Grilled beef at the Lac Canh Restaurant in Nha Trang. Lonely Planet calls the restaurant “a Nha Trang institution” and describes it as one of the busiest eateries in town.

Lac Canh, a restaurant in the beach resort town of Nha Trang, has long been hailed as the go-to spot for grilled beef.

Lonely Planet calls the restaurant “a Nha Trang institution” and describes it as one of the busiest eateries in town.

The family-run restaurant’s signature dish is grilled beef – cooked, by the customer, right at the table.

Their special brand of grilled beef has been recognized by the National Office of Intellectual Property of Vietnam. Any local can tell you that you haven’t seen Nha Trang until you’ve tried Lac Canh grilled beef.

Mixed with honey and 10 different kinds of spices, the grilled beef is served with vegetables, potatoes and onions and dipped into a mixture of salt, chili and lemon juice.

Everything is grilled on an earthen stove, right at your table.

One cannot forget the taste of hot, spicy, soft and sweet beef, especially on rainy days.

When preparing this dish, the restaurant’s owner, Hang Hon Nguyen, says that the portions are just right to fill his customers up properly. The meat is so good, he cautions his customers to enjoy it in moderation.

“When you eat something really good, try not eating too much, it is not good for your palate,” said Nguyen.

The restaurant also serves eel, crab and shrimp spring rolls, roasted chicken and chicken wings, goat meat, prawns and rice.

After 50 years in business, though Lac Canh remains busy, the owner does not plan to open another branch. It closes, every night, at 10 p.m.

There is only one Lac Canh Restaurant in Nha Trang, so if you fancy yourself a beef connoisseur, head to 44 Nguyen Binh Khiem Street.