Com gia dinh — literally family rice — is the Vietnamese answer to the combo plate, and it is how Austinites should experience Vietnamese home cooking. These rice plates come loaded with your choice of grilled meats, egg, vegetables, and that all-important nuoc cham drizzled over the top.
Tan My Restaurant top-pick
Tan My is the gold standard for family rice plates in Austin. Their com tam section offers eight different combinations, each built on broken rice with your choice of proteins. The com suong nuong — grilled pork chop with broken rice — is the standout. The pork is marinated in lemongrass and garlic, grilled until caramelized, served with a fried egg and pickled vegetables.
Le Bleu best-value
Le Bleu elevates the humble rice plate with high-quality proteins and refined execution. The spicy chicken thigh rice plate features incredibly tender, deeply marinated chicken that has been slow-cooked until falling apart. The rice is properly fluffy, and they include a generous portion of pickled vegetables to cut through the richness.
Fil N' Viet hidden-gem
This Filipino-Vietnamese fusion spot brings creative energy to the rice plate format. Their com gia dinh-style dishes blend both cultures — think Vietnamese-style grilled meats with Filipino garlic rice. The pork belly rice plate is exceptional, with crackling-crisp skin and melt-in-your-mouth fat layered over fragrant rice.nnFor com gia dinh in Austin, Tan My sets the standard with the most authentic family-style rice plates.