Gaining worldwide recognition, authentic Vietnamese street food grabs your taste buds. Why is that? It could be for three reasons:
The only way of knowing how authentic food is, its quality, is to go on holiday. Traveling to Vietnam is one of the best holiday destinations you could ask for. We've been there several times before and intend to keep going back. Why is that? It's the same with Thai food, Chinese and India food too. You either love it or hate it.
Most people we know, who we've met at home and abroad, love Asian food. You'll likely have tried it too. Have you ever been curious about true authentic Vietnamese food? Keep reading.
Enjoyed by every Vietnamese, this is a soup that's eaten at any time of the day. Strange to us to learn it's the main meal at breakfast. It's a delicious soup, especially consumed when on the streets of Hanoi City. It's only US$1 per polystyrene cup. So popular is this soup that it has become the national dish. Ginger and coriander go in the pot with chicken or beef stock. Spring onions along with noodles follow.
Succulent pieces of chicken or beef added last. You will be served a bowl garnished with either bean sprouts, red chilies or basil.
Some street vendors add pork to the soup as well as chicken. That's because pork is cheaper than beef. The name of the soup comes from the flat rice noodles. Yet, each region of Vietnam has its own distinctive flavor to Pho. In Hanoi you can expect the broth to be clearer without any garnish except for a touch of squeezed lemon.
Mint and star anise leave a mouthwatering flavor for you, with a Cao Lau broth. Served with thick rice flour noodles and croutons. Meat is your choice, but we urge you to pick out pork (and not beef). Pork meat tastes nicely with mint, beef lesser so. Extra sides vary but usually its either rice crackers or crispy rice paper.
Each region of Vietnam has distinct cuisine. As much as Pho belongs in the north, this dish belongs in central Vietnam. We first came across it when holidaying in Hoi An Ancient Town. We loved it, so much so, we bought into it again in Da Nang City the following day. One attraction about Asian cuisine is most dishes are flexible. You can take out the pork and beef, replacing meat with a full vegetarian version.
Most vendors expect this anyway and aim to please. The vegetarian version usually includes pieces of fried tofu.
Mi Quang various depending on which part of Vietnam you are in. You can expect to see noodles (of course) with meat in this soup flavored with:
The edible oil will be infused with turmeric and other herbs. This soup is often asked for late in the afternoon or as the starter for an evening meal.
As famous as Pho is, Vietnam's other street foods are famous too. One snack that is renowned in Vietnam is Banh Mi. It's a baguette that dates back to the French colonial days. So popular is this snack you can find it on every street corner, almost. Many imitations are found elsewhere in southeast Asia but there's only one original. It's one of Vietnam's tastiest snacks, delicious and one won't be enough.
The fact it's the first snack ever we tried. Our first visit to Vietnam, since then it's the first thing we seek out every time we go back. One of Vietnam's best "feel good" snacks beyond any doubt. The baguette has a filling of mixed greens, each vendor has his or her own mixture. You can depend on tasting the following:
A light tasty snack, the translucent rice paper is tightly rolled. Inside is a filling, bursting at the seams to get out. Prepared fresh daily the fillings are various green vegetables, seasoning and meat. Herbs we tasted were a hint of mint and coriander, with succulent pork. But you can also ask for seafood, such as white fish, prawn or shrimp. On the street you get a small cup or pot with a sauce dip.
You must ask for one of these pancakes. They're nothing like anything else you've tried back home. The pancake comprises shrimp, pork or bean sprouts (for vegetarians) and egg. The mixture is then poured into a shallow pan right in front of you. Waiting tires your patience, whilst your mouth begins to salivate.
The pancake is handed over to you wrapped in rice paper with a healthy filling inside. Remember to ask for fish sauce (for the shrimp), that's essential. Very like this pancake is another, by the name of Banh Can, to look out for.
There are quite a few different types of coffee in Vietnam. Our favorite is Vietnamese egg coffee, but your taste buds may say otherwise. Try them all:
When milk was scarce the Vietnamese opted to use eggs instead. So widespread and common was the practice, it stuck. Most cafes and restaurants, food courts serve this coffee and it'll win over your heart too. It's one more custom in Vietnam you can't return home without trying at least the once. Looking at any coffee menu you realize the Vietnamese had other ideas for their coffee. Their coffee reached new heights, the extra flavorings delighting travelers.
What will you enjoy most about Vietnamese street food? For us, it was trying the same dish but from different parts. Even from one district to the neighboring district, some dishes vary. But also realize closely knit communities in remote parts, their cuisine is unique. That's clear to see with the Hmong northern tribes.
The Vietnamese diet is one of the healthiest in Asia. In our opinion, it's healthier because of fewer spices as seen in Indian and South Korean cuisine. The cuisine favors herbs for a flavor that isn't intense, balanced by fresh vegetables.
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Hello, we are George and Elle Mae Melyre.
Over the years, amidst work and family life, we have traveled extensively throughout Asia. Any chance to briefly escape or properly holiday in our beloved Asian destinations is eagerly seized, motivated by the enduring dream of leaving behind the UK's dreary cold for tropical climes.