In Saigon, the dishes you must try stack up high and proud, forming towering heaps of deliciousness.

Before indulging in these delicacies, brace yourself for plates and bowls piled high. That's the rule of thumb. And that's why these dishes are best enjoyed with company...to devour it all.

In Saigon, the dishes you must try stack up high and proud, forming towering heaps of deliciousness.

Typically, eateries serve food individually. A bowl of pho, a cup of soup, a piece of cake, a plate of salad. Even with common items like grilled meat or spring rolls, the proprietress will happily accommodate your preferences. However, not every dish or every establishment operates this way. Simply because each has its own unique characteristics.

Banh Uot Ban Me

Banh Uot Ban Me, also known as 'plate-stacking rice cakes' or 'blanket-covered rice cakes,' stands out from other varieties as it is served singularly on a large plate, with just one sheet of rice cake per serving.

Accompanying the feast are plates of grilled meat and ample pickled vegetables, enough for many servings of rice cakes. When dining, roll the meat, sausage, and pickles together, then dip and savor. With a spread like this, it's impractical to just eat one rice cake, so ordering repeatedly is the norm.

Order as many plates as you like, then stack them high. Depending on your appetite, your stack could range from five to ten, or even twenty plates. Eating Banh Uot Ban Me isn't just about the deliciousness; it's about the joy of stacking plates, especially when shared with friends.

7-Bowl Noodles

If Banh Uot is the type of dish where you can't just order one plate and stop, then 7-bowl noodles are the fixed combo type, meaning you have to order it as a combo. Introduced at the end of 2015, ordering this meal automatically gets you 7 bowls of noodles.

But don't worry, even though it's 7 bowls, each bowl is quite small, typically just 2 or 3 bites, mainly for you to taste. The noodles come in two types: dry and soup, but they all follow the Chinese style of noodle making, using egg noodles.

Assorted Sweet Desserts

Usually, people enjoy dessert in cups or bowls, but having it served on a tray is rare. However, for years, Saigonese have been accustomed to the 16-bowl dessert tray at Khanh Vy's. This tray features 13 different types of desserts, along with a plate of sticky rice, a jar of coconut jelly, and a plate of flan.

The variety of desserts here is extensive, from taro dessert, corn dessert, white bean dessert, banana dessert, to three-color dessert... all made with dominant sweet and creamy flavors. Each bowl of dessert is not too large, but a full tray of desserts is certainly more than 1 or 2 people can handle. That's why when people come here to eat, they usually invite friends to share.

Sitting in front of a dessert tray may seem a bit challenging, but it undeniably has its own unique charm. At least for those who want to check in and try multiple Saigonese dessert flavors at once.

As reported by Afamily

***

Reference: Travel guide by Mytour