Vietnamese cuisine is a symphony of flavors, a crystallization of regional cultures, and a source of national pride. From the fragrant Pho Bo of Hanoi to the refreshing Goi Cuon of Saigon, each dish carries its own story, a unique characteristic that is unmistakable. Exploring Vietnamese cuisine is not just about enjoying delicious food, but also about experiencing culture and history.
Discovering Vietnamese Cuisine: A Journey from North to South
Vietnam, with its S-shape stretching across the map, boasts an incredibly rich and diverse culinary scene. Each region has its own specialties, reflecting the natural conditions, history, and culture of that locality. Join “Du lịch khắp thế gian” to discover the must-try specialty dishes on a journey from North to South.
Pho Hanoi: The Culinary Essence of the Capital
When mentioning Hanoi, people immediately think of Pho. This dish is not only a familiar breakfast but also a symbol of the capital’s cuisine. The broth of Pho is simmered from beef bones for hours, creating a sweet, rich flavor. Soft rice noodles, thinly sliced beef, with a little green onion, herbs, and chili sauce, create an irresistible bowl of fragrant Pho.
Bun Cha Hanoi: Unforgettable Street Food Flavor
Besides Pho, Bun Cha is also a specialty of Hanoi. Bun Cha consists of vermicelli noodles, grilled pork patties and slices, served with a sweet and sour dipping sauce and fresh herbs. The smoky aroma of grilled pork, the freshness of herbs, and the rich flavor of the dipping sauce blend together to create an appealing street food dish.
Com Chay Ninh Binh: Crispy Flavor of the Countryside
When visiting Ninh Binh, tourists cannot miss Com Chay (crispy rice crust). Com Chay is made from crispy fried rice, served with goat meat sauce or fish sauce with scallions. The crispy texture of the rice crust and the rich flavor of the sauce create a rustic but captivating dish.
Bun Bo Hue: Bold Flavors of the Ancient Capital
Bun Bo Hue is a signature dish of Central Vietnamese cuisine. Thick vermicelli noodles, broth rich in fermented shrimp paste flavor, thinly sliced beef and pork knuckles, with a little spicy satay and fresh herbs, create an irresistibly delicious bowl of Bun Bo Hue.
Mi Quang Da Nang: Warm Central Vietnamese Flavors
Mi Quang is a specialty of Da Nang. Yellow noodles, broth simmered from pork bones and shrimp, chicken or pork, with a little roasted peanuts, sesame rice crackers, and fresh herbs, create a flavorful and nutritious bowl of Mi Quang.
Banh Xeo Southern Vietnam: Crispy Flavor of the Mekong Delta
Banh Xeo (crispy pancake) is a familiar dish of Southern Vietnamese cuisine. The pancake is made from rice flour, coconut milk, and turmeric, poured on a hot pan, filled with shrimp, meat, bean sprouts, and onions, served with sweet and sour fish sauce and fresh herbs. The crispy texture of Banh Xeo, the sweetness of shrimp and meat, and the freshness of herbs blend together to create an appealing dish.
Goi Cuon Saigon: Refreshing and Healthy Flavors
Goi Cuon (fresh spring rolls) are a refreshing and nutritious dish of Saigon. Goi Cuon consists of rice paper rolled with vermicelli noodles, shrimp, pork, fresh herbs, and dipped in black bean sauce or fish sauce. This dish is not only delicious but also very healthy.
Ca Lang Ho Nhúng Giam Vinh Long: The Essence of the Co Chien River
Vinh Long – a land of rivers in the Mekong Delta not only attracts tourists with its charming natural scenery but also with its unique and rich cuisine. In particular, Vinh Long is also proud to be home to dishes that are in the Top of typical Vietnamese cuisine. Among them, we cannot fail to mention Hemibagrus sour soup hotpot – a specialty dish, imbued with the culinary culture of this land.
Whenever Vinh Long is mentioned, people cannot ignore Hemibagrus sour soup hotpot – a unique and distinctive dish. What is special is that the Hemibagrus fish used in this dish must be the type of fish living on the Co Chien River, where the water source is rich in alluvium, which helps the Hemibagrus fish here have a characteristic sweet and fatty taste. Hemibagrus fish (also known as Hemibagrus filamentus) is a delicious and fatty fish that usually lives at the bottom of rivers. Often appearing a lot in April and May of the lunar calendar every year, the fish has a long body, a flattened conical head, and a white belly. Hemibagrus fish meat is not only delicious but also rich in nutrients with ingredients such as omega 3, protein, calcium, fat…
Preparing fresh Hemibagrus fish for Hemibagrus sour soup hotpot, a Vinh Long specialty.
Fresh Hemibagrus fish meat after being preliminarily processed and dipped in vinegar cooked with fresh coconut water, onions, chili, and lemongrass creates a sour and sweet taste, dipped with chili fish sauce creating a unique and attractive taste feast. To make the dish richer in flavor, locals often add 5 popular types of flowers in the riverine countryside, including water lily, sesbania grandiflora, water hyacinth, sesban, and pumpkin flowers. Each type of flower brings a unique and attractive flavor to the dish. The fish meat is just cooked to retain its freshness, sweetness, and is soaked in the light sour taste of vinegar, creating an irresistible dish. In particular, this dish is enjoyed with a coconut shell bowl – a typical utensil in the Mekong Delta, helping to add rustic and simple to the meal.
Tau Hu Ky Chien Gion Vinh Long: Flavors from My Hoa Craft Village
Not only stopping at Hemibagrus sour soup hotpot, crispy fried tofu skin is also a unique dish of Vinh Long. This dish originated from My Hoa tofu skin craft village – a traditional craft village with more than a hundred years of history. Through many ups and downs, tofu skin from My Hoa village has become one of the typical dishes of Vietnamese cuisine. Coming to My Hoa tofu skin craft village, you can always see steam boilers, smoky fire stoves, red embers, bustling, especially before the big full moon days of the year (January, July, October of the lunar calendar) and the days leading up to Tet, preparing products for the Tet market.
Crispy fried tofu skin, a specialty from My Hoa craft village in Vinh Long.
Tofu skin is made from pure soybeans, then deep-fried, creating a golden, crispy crust but still retaining its characteristic delicious, fatty taste. It is known that on average, to produce 1kg of tofu skin, about 2.4kg of fresh soybeans must be used. This is a vegetarian dish that is very popular and is used in many festivals, Tet holidays or in family meals in the Mekong Delta.
Conclusion
Vietnamese cuisine is a priceless treasure, a source of national pride. Each dish carries its own story, a unique characteristic that is unmistakable. Hopefully, through this article, you have more suggestions for must-try specialty dishes on your journey to discover Vietnam. Plan your trip and don’t forget to enjoy the delicious food to fully feel the beauty of the country and people of Vietnam.