09 must-try specialties in Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City – Saigon is the intersection of many cultures, Saigon is known as a blend of local uniqueness and modern world styles reflected in diverse street food. It can be said that Saigon has every food in every region in Vietnam, even there are variations that make “the original” surprised. Saigon cuisine is extremely rich and varied in both flavor and color. Sometimes it is an interesting mix of cuisine between the East and the West. Sometimes it feels like all the delicacies across the country, including the delicacies of the world such as Japanese, Korean, Italian, French, American … it all converges here, the diverse needs of more than 10 million people are living in this dynamic city. We only list a few most typical dishes in numerous specialties in Saigon

Banh Mi

The word Banh Mi, meaning “bread”. The Banh Mi comes from French baguettes. In the 1950s, Vietnamese people began to change recipes to their own taste, Vietnamese incorporated ingredients to have Vietnamese taste. The Banh Mi is softer, has a crispy crust combined with grilled pork, chicken, paté, chicken egg sauce, pork belly, egg,…

Banh Mi is one of the most popular dishes in Saigon, you can find it anywhere from the street corner to luxury restaurants with prices ranging from under $1 to $100. Banh Mi has been honored by international media as “the world’s best street food”, “the world’s best sandwich”, etc.

banh-mi-viet-nam

Pho

Pho is a traditional Vietnamese dish, originating from Hanoi and Nam Dinh, and is considered a national dish for Vietnamese cuisine. Pho is served in a bowl with a specific cut of flat rice noodles in clear beef broth, with thin cuts of beef (steak, fatty flank, lean flank, brisket). Some variations tendon, tripe, and meatballs in Saigon. There are also spices such as: hoisin sauce, chili sauce, pepper, lemon, fish sauce, chili,… These spices are added depending on the taste of each eater.

The biggest difference of Pho Saigon and Pho Hanoi is its ingenious variation that Pho Saigon always be used with herbs and bean sprouts and Pho Saigon is sweeter than Pho Ha Noi.

When eating pho, we will experience the sweetness of the broth, the aroma of illicium verum, fennel, cinnamon, clove, and lanxangia tsaoko, the sour of lemons, the spicy of chili, the freshness of noodles,… everything combines together to give you the perfection of Vietnamese cuisine.

Viet Nam Traditional Pho

Com Tam (Broken Rice)

Unlike other places, broken rice in Saigon is not only breakfast in the morning but also at noon and in the evening, until late at night. A plate of broken rice includes hot broken rice, scallion oil, grilled pork chop, pork skin, with cucumber, tomato. Served with rice plate and a bowl of sweet and sour fish sauce and hot soup bowl. In addition, broken rice restaurants also sell other dishes with broken rice such as grilled chicken, braised caramelized pork with duck eggs, fried eggs,etc.

Broken Rice

Banh Xeo (Vietnamese Pancake)

The name of banh xeo comes from the sound when making it, it refers to the loud sound the rice batter makes when it is poured into the hot skillet. It is a savoury fried pancake made of rice flour, water, and turmeric powder. Some common stuffings include pork, prawns, diced green onion, mung bean, and bean sprouts. Bánh xèo is also served with lettuce, mint, Thai basil, and fish leaf. Different from banh xeo in the other regions, Nam Bo pancakes has a very unique taste that is crispy and mild.

Vietnamese Pancake

Oc (Snails)

Perhaps nowhere are the snail dishes that are skillful, as rich as Saigon land with many attractive recipes such as tamarind, garlic, mud creeper snail, stir-fried with butter, stir-fried water spinach, grilled, grilled cheese, grilled with salt and chili, steamed lemongrass, … Scallops, snails appear everywhere in Saigon from popular areas to restaurants, serving everyone. Many kinds of delicious oysters and snails will surely make you amaze. I’m so happy to be able to enjoy so many delicious dishes in just one shop!

Snail

Che (Sweet Soup)

Saigon is a place of cultures, people from all over came here made sweet soup in Saigon becomes rich. There are more than 50 types of sweet soup will make you fall in love. Tropical fruits, nuts, beans, grains, seeds, flowers, roots, vegetables and often topped with coconut milk all play their part in making sweet soup. Even though sweet soup is mildly sweet and doesn’t always have the most appealing look, most people are totally addicted to this unforgettable dish.

Sweet Soup

Goi Cuon (Summer Roll)

By the end of 2019, summer roll ranked in the top 50 of the world’s best food voted by CNN, ranked higher than many expensive and famous dishes such as Wagyu beef, Italian ham. Ingredients for a quality Summer roll include vegetables, vermicelli, shrimp, bacon, and rice paper. Summer roll can be served with sweet and sour fish sauce or hoisin sauce with pickles and crushed peanuts.

Summer Roll

Banh Trang Tron (Mixed rice paper)

Mixed rice paper is a snack originating from Tay Ninh (Vietnam). This is a very popular snack in Saigon. Core ingredients of Mixed Rice Paper (Banh trang tron) usually involved: Rice Paper (in 1 round piece or shredded), chilli powder, dry shrimp, and seasoned fried onion. Rice paper then was not the normal type Vietnamese used to wrap spring rolls. They had those tiny shrimp or scallion on them, add a little tamarind juice, kumquat juice or a little ground chilli. Eating a piece of Mix rice paper give you a taste of sweet and sour, aroma and chewy of dried beef, the taste of roasted beans, and add a quail egg that is both fatty and fragrant.

This one is served at almost everywhere in a cart rolling. The price is amazingly cheap, starting only from 10,000VND , depending on extra ingredients that eater may wish to add to their portion.

Mixed rice paper

Banh Trang Nuong (Vietnamese Pizza)

Banh Trang Nuong, or Vietnamese Pizza is a quick pizza made from a base of rice paper instead of dough. is a popular street food among young people in Vietnam. It resembles pizza with an assortment of fun toppings. However, instead of a thick dough as the base, there is a thin sheet of rice paper. Instead of tomato sauce, you have a quail or chicken egg beaten directly on top of the rice paper and spread evenly. The egg prevents the rice paper from burning, and it serves as a glue for the toppings. Some people like to add a Western spin with cheese and cut-up hot dogs. Whereas I like to keep mine very traditional with exotic Southeast Asian flavors, such as fermented shrimp paste, dried pork, and chilli sauce.

Vietnamese Pizza