Rough Guides, a British travel magazine, has recommended nine must-eat dishes in Vietnam for foreign travelers visiting the Southeast Asian country.
Vietnamese cuisine ranks among the most delicious in all of Southeast Asia, according to journalist Eleanor Aldridge of Rough Guides.
“Vietnamese food is distinct and unforgettable. Spread across street-side vendors and high-end restaurants, typical Vietnamese food tastes salty, sweet, sour, and hot,” Aldridge wrote in her guide to Vietnamese food.
'Goi cuon' are usually served as a starter before a main course at Vietnamese restaurants. Photo: Shutterstock |
Goi cuon (spring rolls)
Goi cuon can be found in all regions of Vietnam.
Goi cuon are translucent spring rolls packed with meat, shrimp, raw vegetables, spring onions, minced green banana, and star fruit.
The dish is often served with mam nem (fermented fish sauce) or nuoc mam chua ngot (sweet and sour fish sauce).
Rough Guides recommends 'banh mi' to foreign tourists to Vietnam, saying the dish is one of the best kinds of street food in the Southeast Asian country. Photo: Shutterstock |
Banh mi (Vietnamese bread)
Banh mi is one of the most popular street foods in Vietnam.
Typical banh mi fillings include butter, paté, beef, chicken, pork, pork rolls, stir-fried eggs, cucumber, and pickled vegetables.
This diversity is what makes Vietnamese banh mi unique and special.
Banh mi can be found in cities around the world, from New York to Tokyo.
Tourists should not miss 'banh xeo' in Vietnam. Photo: Shutterstock |
Banh xeo (sizzling pancakes)
Banh xeo are enormous, cheap, and filled with shrimp, pork, bean sprouts, and eggs, according to Rough Guides.
They are usually fried, wrapped in rice paper with greens, and dunked in nuoc mam (fish sauce) before being eaten.
Tourists can enjoy banh xeo in localities across Vietnam.
'Bun cha' is a popular dish in Hanoi. Photo: Shutterstock |
Bun cha (rice noodles with grilled pork and meatballs)
Bun cha is a Hanoian specialty that can be found in eateries across the capital city.
The pork is barbecued on an open charcoal brazier and served on a bed of cold rice noodles with assorted foliage and broth.
Bun cha is usually eaten at lunchtime.
It has been described as somewhat similar to meatballs or hamburgers, but, according to Rough Guides “there's no other taste like it” thanks to its intriguing mix of flavors.
Rough Guides suggests squeezing a lime and adding a dash of chili flakes to a bowl of 'pho.' Photo: Shutterstock |
Pho (Vietnamese noodle soup)
Pho can be eaten at any time of the day but is most commonly eaten for breakfast.
A bowl of pho consists of a light beef or chicken broth flavored with ginger and coriander.
Delicious broth is enriched with rice noodles, spring onions, and slivers of chicken or beef. In vegetarian versions, tofu can be added as a delightful alternative.
'Cao lau' is a must-eat dish in Hoi An City, Quang Nam Province, central Vietnam. Photo: Shutterstock |
Cao lau (noodle dish served with shrimp, pork, and a little broth)
Cao lau is a specialty dish from Hoi An, a famous tourist city in Quang Nam Province, central Vietnam.
A mouthwatering bowl of cao lau contains thick rice-flour noodles, bean sprouts, pork-rind croutons, pork, raw vegetables, and peanuts in a light soup.
It is often served with banh da nuong (crispy rice paper).
'Cha ca'. Photo: Shutterstock |
Cha ca (fried fish)
Cha ca, reportedly created in Hanoi, is one of the capital city’s most famous dishes.
The main ingredient of the dish is hemibagrus or snakehead. They are shredded and stir-fried with spring onions and served with rice noodles, peanuts, and mam tom (shrimp paste).
'Mi Quang' is part of the culture in Quang Nam Province, central Vietnam. Photo: Shutterstock |
Mi Quang (Quang noodles)
Mi Quang is a specialty from Quang Nam Province and a popular dish for residents in the central region.
The dish can feature simple ingredients, such as shrimp, pork, and quail eggs or more diverse ingredients such as frog, pig legs, pork ribs, beef, and chicken.
Like cao lau, mi Quang is served with raw vegetables, peanuts, and crispy rice paper.
'Com tam' is a choice for breakfast in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Shutterstock |
Com tam (broken rice)
Com tam is a street-stand favorite exclusive to Ho Chi Minh City.
From broken rice, Vietnamese people have made the dish popular in the southern city.
Com tam is served with either grilled, steamed, or shredded pork or simply fried eggs.
No plate of com tam is complete without a squeeze of lime, a sprinkle of fresh herbs, and a smattering of spring onion.
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