I still remember the time when I went to Saigon Mui Ne Resort - not to stay, but to enjoy the bun ca Phan Thiet (Phan Thiet fish noodle soup) at Sea Breeze Restaurant.

I had heard about the restaurant's bun ca for a long time and it was every bit as delicious as I had been told. Long after returning to Ho Chi Minh City, it was not the beauty of Mui Ne that I missed most, but that unforgettable dish.

To enjoy this kind of dish, you must have a perfect seat. Some people may disagree and say that location is not important, but there's no arguing the point that enjoying fresh seafood by the ocean is altogether different to eating the same dish in a city restaurant

At Sea Breeze restaurant my seat was perfect, surrounded by coconut trees a pool and a pond, with ocean views and the gentle touch of the fresh sea breeze. In my experience, a perfect seat like this and a perfect dish equal a perfect meal.

Bun ca is a specialty of Phan Thiet. It is usually served in a single bowl, but at Sea Breeze the chef has updated the presentation of this traditional dish, allowing patrons to assemble their own perfect bowl of bun ca by presenting the ingredients on a bed of banana leaves. At Sea Breeze, when you order bun ca you are served a platter featuring a handful of ca suot (a fish indigenous to Phan Thiet), a handful of boiled pork, thinly sliced fried eggs, star fruit, cucumber and fresh mixed vegetables, alongside a plate of vermicelli, a bowl of banh da (rice cake) pieces and, most importantly, a bowl of sauce. It is up to you to fill your empty bowl with the right combination of ingredients for your own perfect bun ca, before topping your bowl up with stock, mixing the ingredients together and finishing the job by adding chili to taste.

I'll never forget the first time I tasted Sea Breeze's bun ca - I couldn't define what made it so good, it wasn't particularly sour, salty or sweet, but simply a perfect blend of flavours. It took me a while to figure out that it is the sauce which brings harmony to the dish's diverse ingredients, and when I spoke to the Sea Breeze chef I found out that making the sauce is the hardest part of all, as it is a delicate mix of ground ripe bananas, peanuts, fish sauce and sugar. But believe me, when it is done right, it tastes absolutely perfect and it took three bowls each before my friend and I finally gave in to our bursting stomachs.

Sea Breeze offers bun ca for three people for just VND125,000 and also offers a wide range of seafood and other dishes. The restaurant also offers a daily buffet breakfast and weekend barbeques.

    Sea Breeze Restaurant
    Saigon Mui Ne Resort
       Add: Ham Tien, Phan Thiet, Binh Thuan
       Tel/Fax: (84-62) 847 302 / 847 307