Representative Image: Getty Images
Vietnam
is coming up as a Southeast Asian alternative to Thailand now, and rightfully
so since it’s one of the most wonderful countries in the world! Even grumpy
Paul Theroux couldn’t stay immune to its charms when he traveled through the
war-ravaged country on its sole train line and wrote about it in his book The
Great Railway Bazaar.
Most
people associate Vietnam with the breathtaking limestone karsts at Ha Long Bay,
or the Mekong Delta and Cu Chi Tunnels in South Vietnam, close to Saigon. These
are of course great reasons to visit Vietnam, but one of the foremost reasons
to get yourself to Vietnam right now is the astonishingly flavourful and
completely underrated Vietnamese food!
Those
expecting food similar to Thai, or even Cambodian food are in for a surprise as
it has completely distinct and different flavours. Expect pungent broths with
noodles, French-influenced sandwiches called bánh mì and delicate crepes with the most mouth-watering array of
fillings!
The
quintessential Vietnamese dish, indeed Vietnam’s national dish many would
claim, is phở. A humble bowl of phở is a hearty beef soup with chunks of
sliced meat and rice noodles—garnished with bean sprouts, basil, chopped
chillies and lime wedges. It is found at every street corner in every city and
is surprisingly delicious given its simplicity. If you’re having trouble
deciding what to eat, start with phở —you
won’t be disappointed.
Another
ubiquitous Vietnamese dish, found in all parts of Vietnam, is the bánh mì—a different kind of a baguette
filled with grilled meats, vegetables, pate and sauces. This likely
French-inspired sandwich tastes different in different parts of the country,
depending on the fillings but is guaranteed to be delicious no matter where you
pick one up!
Once
you’ve discovered the joys of the simple phở,
prepare to treat yourself with some bún
riêu—a south Vietnam special tomato-based broth with crabmeat and pork and
tofu—so flavourful it will have you wanting to lick the bowl clean! Up in
Central Vietnam, the bún bò Huế is a
spicy noodle soup from—you guessed it—Huế. The much-loved soup is made using
beef broth and spicy chilli oil and it’s made using vermicelli and thin slices
of beef. If you find yourself in Huế, make sure you try the bún bò Huế.
If
you’re not much of a noodle soup person, worry not—Vietnam has rice cakes, rice
crepes and spring rolls aplenty to keep you happy. Bánh cuốn from up north are light and fluffy rice rolls filled with
pork and mushrooms. Bánh bèo from
Central Vietnam are rice cakes filled with savoury fillings. And gỏi cuốn are incredibly healthy spring
rolls filled with fresh vegetables and meat and eaten with a delectable dipping
sauce.
And
ofcourse, no trip to Vietnam is complete without guzzling gallons of the famous
Vietnamese coffee—mixed with a dollop of condensed milk. Coffee drinking and
people-watching are pursued as serious activities in most cities in Vietnam. So
get yourself some iced Vietnamese coffee or hot coffee with condensed milk, sit
on the low stools set up on the sidewalks and pass your time like a true local.
By Indivo