Buzz
Concierge.com, the travel website of the U.S. magazine Condé Nast Traveler, has chosen the sidewalk grilled pork banh mi on Nguyen Trai Street (District 1 - Ho Chi Minh City), crafted by Sister Gai, as one of the 12 most delicious street foods in the world...
Grilled Pork Banh Mi
Additionally, the Vietnamese mixed baguette sandwich has been voted by National Geographic Magazine (USA) as one of the most enticing street foods in the world.
Banh Khot
Banh Khot is recognized as one of the finest global street foods, as per the 2013 International Street Food Festival held in Singapore.
Savory Vietnamese Pancakes
Listed among the top 40 culinary delights in Vietnam by CNN.
Grilled Sticky Rice Bananas
Crafted by Mrs. Ngô Thị Bích Thủy, a local vendor in the districts of Phú Nhuận, Bình Thạnh, and Ho Chi Minh City. Recognized as one of the world's tastiest dishes at the International Street Food Festival in Singapore 2013.
Beef Pho
The pho stall on the sidewalk of Hàng Trống street boasts no flashy signs or luxurious seats, evoking the nostalgic flavors of traditional wandering pho vendors.
Located at the beginning of Hàng Trống street, the pho spot only opens from 5 PM until a little past 8 PM when it runs out. With just over twenty low plastic chairs, old-style bowls and dishes, a pot of hot broth on a charcoal stove, dozens of boiled meat bags, and a basket of pho noodles, the establishment's setup is simple. Regular customers, who have been coming for years, rarely inquire about the owner's name; they simply refer to it as the “pho carrying spot.” The unique name has become the establishment's 'identity': customers hold a bowl in one hand, chopsticks in the other, slurping with gusto, even if the pho bowl is scalding hot, they still have to... carry it.
Beef Pho selected by CNN as 28/50 of the world's tastiest dishes (2011)
With not many choices like beef, chicken, or wine sauce, the “carrying” pho has only one authentic Hanoi-style dish, as writer Nguyễn Tuân once wrote. It must be well-cooked beef pho with crispy tendons, fatty briskets, chewy smooth pho noodles, split scallions, and plenty of coriander. On weekend afternoons, you're likely to find pho addicts finishing two full bowls.
Square Spring Rolls
Modestly situated on the sidewalk of Đào Duy Từ lemon tea street with a sign that reads “Square Spring Rolls from the crab pond,” the spot is a familiar haunt for those seeking a satisfying meal. The square spring roll joint is most crowded during lunch, and the narrow sidewalk and tiny dining area are almost always fully occupied. If you happen to visit on the weekend, you're likely to see customers standing and waiting.
Square Spring Rolls voted by CNN as one of the most enticing street foods in Asia
True to its name, the square spring rolls here are not elongated as tradition dictates but rather small and charmingly square. The square spring roll is believed to originate from Hai Phong but has now made its way to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
Fish Cake
Travelers to Hanoi cannot miss out on Lã Vọng fish cake, a name consistently mentioned in every pocket travel guide. The residence, still exuding the essence of ancient street architecture at 14 Chả Cá Street, preserves the soul of Hanoi's fish cake for over a century.
This street was formerly named Hàng Sơn. Those familiar with Hanoi's history know that during the French colonial period, Hàng Sơn Street was occupied and lost its name, disappearing until the fame of Lã Vọng fish cake bestowed the name Chả Cá Street up to now. Stepping into the aged, color-stained tube house through the staircase of the Đoàn family, the scent of shrimp paste and the sizzle of fish on small sizzling pans tease hungry stomachs as the dusk settles. Chả Cá Lã Vọng opens from early morning until midday and from early evening until late night, always bustling with both local and foreign guests.
Author Patricia Schultz included Lã Vọng fish cake in the book '1,000 Places to See Before You Die.' MSNBC ranked Hanoi's Chả Cá Lã Vọng restaurant 5th among the '10 Places to Know Before You... Die' in 2003.
