When we last visited Cungdinh in 2010, it was still in its original location of One Bangsar; forced to move, it's now at Asian Heritage Row, a strange choice for any restaurant that hopes to thrive.
It's sad that so few head here for dinner; Cungdinh has a wide menu of worthwhile recipes, mainly Vietnamese fare such as this lotus stem salad with bean curd skin.
Shredded young jackfruit, prawns, assam leaves, sesame seeds & crackers (RM18.90).
Veggie spring rolls, emblematic of the fresh, healthy feel for which Vietnamese food is known.
Grilled blood clams (RM21.90), the next best thing to a cockle-filled buffet.
Banh Khoai _ Hue pancakes comprising shrimp, mushrooms & onions, rice flour batter, turmeric powder, egg & herbs (RM14.90). Not sure if a Vietnamese chef heads the kitchen, but the food is really well-executed, with nary a hint of excess oil or salt.
Chicken grilled with salted soy sauce (RM26.90), as flavorsome as fowl gets.
Claypot fish stew (RM29.90). Overpriced, but it's savory soul food nevertheless.
Cuttlefish steamed in ginger (RM29.90), with an attention-grabbing (edible) ornament.
Tiger prawns, aromatically steamed in coconut juice (RM31.90).
Eggplant in fish sauce. Simple but so satisfying, thanks to its sublime juiciness.
Stir-fried cabbage (RM11.90), piquant in a pickled way.
Fried rice with prawns & chicken, wrapped in egg to lock in its moist richness (RM20.90).
Duck porridge, peppery-watery, pleasurable enough depending on personal preference.
Hue-style crab paste rice noodle soup, evocative of street food at its most satisfying.
Wine is available by the glass, but only at slightly steep prices.
Cungdinh Vietnam,
Asian Heritage Row, Jalan Doraisamy, Kuala Lumpur.
