Rice: Cơm Tấm 68

Cơm Tấm 68 (Com Tam 68) is a high-quality example of a typical Vietnamese food.  You get a scoop of rice, plus a limited selection of toppings.  You can find any combination of toppings at Vietnamese rice stands, but each location usually has very few choices.  Com Tam 68 has pork steaks, pork paste, fried eggs, cucumber slices, tomato slices, green onions, and đồ chua (do chua--Vietnamese "pickle," which is carrots and white radish).

All meals come with free tea and a small soup.  Depending on the toppings you order, you can expect to pay about 20,000 VND.

Com Tam 68 is special because the grill master really knows his business.

This man is a professional.

I usually buy eggs and vegetables, but most customers come for the pork.  Everything tastes great here, plus it is safe--the locals love it, so the food gets eaten before it can sit around.  The restaurant has expanded and absorbed nearby businesses in the four months since my arrival.

Com Tam 68 is cheap, fast, delicious, and safe.  It is located near the western end of Thích Quảng Đức street (Thich Quang Duc), across from the park.

Ignore the map pin name.  Google doesn't do very well with Vietnam.
My colleagues refer to Thich Quang Duc as "Snack Street."