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As a melting pot of cultures, Saigon offers more than just historical sites and cultural landmarks. It's a culinary paradise waiting to be explored. Here are some mouthwatering dishes you can't miss when in Saigon.
Grilled Pork Banh Mi
Unlike typical banh mi, Saigon's grilled pork banh mi features only succulent grilled pork as its filling. The minced pork is seasoned with traditional spices, then marinated and grilled to perfection. A complete banh mi always comes with pickled carrots and daikon, cucumber, cilantro, and 5 to 6 slices of grilled pork generously topped with a dash of chili sauce.
Pho Lau
When it comes to Pho Lau, it conjures familiar scenes, whether it's morning, noon, or night, in front of the school gate, students gather eagerly around a steaming pot of Pho Lau filled with familiar ingredients like tripe, tendons, and fatty meat, regardless of the efforts of parents and 'red scarves' to maintain hygiene and order on the roadside.
Sea Snails
Although Saigon isn't a coastal city, if you don't indulge in a meal of sea snails while here, you haven't truly experienced the city. Sea snails in Saigon represent a way of life rather than just a dish. Saigon's sea snail stalls offer nearly 20 different types of snails, each prepared in various styles: grilled, steamed, boiled, stir-fried with morning glory, garlic, or butter...
Trang Bang Rice Paper
The unique aspect of Trang Bang rice paper lies in its requirement to be freshly exposed to dew and paired with a variety of greens in Trang Bang to achieve the full flavor. Fragrant greens from the garden include coriander, water spinach, basil, Vietnamese balm, chives, and cilantro. Additionally, various types of young leaves and wild herbs found in forests or along rivers, streams, and creeks, such as water ferns, water morning glory leaves, and mimosa leaves, contribute to the distinctive flavor of this rice paper dish.
Fermented Fish Noodle Soup
This dish made it to the top 10 must-try foods in Saigon list by the renowned food blogger Mark Wiens. Fermented fish noodle soup is a specialty of the people in the Mekong Delta region. The broth is prepared from various types of freshwater fish like carp, snakehead fish, and climbing perch, boiled until the meat falls apart, then strained to obtain the clear broth, lightly seasoned for a balanced taste. Although this dish may have a strong aroma for first-time tasters, once you've tried it, you'll be hooked.
Fried Rice Flour Cake
Fried rice flour cake is actually quite simple, just squares of rice flour batter tossed in dark soy sauce, soy sauce, fried in a pan until crispy on the outside, hot inside, along with eggs, and scallions. The dish is fragrant, crispy on the outside, soft inside with creamy eggs, served with pickled vegetables and dipped in sweet and sour soy sauce that makes everyone crave for more. Once tourists taste it, they'll surely crave and remember it even after leaving.
Grilled Meat Vermicelli
Fresh vermicelli served with fragrant grilled meat, aromatic herbs, shredded cucumber, and bean sprouts. The specialty of grilled meat vermicelli lies in the strong spicy chili flavor and the dipping sauce, either soybean sauce or sweet chili fish sauce. The combination of these ingredients creates an irresistible dish that stimulates the taste buds.
Braised Duck Noodle Soup
If you enjoy braised dishes, you should try braised duck noodle soup. It's hard to find a place in Vietnam where you can enjoy this dish as delicious as in Saigon, prepared by the Chinese people. The delicious duck noodle soup features crispy noodles that are not chewy, with a rich herbal broth that's not overwhelming.
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