When it comes to the busiest and most developed area in Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City cannot be ignored – one of the special things about this place is its long-standing culinary culture. This place is said to be the intersection of Northern – Central – Southern cultures, Saigon gives you the culinary experience of almost all the typical dishes of Vietnam.
1. Saigon Bread
In March 2012, the travel page of The Guardian – a famous UK newspaper, voted Saigon bread in the top 10 most delicious and attractive street foods in the world. Walking around Saigon, you can see dozens of cars selling bread with different filling recipes such as pate, shumai, roast pork, grilled meat, ham, sausage, fried egg… Vegetables sliced cucumbers, cilantro, pickles, scallions, onions, basil. Although it is not difficult to find bread in Saigon, if you have the opportunity, try Huynh Hoa bread, which is one of the best bakeries in Saigon. The price is a bit high, but it’s delicious and worth the money.
2. Noodle soup (Hu tieu)
The next dish we want to introduce is noodle soup. The most famous is My Tho noodle soup, which is processed by the My Tho people, the main ingredients are dried noodles, the broth is minced meat, and pork intestine cooked with pork bone marrow. Then boil the noodles with the broth and add the main ingredients such as vegetables, beef balls, seafood, wontons, and boiled meat. In 2009, My Tho noodle soup of the My Tho noodle production cooperation group was granted the certificate of “Vietnamese Brand” by the Vietnam Trademark Center, under the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology.
3. Broken rice (Com tam)
If you are living in Saigon, you will surely find broken rice is one of the super ‘hot’ dishes here. The most special thing about this dish is that it is more crowded at night. Broken rice is a Vietnamese dish made from broken rice grains. Although there are many different names such as Saigon broken rice, night rice, popular rice, … but the main ingredients in the dish are still the same for most places. Includes rice with ribs, eggs, shredded pork skin,…
Broken rice is difficult to find competitors because almost every restaurant creates a little bit of different flavor.
4. Tofu rice vermicelli (noodles) with shrimp paste (Bun dau mam tom)
Tofu rice vermicelli (noodles) with shrimp paste is a simple, rustic dish in Northern Vietnamese cuisine. This is a dish often served as a snack. The main ingredients include fresh vermicelli, boiled meat, fried tofu, spring roll, fried spring roll, shrimp paste mixed with lemon, chili and served with herbs such as perilla, marjoram, basil, lettuce, eggplant, cucumbers. For Hanoi, this is considered a snack, but in the South, this is considered a meal in the morning, afternoon, and evening.
5. Banh Canh
Banh Canh is a familiar dish of Vietnam. The dish consists of a broth made from shrimp, fish and pork leg with spices depending on the type of cake soup. Banh Canh fiber can be made from rice flour, flour, tapioca starch, or rice flour mixed with tapioca. This dish is made from dough that is rolled into sheets and cut into large and short strands.
6. Beef rice noodles (Bun bo Hue)
Beef rice noodles is one of the specialties of Hue, although this noodle dish is popular in all three regions in Vietnam and Vietnamese people abroad. In Hue, this dish is simply called “bun bo” or more specifically “bun bo with pig’s feet”. Other localities call it “Hue beef rice noodle soup”, “Hue original beef rice noodle soup” to indicate the origin of this dish. This is one of the best-rated restaurants and our favorite restaurant.
- Thai sweet gruel (Che Thai)
There is no doubt that Y Phuong’s sweet gruel has won the hearts of Saigon people for decades. This place gathers all kinds of sweet gruel from all over the country. Not only that, but it also sells papaya salad with black beef, dumplings, fish balls, and sticky rice ice cream. And the special thing is that all kinds of sweet gruel from cassava to lotus rhizome are made by the staff, so everyone can rest assured.
