Blog

By Christine Nabung

Restaurant: Mắm - 70 Forsyth St, NYC

Good for: quick bites, bold flavors, refreshing drinks

What we ordered:

• trứng cút lộn xào mắm me - quail balut in tamarind sauce
• gói nghêu - raw surf clam and snow fungus, rau răm
• tôm nướng muối ớt xanh - grilled prawns, creamy green chili sauce
• ốc bươu nhồi thịt - stuffed snails with lemongrass & pork
• trà quất - iced calamansi black tea
• Đá me - iced tamarind pineapple cooler, roasted peanuts

Paige and I wrapped up our reunion with a weekend lunch date in Manhattan's Chinatown. It had been a while since we’d had the chance to reconnect and become part of each other’s lives again. We first met in high school—Paige was two grades above me, and we both played on the same basketball team. Off the court, she was someone I looked up to, and she played a big role in why I decided to leave Los Angeles for college. Now, seven years later, here we are, two LA girls on the East Coast, searching for a taste of home.

We both left the comforts of California to attend small liberal arts schools across the country, so we’re experienced in the search for some good Asian eats to nourish our bodies and soothe the homesickness. Paige is now pursuing her PhD at Cornell and has often mentioned the lack of good Asian food in Ithaca. That is why I chose to dine at Mắm, a Vietnamese restaurant, for our last meal together, until her next visit. Being Vietnamese, Paige was excited by the menu, which also featured some of my favorite Filipino delicacies. It checked all the boxes we were looking for.

As a Virgo, I made sure to book reservations ahead of time, aware of the ongoing hype surrounding this spot. We arrived early, hoping to escape the heat and the looming summer storm. I hadn’t realized that reservations were for the indoor dining room, while walk-ins were seated mostly outside—on the famous plastic stools and roadside tables that gave Mắm a casual, street-food vibe. Inside, the setup was similar, but offered a peek into the kitchen. The shelves were lined with spices labeled in Vietnamese, and the aromas ebbing and flowing mirrored the stream of customers.

Mắm is a delightful culinary surprise, steering away from the American palate with a collection of dishes that are distinct in their funky and bright flavors.

We began our meal with two iced drinks: Trà quất, a calamansi black tea, and Đá me, a tamarind pineapple cooler topped with roasted peanuts. As we sipped on these sweet and tart refreshments, we cooled down from the summer heat, eagerly awaiting our food.

When the food arrived, it all came at once.

Paige and I started with trứng cút lộn xào mắm me, quail balut swimming in a tangy tamarind sauce. Unlike the Filipino balut, typically made with duck, the small quail eggs were easily snackable and had a satisfying ‘pop’ texture.

The raw clams and snow fungus reminded me of tom yum, rich in lemongrass with a slight sweetness from the clams. The contrast between the soft clams and the crunchy snow fungus made the dish interesting to chew.

The grilled prawns, simple but delicious, were accompanied by a green chili sauce that didn’t hold back on the heat.

The snail dish was reminiscent of a meatball, with a slightly chewy texture, seasoned with a similar tamarind sauce from the balut.

The flavors, reminiscent of my Filipino upbringing, felt familiar and transported me back to my grandmother’s kitchen. A banana leaf fashioned as a tablecloth and functioned as a big serving plate to hold the rice, sides, and ulam. The smell of the grill lingered on everyone’s clothes, but even stronger on our hair. Amongst the grilled meats, piled sliced mangoes, stewed vegetables, and little saucers of toyo-mansi (soy sauce and calamansi juice), sukang sawsawan (spiced vinegar), and atchara (pickled papaya).

As we wrapped up our meal at Mắm, I knew that this spot would be one I’d find myself returning to, to savor both bold and nostalgic tastes. Sharing these memories with Paige made the experience even more special. It wasn’t just about the food, it was about reconnecting with an old friend in a way that felt simultaneously familiar and new. Moments like these make anywhere feel like home.