Mrs. Ngô Thị Tình, now 93, daughter-in-law of the Đoàn family, recalls: 'On the full moon day of the eighth month, my husband bought a toy for our youngest daughter, a statue of Mr. Lã Vọng sitting fishing on a divine pond with a rod without a hook. He said he was a talented and virtuous man, so that name would never be erased. Choosing the name Lã Vọng for the restaurant was also an enduring wish.' To this day, right by the window overlooking the street at number 14, the statue of Mr. Lã Vọng sitting fishing serves as a reminder of the origin of this over a century-old fish cake spot.
Diners at “Spice Garden” hail from diverse cultural backgrounds, some abstaining from pork or shellfish. In addition to traditional pork and crab spring rolls, the menu features scallop spring rolls, shrimp spring rolls, fish spring rolls, and vegetarian spring rolls (using tofu instead of meat). The fish spring rolls always incorporate catfish mixed with lemongrass, a touch of chili to dispel any fishy odor. Scallops and crab are paired with cilantro for a warm touch… Following the ancient Vietnamese principle of balancing yin and yang in every meal. Each type of spring roll is carefully wrapped to be distinguishable by appearance, according to Chef Thanh Binh. She explains, “Scallop spring rolls are the trickiest to wrap, they must be rolled into a small pouch using transparent rice paper, and tied with lemongrass instead of string; fish spring rolls use grilled rice paper to create a mesh pattern; shrimp spring rolls are rolled in a triangular shape, and crab spring rolls are square-shaped.” Thanks to this, spring rolls are no longer a traditional dish exclusively for the Vietnamese but transform flexibly into unique rolls for international guests.
Crab vermicelli soup
In 2012, crab vermicelli soup was voted by CNN as one of the most enticing dishes in Asia.
Grilled pork vermicelli
Located at the entrance of Dong Xuan Market, the “Mrs. Nga’s Grilled Pork Vermicelli” shop is always bustling with customers. This is one of the few remaining bamboo stick vermicelli shops in Hanoi. For three generations, Mrs. Pham Thanh Hang (born in 1972) has been selling grilled pork vermicelli at this market alley. Starting from her grandmother's street cart when the market opened, grilled pork vermicelli was once a gift for the wealthy, until the era of Mrs. Nga – the mother of Hang, who created the brand, and Hang herself, who has been managing it for five years now. The shop is simple with two wooden tables placed close to the path, just enough for one person to pass by. The easiest difference to notice when coming to Mrs. Nga’s shop is the faint smell of grilled bamboo on red coal. Not as “industrial” as iron grills loaded with trays at once, each bamboo stick, when grilled, can only hold four pieces of pork, requiring careful selection. Choosing bamboo wisely is key— not too young to avoid an odor, and not too old to avoid burning on the coal. “I have to choose by pattern, cut bamboo into segments, then soak it in water for a few days to eliminate the smell. A thousand pairs of bamboo sticks are only enough for two months, then they have to be discarded to renew.”
From early morning, the pieces of pork cushion meat are selected when still warm, some minced finely, some sliced. “The seasoning is not complicated, just seasoned by hand to taste, marinated thoroughly without using fresh onions because they can cause a pungent smell when grilled. Grilled bamboo stick pork takes a long time because it requires constant flipping, and the fire cannot be too big,” flips Mrs. Hang, revealing the bamboo sticks on the red coal.
Similar to many other dipping sauces, the key to bun cha lies in its dipping sauce. In addition to rice vinegar infused with garlic for a sour taste, Mrs. Nga's establishment maintains the traditional Hanoi style by using boiled tamarind for a natural water base. The tamarind broth already has a sour flavor, and during the scorching summer, customers can even add a whole tamarind to their dipping sauce for an extra kick. Tamarind vinegar may not be as sharp as rice vinegar, but it offers a gentle and pleasing taste.
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Source: Travel guide Mytour – By: Yan
MytourAugust 23, 2013
