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When visiting Ho Chi Minh City, you'll easily find yourself indulging in a bowl of fragrant northern-style snail vermicelli, a bowl of exquisite Hue-style beef vermicelli, or a bowl of sweet and savory fermented fish vermicelli from the Mekong Delta region.
Enjoying steaming bowls of flavorful regional noodles amidst the afternoon drizzles in Saigon will leave you with unforgettable culinary experiences. Let's explore some delicious noodles readily available in Saigon to enjoy with friends and family during the transitioning seasons.
1. Snail Vermicelli
This is a quintessential dish from the northern region, known for its intricate preparation methods, especially in cleaning and boiling the snails. A well-made bowl of snail vermicelli boasts a broth simmered from beef bones, carefully skimming off impurities to maintain clarity. The bowl is filled with plump, succulent snails, complemented by golden-fried tofu, ripe red tomatoes, and garnished with thinly sliced shallots for visual appeal. Accompanying the vermicelli is a plate of northern vegetables such as purple perilla, coriander, and Vietnamese balm, allowing you to fully appreciate the flavors of this rustic dish. In Saigon, you can visit snail vermicelli stalls tucked away in the alleys at the intersection of Huynh Van Banh - Tran Huy Lieu, Phu Nhuan District, or Thanh Hai snail vermicelli stall on Ky Dong Street, District 3.
Indulging in a fragrant bowl of snail vermicelli will leave you with unforgettable culinary delights. Photo: Hotto
2. Crab Vermicelli Soup
Alongside snail vermicelli, crab vermicelli soup, known as the 'specialty of the North', is also a delicious dish found on many streets in Saigon. A bowl of crab vermicelli soup entices with its golden broth, vibrant red of tomatoes, fresh green onions, and strands of pristine white vermicelli. However, in Saigon, crab vermicelli soup also includes pig blood, tofu, and in some places, added slices of pork pie or boiled snails... The crab paste is made from fresh and delicious field crabs from the Mekong Delta region, crushed and meticulously filtered to produce a fragrant, sweet broth. To fully savor the taste before enjoying, diners should add a bit of shrimp paste and a few pieces of mildly spicy chili. The sweet fragrance of the field crab broth, combined with the sourness of tomatoes, the spiciness of chili, and the richness of shrimp paste will leave you delighted. You can easily find it in the small alleys of Saigon or in eateries on Nguyen Canh Chan - District 1, Le Van Sy - District 3, Tran Ke Xuong - Phu Nhuan District, or on the sidewalks of Le Thanh Ton Street.
A steaming bowl of crab vermicelli soup will warm you up on rainy days in Saigon. Photo: Bunsaigon
3. Hue Beef Vermicelli
Like many dishes from the ancient capital, Hue beef vermicelli requires intricate preparation, especially in its broth. The delicious broth must be simmered from pork bones, beef bones, with various vegetables, enhanced with the rich flavor of shrimp paste. The broth should be clear, harmonizing with spices, lemongrass, rock sugar for sweetness, and minimal oil. The thick strands of white vermicelli, along with beef, shank, and pig's trotters steaming hot, emanating a tantalizing aroma in the sweet, fragrant broth, will leave diners with an unforgettable taste. The special flavor of the vermicelli dish is combined with various raw vegetables, banana flowers, and bean sprouts. In Saigon, you won't have a hard time finding Hue cuisine, you can visit Huong Giang beef vermicelli, Tan Binh district, bun bo Hue 357 on Ba Hat street, district 10, bun bo Song Huong - Go Dau - Tan Phu.
A bowl of Hue beef vermicelli with its distinctive flavors is indescribable when enjoyed. Photo: Bunbohue
4. Western Fermented Fish Vermicelli
Derived from Cambodian fermented fish vermicelli, the people of the Mekong Delta region have creatively added their own touches by using linh fish sauce instead of beef mắm. The allure of this vermicelli dish particularly stems from its fragrant broth made from linh fish, a specialty fish of the Mekong Delta. The fish is caught and fermented to make the fish sauce. The sauce is then cooked until thick and strained to extract the broth. Enjoying a bowl of fully garnished fermented fish vermicelli includes snakehead fish, minced lemongrass, straw mushrooms, and sliced purple eggplants. The accompanying dipping sauce is pure tamarind fish sauce, with a few slices of thinly sliced chili and a slice of lime to enhance the flavor. The accompanying vegetables include thinly sliced banana flowers, bean sprouts, finely chopped water spinach, and notably, the characteristic bitter vegetables of the Mekong Delta. Three popular fermented fish vermicelli stalls in Saigon are Quan Vy, located in an alley on Su Van Hanh Street, District 5; Bac Lieu fermented fish vermicelli stall in Vinh Vien, District 10, or Le Quang Dinh fermented fish vermicelli stall on the same street in Binh Thanh District.
5. Fish Num Bò Chóc Vermicelli
This is a famous type of vermicelli from the land of pagodas, following in the footsteps of Cambodia into the land of Saigon. The main ingredients of this vermicelli dish are wild snakehead fish, beef mắm, fresh turmeric, and the characteristic spices of Cambodia. The broth is cooked from fresh wild snakehead fish, beef mắm, and seasoned with characteristic spices of the pagoda land such as annatto seeds, lemongrass, along with fresh turmeric and whole lemongrass. All blend together to create a beautiful golden broth with a delicious and rich flavor. Enjoying a bowl of fish num bò chóc vermicelli with its characteristic golden broth, complemented by the green of water mimosa, the purple of water lilies, and the fresh yellow of water spinach, makes the bowl of vermicelli look attractive and appealing. You can enjoy this bowl of vermicelli at Mrs. Tu Xe's stall in Le Hong Phong Market, District 10.
Fish num bò chóc vermicelli, a delicacy from the land of pagodas in Saigon. Photo: Khanh Hoa
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Reference: Mytour Travel Guide
