Buzz
It's just because they haven't discovered the right places to eat yet. In Saigon, there are many eateries offering delicious dishes at affordable prices, where just 10,000 dong is sufficient to satisfy your hunger!
Who says Saigon is expensive? At these 5 places, just 10,000 dong is more than enough to satisfy your hunger!
1. Chi Lang Dim Sum
Located on Le Quang Sung Street in District 6, Chi Lang Dim Sum cart starts selling from 4 pm and never lacks customers. A large sign on the cart clearly states the price of dim sum is only 1,000 dong per piece, and if it's not delicious, you don't pay. And indeed, dim sum is only 1,000 dong, siu mai, and folded cakes are only 3,000 dong. With 10,000 dong, you can fill your stomach.
Whether it's dim sum or siu mai, folded cakes, the filling is very substantial, the dough is thin and slightly chewy. The soy sauce is mixed in the authentic Chinese style, so it has a slight sour taste of vinegar, served with fragrant fried shallots and a little coriander, it's delicious and light for a quick meal. You can either take away or sit and eat, but most people choose to take away because the seating area is small.
In addition to steamed dishes, they also offer delicious fried items here at very reasonable prices, ranging from 15,000 to 20,000 dong per serving, such as fried sesame cakes with egg and fried dumplings with egg.
2. Sushi Haven
Already quite renowned with two locations: on Nguyen Tri Phuong Street in District 5 and on Nguyen Tieu La Street in District 10. Sushi Haven lives up to its name, only selling various types of sushi/rice rolls in round shapes that have been pre-cut, with prices ranging from 1,000 to 5,000 dong per piece depending on the type.
While some reviews say the sushi is just average, there are also praises, because for students, the quality is decent for the very affordable prices. Generally, if you opt for cheaper sushi, just 10,000 dong is enough for you to own a box of assorted rice rolls, served with mayo sauce, which is quite reasonable.
They operate from 11 am to around 9 pm. Initially, when Sushi Haven first appeared, it was almost like 'as soon as they were out, they were gone,' but now it's better. You can even place orders online to have them delivered right to your doorstep!
3. Aunt Hong's Rice Paper Rolls
Famous in the Sư Vạn Hạnh area of District 10 – the snacking paradise for Saigonese teens. Aunt Hong also has a shop on Street 11 in District 4, but most customers are 'bewitched' by the mixed/rolled/fried rice paper to District 10 to comfortably sit and easily find a shop.
The cheapest at Aunt Hong's is the rolled rice paper dipped in tamarind sauce and the most delicious is the assorted fried rice paper. If you only have 10,000 dong, you can enjoy the delicious rolled rice paper because each roll is only 1,500 dong. The tamarind sauce is homemade, with a thick texture, slightly salty and sour, with a bit of rich buttery egg adding to the chewy rice paper rolls with fried onions, coriander, quail eggs, and shredded pork becoming extremely delicious.
If you have a bit more to spare, don't forget to order dishes like crispy fried rice paper with a variety of accompanying items that will make you fall in love: dried squid, shredded jerky, dried beef... with crispy fried rice paper without feeling oily at all. With just 10,000 to 20,000 dong, you can completely 'fill up your stomach' now at Aunt Hong's.
4. Sesame Cakes on Le Quang Sung Street
The sesame cake cart on Le Quang Sung Street in District 6 is a familiar destination for those who have become addicted to this Chinese delicacy. At exactly 2 pm every day, when the cart is just pushed out, customers have already arrived to eat and buy takeaways, crowding one corner of the street.
Cakes are priced at 5,000 dong each, and you can choose any type you like: square sesame cakes, round sesame cakes, mung bean cakes, cassava cakes. If customers prefer to add fried eggs, they can request it, and the cakes will be freshly fried on the spot.
All types of cakes are fried just right to have a crispy outer layer while still being soft and chewy inside. When bitten into, the aroma of chives or yam fills the air; especially, there's no feeling of throat congestion due to oiliness after eating. The dipping sauce for the cakes is a sweet and sour fish sauce, which complements the taste perfectly without being overwhelming.
To try the sesame cake dish, head to the opposite side of 52 Le Quang Sung Street, District 6. With just 10,000 dong, 2 cakes can fill your stomach for several hours, making it satisfying for a full meal or just a snack.
6. Coconut Flan Cake in Tran Binh Trong Alley
Although not a savory dish like the four addresses above, the coconut flan cake in Tran Binh Trong Alley, affectionately known as Sister Muoi's flan cake, has been a familiar resting place for many Saigonese students for years, especially when hunger strikes in the late afternoon and they crave snacks.
Sister Muoi's flan cakes are priced at 2,500 dong each, with a smooth and fragrant flan layer on top and a rich and creamy coconut milk layer underneath, enjoyed with strong black coffee and finely crushed ice. For 10,000 dong, you get four coconut flan cakes, perfect for chatting and laughing with friends, not overly full but enough to 'stave off hunger' until dinner.
Source: Afamily
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Reference: Mytour Travel Guide
MytourJanuary 10, 2017
