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From savory broths to aromatic herbs and creative cooking techniques, Vietnamese dishes highlight the soul of Vietnam food without relying on specific menu items. We create easy, fun, and authentic local tours that take you from the country's classic highlights to its most unique destinations. As Asia-based travel experts, Asia Odyssey Travel is here to help you enjoy the best of Vietnam. Look no further than Hoi An Ancient Town, where Cao Lau is your ultimate choice. Bun Bo Hue O Ty is a renowned restaurant famous for serving authentic and delicious Bun Bo Hue noodles. Thick rice noodles, beef slices, and herbs complete this deliciously aromatic soup. The rich broth is slow-cooked with a combination of beef, pork, and lemongrass, resulting in a flavorful base.
Sink your teeth into the crunchy crust and watch the warm roll give way to a whole scheme of textures. The southern iteration, phở Nam, has a murkier broth and is served with a bouquet of fresh herbs like bean sprouts, basil and mint. If you have a sensitive stomach, you might want to stick to cooked foods and avoid raw vegetables at smaller stalls.
The top is usually sprinkled with dried shrimp (finely ground dried shrimp), crispy fried pork cracklings, green onions, and drizzled with Hue’s characteristic sweet and sour fish sauce. Made from rice flour, steamed in small individual bowls, it has a soft, smooth, and pristine white texture. A famous specialty of Phu Yen, tuna eyes are prepared into many attractive dishes such as tuna eyes braised with medicinal herbs (unique and nutritious), tuna salad, and tuna hot pot. Each bowl of bún bò Huế is a harmonious blend of crab cake, beef shank, pork trotters, and the characteristic spicy flavor of lemongrass and chili. Famous for its spicy and rich flavors, it often uses characteristic shrimp paste, fermented fish sauce, and fresh ingredients from the sea or mountains. Rice is made from glutinous rice, cooked and then pressed into pieces, then deep-fried until golden brown and crispy.
Don't forget to try Banh Cuon, soft steamed rice rolls filled with delicious minced pork. Yes, Vietnamese cuisine has many rich and delicious vegetarian dishes, especially those made from fresh vegetables, tofu, and mushrooms, often prepared very creatively. With its rich color and distinctive aroma, this fish sauce is exquisitely made from fresh, delicious anchovies, offering a unique and rich flavor, making it an indispensable choice in many local dishes. This is a rustic dish, characteristic of the Central region, offering a refreshing taste from the river. Mèn mén has a distinctive nutty corn flavor, a light aroma, and a chewy texture. This sauce is made from vinegar, sugar, garlic, and chili, creating a harmonious flavor that stimulates the taste buds and is not at all cloying.
On the side, you can often find a platter with bean sprouts, lime wedges, and sliced hot peppers so each person can add the garnishes to his or her liking. One side of bánh mì heo quay can also be spread with chicken liver pate before the sliced pork belly is added to the sandwich. If desired, sliced chili peppers can be added to the sandwich as a topping, making it very spicy. The sandwich is then dressed with a combination of mayonnaise, pickled carrots and daikon, cucumbers, cilantro, and chives. Bánh mì heo quay is a traditional bánh mì sandwich variation made with roasted pork belly as the main ingredient.
Pho is often enjoyed as a comforting breakfast or a satisfying meal at any time. Without a vibrant medley of fresh herbs and bean sprouts, pho is never complete. Thinly sliced beef is cooked in the hot broth to a perfect medium-rare, resulting in melt-in-your-mouth tenderness. The savory meat soups, such as Pho Bo (beef noodle soup), have a lighter taste and often come with tender beef slices. Even if you haven’t had the chance to explore famous tourist destinations across the country, stop by Saigon – a hub for delicious dishes from all three regions of Vietnam.
The pork is marinated in fish sauce, pepper, and shallots, then grilled over charcoal and dropped into the warm dipping sauce. Cold chè is filled with jellied ingredients and tropical fruits such as bananas, mangoes and longan, usually doused in coconut cream. Playful textures, dipped in a spicy fish sauce make bò lá lốt a must-try for meat-eaters when in Vietnam. The results are stupendous, peppery bursts of flavour that can be enjoyed with noodles or rolled up with rice paper and fresh herbs. A seared, crispy, leafy layer encases minced beef, garlic and shallots, sealing in juicy bites of bò lá lốt. Made from large round sheets of steamed rice flour, gathered around minced pork and wood-ear mushroom and gently folded and chopped, bánh cuốn is a delight.
Served with crispy bread, fried pork skin or pork sausage, it creates a rich, fragrant flavor characteristic of the cool weather. A famous breakfast dish in Da Lat, the steamed pork dumpling sandwich is the perfect combination of hot, soft dumplings in a sweet and savory bone broth. Don is a type of small clam, prepared into a soup with a clear, sweet broth, served with crispy grilled rice crackers and a little thinly sliced onion and scallions. The rice noodles are chewy and soft, combined with fresh mackerel fish cake, quail eggs, and fragrant fried onions, creating a light yet rich taste. Nam O fish salad is made from fresh, thinly sliced herring, mixed with galangal, garlic, chili, ginger, and roasted rice powder.
