Introducing Vietnamese food!

1. Various Shellfish Dishes (Ốc đủ món)

Seafood, especially shellfish, is a famous Vietnamese specialty. Ho Chi Minh City is particularly famous for its hundreds of shellfish restaurants, serving a variety of shellfish, including sweet clams, oysters, mussels, and razor clams. Each restaurant offers a variety of preparation methods, such as:
• Stir-fried shellfish in garlic butter sauce, rich and flavorful
• Grilled shellfish with cheese, melt-in-your-mouth
• Steamed shellfish with lemongrass, fragrant with herbs
• Spicy shellfish with salt, chili, and lime

👉 Perfect for a cold beer or a dinner with friends, we recommend street-side restaurants or specialty restaurants like "Ốc Đào" or "Ốc Khánh" in Ho Chi Minh City.

2. Pho (Phở)

A world-renowned Vietnamese dish, this noodle soup is made with beef or chicken in a hot broth made with beef bones and a variety of herbs. It's a rich and flavorful dish. Fragrant with spices like cinnamon and star anise.
• Pho noodles are soft, glutinous rice noodles.
• Often served with bean sprouts, basil, lime, and fresh chilies.

👉 Recommended for breakfast or dinner: Choose beef for a strong flavor, or chicken for a lighter version.
Recommended restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City: Phở Hòa Pasteur, Phở Lệ

3. Bánh Xèo (Bánh Xèo)

Vietnamese pancakes are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Made from rice flour mixed with turmeric, giving it a bright yellow color, they're filled with minced pork, shrimp, and bean sprouts, then fried until crispy. Served with a variety of fresh vegetables, such as lettuce, basil, and mint leaves.
• Vietnamese way to eat: Tear off a sheet of bánh xèo and wrap it in the vegetables. Dip it in the sweet and sour "nuở jở" sauce.

👉 Recommended to eat while hot to maintain the crispiness. And try mini-banh xeos in southern Vietnam, which are also delicious.
Recommended restaurants: Bánh Xèo 46A, Dinh Công Tráng

4. Bánh cuốn (Bánh cuốn)

Similar to Thai rice crackers, these thin steamed rice paper rolls are filled with minced pork, mushrooms, and fried shallots. They're served with pork sausage and fried shallots, sprinkled with spring onions and fresh chilies, and topped with a warm "Nuk Jum" dipping sauce.
• Soft and smooth texture, easy to eat.
• Some restaurants serve them with a fried egg or grilled pork.

👉 Perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack.
Recommended restaurants: Bánh Cuốn Hải Nam, Bánh Cuốn Tây Hồ

5. Vietnamese Pizza (Bánh tráng nướng)

A popular snack among Vietnamese teenagers, these rice paper rolls are made from rice paper. (Same as the crispy rice crackers) grilled on the stove and topped with eggs, dried shrimp, minced pork, sausage, spring onions, and chili sauce.
• Some people call it “Vietnamese pizza” because it resembles a thin, crispy pizza.
• Available in a variety of flavors, including spicy, sweet, and runny eggs.

👉 Easily found at night markets and street food spots, it's recommended to try the traditional version before trying the fusion version.

6. Bánh Mì

A legendary Vietnamese sandwich: French bread with a crispy exterior and soft interior, filled with a variety of fillings, such as grilled pork, shredded pork, pork sausage, liver pâté, spring onions, cucumber, pickled vegetables, and topped with chili sauce and mayonnaise.
• A variety of flavors: salty, sweet, spicy, and sour.
• This dish is easy to find, quick, and inexpensive.

👉 Recommended for a quick breakfast or lunch.
Recommended restaurants: Bánh Mì Huỳnh Hoa, Bánh Mì Hong Hoa

7. Vietnamese Fried Bananas (Chuối chiên)

A home-style Vietnamese dessert made with firm, sliced Nam Wa bananas. Soaked in flour mixed with coconut milk and deep-fried until crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
• Best eaten hot, it's fragrant, sweet, and creamy.
• Some restaurants add sesame seeds or sticky rice flour for a richer texture.

👉 A popular afternoon snack, perfect for those who enjoy sweet fried foods.
Found commonly on food carts and street vendors.

8. Bánh cuốn nóng (Khao Kreap Pak Mor)

Similar to Bánh cuốn, but even more "fresh" as it's steamed right in front of you. This dish boasts both the softness and the aroma of the fermented dough. Served with pork sausage and sweet and sour sauce.
• Often eaten for breakfast.
• Some restaurants also add shiitake mushrooms or quail eggs for a special touch.

👉 Perfect for those who prefer a soft, light meal that's still filling.
Recommended restaurant: Bánh Cuốn Gia Truyền

9. Bún thịt nướng (Grilled Pork Rice Vermicelli)

A favorite among Vietnamese and tourists alike. Cold rice vermicelli noodles served with fragrant grilled pork, fresh vegetables, crushed peanuts, and a sweet and sour sauce.
• Grilled pork marinated in Vietnamese spices for a unique aroma.
• Some restaurants add fried spring rolls for extra crispiness.

👉 Perfect for a hot lunch, this refreshing dish is light and not too heavy.
Recommended restaurants: Bún Thịt Nuớng Chị Tông, Bún Thịt Nuớng Nguyễn Bỉnh Khiêm

10. Grilled Pork Rice (Com tam sườn nướng)

Broken rice (small grains of rice from milling) served with grilled pork on the bone, fried egg, Vietnamese sausage, and shredded pork skin, topped with sweet and sour sauce, served with cucumber and pickled vegetables.
• Grilled pork with a fragrant aroma of spices. Perfectly sweet and salty.
• Fragrant, soft, but not soggy rice.

👉 A great breakfast or lunchtime dish. Find a good restaurant and you'll be hooked.
Recommended restaurants: Cơm Tấm Ba Ghiền, Cơm Tấm Cali

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