5 must-try Vietnamese dishes

In Vietnam, before eating we say “Chúc ngon miệng!”-- meaning 'enjoy your meal' (but of course you will.)

While Vietnamese cuisine abroad still flies under the banners of phở and bánh mì, the full spectrum of Vietnamese food is a symphony of delightfully textured, bright and piquant flavours.

The Vietnamese love their food and cooks make the most of each region's abundance produce and special ingredients to make their meals. Northern food is known for its simplicity; the dishes of central Vietnam are generous in spice and quantity; Southerners like to add sugar. Wherever you travel across the country, you're sure to eat well.

1. Phở

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Phở-real: this world-famous soup differs from north to south. 

Phở is the quintessential Vietnamese dish, the word phở referring to the type of noodle used in the recipe. Flat rice noodles dance around with medium-rare slivers of beef or boiled chicken in a hearty beef stock. The more popular of the two widely known varieties is phở Hanoi. Originally from the north, it is distinguished by a clear broth and dressed only with a squeeze of lemon and slices of bird’s eye chili. The southern iteration, phở Nam, has a murkier broth and is served with a bouquet of fresh herbs like bean sprouts, basil and mint.

The secret to a good bowl of phở lies in its stock. The broth is usually infused with fragrant star anise, clove and cinnamon to lend a natural sweetness to the mix. This dish is found on almost every street corner and is actually consumed for breakfast, unbeknownst to outsiders. 

Try it: Pho Thin, 13 Lo Duc, Hai Ba Trung District in Hanoi or Pho Hoa, 260C Pasteur Street, District 3 in Ho Chi Minh City

2. Bánh Mì

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With so many varieties, you're bound to find the perfect bánh mì on a trip to Vietnam. 

Baguettes may have been adopted from the French, but bánh mì is as Vietnamese as it comes. Paté and margarine are spread swiftly across the soft, chewy interior of a baguette and later, the sandwich is loaded with pickled vegetables, fresh cilantro, pork belly, pork floss and cucumber. Sink your teeth into the crunchy crust and watch the warm roll give way to a whole scheme of textures.

Try it: Banh My Phuong, 2B Phan Chau Trinh, Hoi An

3. Cơm Tấm

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A platter of Cơm Tấm in Ho Chi Minh City. 

Back in the day, Vietnamese farmers would eat the fractured rice grains they could not sell. Nowadays, “broken” rice is a food staple for the everyday working-class citizen. For a meal of humble origins, the preparations for cơm tấm can get very decadent.

While it's prepared in a number of ways, the most popular is cơm tấm sườn nướng ốp la. A fried egg is paired with caramelised grilled pork chop and laid out on a generous heap of broken rice. The dish is then slathered with nước chấm, a mixture of chilli, fish sauce and sugar, and a drizzle of green onion oil. The final touches include a side of shredded pickled carrots and daikon, slices of cucumbers and tomatoes, and crushed fried pork rinds and shallots for garnish.

Try it: A family-operated stall on 260 Vo Van Tan, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City

4. Bún Bò Huế

Called "the greatest soup in the world" by the late Anthony Bourdain. 

Representing the legendary royal cuisine of Hue, bún bò huế is a mighty demonstration of both beauty and taste. The alarmingly red broth is the first signal of its striking flavour—the result of hours spent simmering beef bones and stalks of lemongrass to produce a citrusy concoction. Flash boiled vegetables paired with tender beef shanks give this dynamic affair added vivacity. This may be a beef soup—the word bò is Vietnamese for beef—but don’t be surprised when you see sausage lurking in the bowl. Chả lụa is a sausage made of ham paste that has a texture reminiscent of tofu.

Try it: Quan Bun Bo Hue,19 Ly Thuong Kiet Street, Hue

5. Cao Lầu

Thick noodles with a secret recipe, these are a must in Hoi An. 

A dish unique to Hoi An, cao lầu is beyond compare. Saluting the history of the coastal trading port from where it originated, this sensuous bowl of noodles is a fusion of Japanese, Chinese and Vietnamese influences. Slices of Chinese barbecued pork are fanned over cao lầu noodles. These thick noodles, with the same heft as Japanese udon, are then doused with a spice-laden broth and topped with fresh herbs and crushed pork cracklings. Authentic cao lầu is said to be made from the water found in the thousand-year-old Ba Le well in Hoi An, rumoured to have magical properties.

Try it: Thanh Cao Lau, 24 Thai Phien St, Hoi An

Source: Vietnam Travel