Is it better to book while in the country? www.saigonoutcast.com. This post is an excellent resource for street food and I’m planning my eating itinerary with it right now! Bun moc has been my go-to soup when I had no idea what else to eat, when my tastebuds were overwhelmed with the variety of other meals throughout the day and just wanted a simple bowl, with savoury pork and mushroom broth. Just got a copy of your handbook from iTunes and can’t wait to soak it all up. Thank you Rachel! +84 (8) 3825 0261. Abbreviated as BTN by friends, this dish is found throughout the city and combines all of the satisfying textures you might want for lunch in one heaping bowl of food. Where: Quan Com So 7 And ridiculously good. I am bloated with canh chua at the moment so it is hard to write eloquently, but know that I am very grateful to have encountered your list! To be as useful as possible, a few rules apply to comments. Where: 241 Vo Van Tan Street, District 3 Steamed rice crepes filled with wood ear mushrooms and ground pork often seasoned with white pepper, banh cuon are a wonderful breakfast meal that covers all bases. Just a heads up, I looked up Banh Khot Co Ba Vung Tau on Google Maps and it says it has permanently closed. Appreciate the detailed comment and enjoy your time in Saigon! I usually have to go through the whole “gluten-free/dairy free” thing when I eat out, but I’m also sensitive to MSG. Food is communication – food is culture. they are made from clay. If you want to dip your foot into bun rieu start with the lovely lady above, and then try it about town. 164 Bui Vien Street, District 1 I’m also planning to translate a Gluten-Free card like I did for my Greece post with the names of the local Vietnamese foods. And report back please! Any recommendations. For vegetarians who want a great food experience in Saigon, we really liked Com Chay Mani (which is just 100m away from the Che Chuoi stall). A Juicy mango smoothie with no sugar and added whipped cream. Now I am more looking forward to go back again, as from your post, there is SO MUCH more to try, see and do. I was surprised to find the Northern-style soups far less sweet than I remembered from Montreal. Thanks! You can easily spot vendors selling banh cuon in prominent marketplaces such as Cholon and Ben Thanh Market as well as local restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City. Bún riêu (bun rieu) 5. Jazz: Weekly jazz sessions at Le Fenetre Soleil, and while drinks are pricier than neighbouring bars, you don’t usually pay cover for the venue or music. Hi Rachel! It’s just a matter of seeing what they have for sale and ascertaining whether there’s something else that could contaminate the oil. Topped with crunchy pork rinds and toasted shrimp powder and served with fish sauce, they are a very rewarding dish to share as they usually come in multiples of 8 or 10. Com Tam joint serving the great bitter melon soup. Where: Juicy Smoothie Bar The information you have provided will ensure our trip is a success! Looking at the menu I saw the familiar hu tieu (see below), but did not know what banh tam bi was. Also google maps is saying that Quan Sadec is permanently closed, but we went there and can confirm it is definitely still open and serving delicious food! The cua in this soup is crab, and the result is a viscous crab soup with thick noodles — … for me ,it was all about the Vietnamese people and that is why I am going back soon. The best way to enjoy ban xeo is by wrapping it in mustard leaf, lettuce leaves or rice wrappers, together with mint leaves, basil, herbs, and sweet fermented peanut butter sauce. Address：cong hoa Ho Chi Minh city, Ho Chi minh Business type：Manufacturer. Motorbikes stop by to grab a glass before handing it back and driving off; others pick up litres of the sweet (seriously: SWEET) tea for their families at home. Of course, we had no idea what to order or how to order it, but we just got the same thing as the people before us ordered and it was very tasty. Yes, MSG is used in much of the cooking here. For those wanting a different fix, opt for mien ga (mien are mung bean noodles), both of which come with their signature spicy sauce, pickled garlic, and basket ‘o herbs. +84 (8) 3911 0120. Well laid out, wonderful resources and pictures, and a beautiful sense of community. The Chinese had a lot to do with hu tieu being in Vietnam in the first place. I ate half a dozen things from this list over the weekend, and I would not have found a single one of them without your help. I’m disgustingly salivating at all the pictures and I’m almost to the point of taking a bite out of my monitor. I trust Tom’s accounts of food and travel, but I also value his perspective during this surreal time. I’ve had cha gio in the uk where they’ve guaranteed that the oil hasn’t been used to fry other items that may have contained gluten, I would love to have some in Vietnam, do they tend to reuse lots of oil for different gluten items? And yes, you need to ask at restaurants when you eat. Featuring some of the best street food in Ho Chi Minh City under one roof, Ben Thanh Street Food Market is an ideal place to get an introduction to a variety of local dishes. Lunch 11:30am-2pm If you need a specialist, you can make an appointment for here as well, such as a tropical diseases doctor or for those with kids, a pediatrician. One specific soup, a sweet-and-sour canh chua (photo in the “street food” section below), was what initially led me to the city. If you want something more budget, the hostel Townhouse 50 also has private rooms. Unsurprisingly they serve South African wine (try the pinotage) and have had a two-for-one happy hour from 6pm-8pm for the last few months. Where: Bun Moc Than Mai I couldn’t leave this dish out of the list, though as I quickly found when I visited for the first time, there is so much more to food in Vietnam than this popular soup. Why am I killing myself reading this article? As usual, you pick and choose whatever you want. +84 8 3910 1277 My husband and I travel quite often are are going to be in Saigon for NYE and a few days after. In late January, when the virus broke in Vietnam, few observers would have predicted a record like this. Set in a teeny alley off the busier main street, you walk up several floors and then into a wood and art-filled room. 1. Tickets can be booked at the office on De Tham near Pham Ngu Lao (272 De Tham; link is to Google map. Thanks a bunch! Since being back in North America, I’ve tested the Banh Xeo mixes using a Nima Sensor, which tests ppm of gluten – no gluten for the mixes I tried that say no wheat on them. Are you looking for vegan food in Saigon? Where: Hong Hanh Lots of kumquat trees being transported on motorbikes, lots of drinking at tiny tables at the side of the road, and much celebration. I do want to go back though. Plus, the post-meal dessert? You can almost hear the traffic and see those little tables and rickety wooden benches next to the street drains. Thanks for the info, and SUPER happy that Quan Sadec is open. Where: Au Parc Cafe It’s always been fresh, delicious, and a cozy casual spot for lunch – when they have their best value meals. They will call one for you and you can just wait a few minutes until it arrives. Animus has been closed for a few months; the building has been gutted and I’m not sure if they plan to re-open it. 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