Com hen — baby clam rice from Hue — is one of the hardest Vietnamese dishes to find outside Vietnam. It requires fresh baby clams and a dozen accompaniments. In Honolulu, a few restaurants with Hue-native cooks can make it on request or as a special.
Pho Vietnam top-pick
Mon-Sun 10AM-10PM
Pho Vietnam's extensive menu includes central Vietnamese specialties, and their kitchen has the skill set to prepare com hen when clams are available. Call ahead and ask. When they can make it, you get the full Hue-style plate — baby clams over rice with pork rinds, peanuts, sesame crackers, and banana flower.
Kieu Vietnamese Cuisine best-value
Mon-Sun 10AM-9:30PM
Kieu's central Vietnamese kitchen expertise extends to regional Hue dishes, and com hen occasionally appears as a special. Their bun bo hue is excellent, which is a good indicator the kitchen understands Hue flavors. If you find com hen here, it will be authentic.
An Di Dzo hidden-gem
Mon-Sun 11AM-10PM
An Di Dzo's menu includes central Vietnamese dishes — their bun bo hue is a customer favorite — and the kitchen has the range to produce com hen on occasion. The name means come eat in Vietnamese, suggesting a kitchen that values authenticity. Ask about off-menu availability.