Dallas has a surprisingly good com ga hai nam scene, with the Richardson-Walnut Street corridor offering several Vietnamese restaurants that serve this dish with the care it deserves. The Vietnamese-style Hainan chicken rice — with its ginger-scallion oil and fish sauce — is a step up from the generic versions found at pan-Asian restaurants.
Bep Nha (Viet Kitchen) top-pick
Bep Nha's com ga hai nam is the most authentic in Dallas, with poached chicken that has the desirable jelly layer under the skin and rice that is deeply flavored with chicken fat and aromatics. The ginger-scallion oil here is the punchiest in the city — more assertive than most, which is exactly how Vietnamese-style com ga hai nam should be. The fish sauce dipping sauce is house-made and perfectly balanced.
La Me best-value
La Me's com ga hai nam is a neighborhood favorite that competes favorably with Bep Nha's version. The chicken here is slightly more tender from a longer poach, and the rice has a more pronounced chicken broth flavor. The ginger sauce is milder than Bep Nha's, which some prefer. It is the kind of rice plate that works as both a light lunch and a comforting dinner.
Ngon Vietnamese Kitchen hidden-gem
Ngon Vietnamese Kitchen brings com ga hai nam to Dallas's Uptown neighborhood, with a more polished presentation that still delivers on flavor. The chicken is properly poached and the rice is fragrant, but the real standout here is the trio of dipping sauces — ginger-scallion, fish sauce, and chili — that come in generous portions. It is the best version for central Dallas diners.nnFor com ga hai nam in Dallas, Bep Nha delivers the most authentic Vietnamese-style Hainan chicken rice with the punchiest ginger-scallion oil.