Com Tam is a hearty Vietnamese comfort plate — fragrant broken rice served with a char-grilled pork chop, a fried egg, shredded pork skin, and a side of nuoc cham fish sauce.
Com Tam — literally 'broken rice' — is a beloved Vietnamese comfort meal that originated as a humble street food in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) and has become one of the most iconic dishes in Vietnamese cuisine. At Pho 78, we serve an authentic version that pays respect to its origins: fragrant steamed broken rice topped with multiple textures and flavours.
The centrepiece is a marinated grilled pork chop (suon nuong) — pork rib chop seasoned in lemongrass, fish sauce, and sugar, grilled until caramelized and juicy. It's joined by a crispy fried egg, a portion of shredded pork skin (bi) mixed with toasted rice powder, and sliced cucumber. The whole plate is served with a bowl of our house nuoc cham fish sauce for drizzling. Rich, satisfying, and deeply flavourful.
Com Tam is a signature rice plate that sets Pho 78 apart from many Vietnamese restaurants in Calgary. It's one of the most ordered dishes by Vietnamese-Canadian customers who grew up eating it, and a great introduction to Vietnamese rice culture for newcomers to the cuisine. Proudly serving Renfrew, Mayland Heights, Bridgeland, and all of NE Calgary.
NE Calgary Resident
"Best Vietnamese food in NE Calgary, hands down. The Com Tam is authentic — the broken rice, the pork chop, the egg — everything is exactly right. Staff are warm and welcoming."
May 2026
Vietnamese-Canadian Customer
"Pho 78's Com Tam reminds me of home. The pork chop is perfectly grilled and the broken rice has just the right texture. So happy to have this in NE Calgary."
May 2026
Regular Customer
"I didn't know what Com Tam was before Pho 78, and now it's my favourite. The pork chop is incredible and the fish sauce ties it all together. Go-to comfort meal."
May 2026