half sweet, half tangy mixed fish sauce, was yummy. The seafood stir fry was nothing beyond expectation, they said, but at the very least, Thiên Phú brown sauce was not fattily thick like that goo in Phở Hà’s pan-fried phở. Dad’s vermicelli with stir fried beef was a good sweep, as evident from its picture.
If you’ve read my blog for long enough, you probably would notice that my dad almost never orders anything but beef, while Little Mom goes for shrimp or fish nine times out of ten. Naturally, Thien Phu ranks high in my parents’ list because their specialties are the 7 courses of beef and the whole grilled fish.
We’ve never tried all seven beef courses at once. We just choose a few that sound most savory, and for this party of 5, something shareable. Like beef that can be wrapped in rice paper and dipped in sauces. The chunky, fatty steamed beef balls (bò chả đùm) was broken into coarser bits to be scooped with a rice crackers or wrapped with lettuce. Razor-thin leaves of still red beef were dunked into heated vinegar for a simple, tender, and tangy completeness of bò nhúng dấm. Halved shrimps joined the beef in a similar fashion to make tôm nhúng dấm. Dad even dipped it in mắm nêm (ground anchovy sauce) to tighten the taste.
Then there’s the good old style of flopping beef slices on a hot black grill pan and hearing it sizzle while loading the wet rice paper with bean sprout, herbs, pickled radish and daikon. I also put a slice of unripe banana in my bò nướng vỉ roll because its cookie-like texture and clinging aftertaste are fun, although they don’t add much to the roll as a whole.
Leaving the blurry images of December 2009, we’re back to the present: grilled beef ball on rice. The marinade was sealed inside its smooth, gritty texture, each ball was so juicy it would shame a plump mango.
The seafood dishes are not subpar either. Loaded with shrimp, squid, and broccoli, mì hải sản (seafood noodle) had the sweetness of hủ tíu Nam Vang (Phnom Penh ka tieu) and the strength (and curly noodles) of ramen. The more broth we drank, the more delicious it got.
But there is one thing that everyone gets when they go to Thiên Phú: the crunchy-skin grilled fish (cá nướng da giòn). The whole catfish is enough for two by itself, grilled hiddenly in the kitchen until its skin breaks a crackling sound and glisters like topaz, then it’s brought out to you topped with crusted peanuts, cilantro and lime wedges. Its flesh stays white, juicy and soft. Roll up a side piece, you can savor its pristine, naturally sweet taste or dip it in nước mắm. The second grilled fish I had here this May was better than the one I had in December 2009, and so were their beef dishes. It’s good to see a good place gets better.
Just watch out for bones.
Address: Thiên Phú Restaurant
11360 Bellaire Blvd Ste 100
Houston, TX 77072
(281) 568-1448
(in the same parking lot as Giò Chả Đức Hương)
Lunch for 5: $76.03
I’d constantly want to be update on new content on this web site, saved to my bookmarks! .
1Hi there, I discovered your web site by way of Google even as searching for a comparable matter, your website came up, it looks good. I’ve bookmarked it in my google bookmarks.
2Hi there, You have performed an incredible job. I will definitely digg it and in my opinion recommend to my friends. I am confident they’ll be benefited from this web site.
3Do you mind if I quote a few of your articles as long as I provide credit and sources back to your weblog? My website is in the exact same niche as yours and my visitors would truly benefit from a lot of the information you provide here. Please let me know if this alright with you. Many thanks!
4You made some decent points there. I looked on the internet for the subject and found most individuals will approve with your website.
5It’s really a great and useful piece of info. I am satisfied that you just shared this useful information with us. Please stay us up to date like this. Thank you for sharing.
6Someone essentially help to make seriously posts I would state. This is the first time I frequented your website page and thus far? I surprised with the research you made to create this particular publish amazing. Fantastic job!
7Valuable information. Lucky me I found your site by accident, and I am shocked why this accident didn’t happened earlier! I bookmarked it.
8I got good info from your blog
9I would like to thnkx for the efforts you have put in writing this blog. I am hoping the same high-grade blog post from you in the upcoming as well. In fact your creative writing abilities has inspired me to get my own blog now. Really the blogging is spreading its wings quickly. Your write up is a good example of it.
10Saved as a favorite, I really like your blog!
11I wanted to thank you for this great read!! I definitely enjoying every little bit of it I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff you post…
12I have read several good stuff here. Certainly worth bookmarking for revisiting. I surprise how much effort you put to make such a wonderful informative site.
13An impressive share, I just given this onto a colleague who was doing a little analysis on this. And he in fact bought me breakfast because I found it for him.. smile. So let me reword that: Thnx for the treat! But yeah Thnkx for spending the time to discuss this, I feel strongly about it and love reading more on this topic. If possible, as you become expertise, would you mind updating your blog with more details? It is highly helpful for me. Big thumb up for this blog post!
14You are my breathing in, I possess few web logs and rarely run out from brand :). “Never mistake motion for action.” by Ernest Hemingway.
15Usually I do not read article on blogs, but I would like to say that this write-up very forced me to try and do so! Your writing style has been amazed me. Thanks, quite nice article.
16I am perpetually thought about this, appreciate it for putting up.
17I think this web site has got some very fantastic information for everyone. “Billy T-T-T-T-Today, Junior” by Billy Madison.
18Some genuinely nice and utilitarian information on this internet site, as well I conceive the style has excellent features.
19Wow, wonderful blog structure! How long have you been running a blog for? you make running a blog glance easy. The entire look of your web site is magnificent, as smartly as the content!
20Hello there, You’ve done an excellent job. I’ll certainly digg it and in my opinion recommend to my friends. I am sure they’ll be benefited from this website.
21Hey! Would you mind if I share your blog with my zynga group? There’s a lot of folks that I think would really appreciate your content. Please let me know. Cheers
22Some truly nice and utilitarian info on this site, as well I think the layout contains good features.
23I’ve been browsing on-line greater than 3 hours lately, yet I never found any attention-grabbing article like yours. It is lovely worth enough for me. Personally, if all webmasters and bloggers made good content as you did, the internet will likely be much more helpful than ever before.
24Some really fantastic blog posts on this internet site, thanks for contribution. “I finally know what distinguishes man from other beasts financial worries. – Journals” by Jules Renard.
25I’ve been exploring for a little bit for any high quality articles or blog posts on this kind of area . Exploring in Yahoo I at last stumbled upon this site. Reading this info So i am happy to convey that I have an incredibly good uncanny feeling I discovered just what I needed. I most certainly will make sure to do not forget this web site and give it a glance on a constant basis.
26Excellent blog here! Also your web site loads up very fast! What web host are you using? Can I get your affiliate link to your host? I wish my web site loaded up as quickly as yours lol
27I was more than happy to find this internet-site.I needed to thanks to your time for this excellent read!! I undoubtedly enjoying each little bit of it and I’ve you bookmarked to take a look at new stuff you weblog post.
28The subsequent time I learn a weblog, I hope that it doesnt disappoint me as much as this one. I imply, I know it was my choice to learn, however I really thought youd have something fascinating to say. All I hear is a bunch of whining about one thing that you would repair when you werent too busy looking for attention.
29I was suggested this website by my cousin. I’m not sure whether this post is written by him as nobody else know such detailed about my problem. You are amazing! Thanks!
30Very interesting subject, appreciate it for posting.
31It’s hard to find knowledgeable people on this topic, but you sound like you know what you’re talking about! Thanks
32An interesting dialogue is value comment. I think that you should write extra on this matter, it might not be a taboo subject but generally people are not sufficient to talk on such topics. To the next. Cheers
33Thank you for sharing excellent informations. Your web-site is very cool. I’m impressed by the details that you’ve on this site. It reveals how nicely you understand this subject. Bookmarked this web page, will come back for more articles. You, my pal, ROCK! I found just the info I already searched everywhere and just could not come across. What an ideal site.
34Hi! This is kind of off topic but I need some guidance from an established blog. Is it hard to set up your own blog? I’m not very techincal but I can figure things out pretty quick. I’m thinking about creating my own but I’m not sure where to start. Do you have any ideas or suggestions? Thanks
35Thanks so much for giving everyone a very special possiblity to read in detail from this web site. It is always so nice and also packed with amusement for me personally and my office peers to search your website nearly 3 times in a week to study the fresh guidance you have. And indeed, I am just certainly motivated with your breathtaking guidelines served by you. Certain 2 tips in this article are completely the most beneficial we have all had.
36I am glad to be one of the visitors on this outstanding site (:, thanks for posting.
37whoah this weblog is excellent i like reading your posts. Stay up the great work! You realize, lots of people are searching round for this info, you could aid them greatly.
38I dugg some of you post as I thought they were very beneficial invaluable
39I have to voice my appreciation for your kindness giving support to persons that really want help on your area. Your personal commitment to getting the message around turned out to be exceedingly effective and have surely made employees like me to reach their objectives. Your amazing valuable instruction denotes much to me and extremely more to my fellow workers. Many thanks; from all of us.
40Hey there! This is kind of off topic but I need some guidance from an established blog. Is it hard to set up your own blog? I’m not very techincal but I can figure things out pretty fast. I’m thinking about setting up my own but I’m not sure where to start. Do you have any ideas or suggestions? Many thanks
41As I site possessor I believe the content matter here is rattling great , appreciate it for your efforts. You should keep it up forever! Best of luck.
42Good, I should certainly pronounce, impressed with your site. I had no trouble navigating through all tabs as well as related information ended up being truly simple to do to access. I recently found what I hoped for before you know it at all. Reasonably unusual. Is likely to appreciate it for those who add forums or anything, website theme . a tones way for your client to communicate. Nice task.
43Right now it seems like WordPress is the best blogging platform out there right now. (from what I’ve read) Is that what you are using on your blog?
44I like what you guys are up too. Such smart work and reporting! Keep up the excellent works guys I have incorporated you guys to my blogroll. I think it will improve the value of my site :).
45Thanks for the marvelous posting! I really enjoyed reading it, you could be a great author.I will always bookmark your blog and definitely will come back from now on. I want to encourage you continue your great writing, have a nice day!
46Some genuinely interesting details you have written.Assisted me a lot, just what I was searching for :D.
47There is noticeably a bundle to know about this. I assume you made certain nice points in features also.
48Thanks a lot for sharing this with all of us you actually know what you are talking about! Bookmarked. Kindly also visit my site =). We could have a link exchange contract between us!
49It’s in reality a nice and useful piece of info. I’m satisfied that you shared this useful info with us. Please stay us up to date like this. Thanks for sharing.
50