Vietnamese food is becoming more and more popular in the UK with Chain restaurants like Pho and Banh Mi on high streets up and down the country, and it seems like every food market and festival in the land has at least one Banh Mi truck. So with Vietnamese foods being the latest trend I thought I’d put together a list of all the yummy delicacies I enjoyed on my latest trip that you just HAVE to try.
1. Clay pot fish – Ca Kho To
Pieces of juicy white fish cooked in a sticky sweet and sour sauce. Comes in a piping hot little clay pot and served with steamed white rice or broken rice. Although I once had it served with French fries, not quite sure how traditional that is….
2. Banh mi
A product of French colonialism, this is Vietnamese fusion food! A light and crusty baguette filled with pate, pickled vegetables, herbs and chilli with either BBQ meat or omelette. So good at any time of day, but especially after a few Bia Hoi.
3. Bia Hoi
Beer is a food group right?? In Vietnam they brew fresh beer every day and sell it from little kiosks for as little as 5000VND (15p) a glass. No one knows how strong each barrel is as it’s totally unregulated, but it’s claimed to be pretty light. Doesn’t seem to stop people getting totally wrecked on the stuff though.
4. Banh bao
You might have seen something similar to this in a Chinese dim sum restaurant, a steamed bun with a filling. The Vietnamese version usually has minced pork with a whole quail egg inside, although other popular fillings are taro and red bean paste. You find them everywhere in Vietnam on street corners, in convenience stores and at roadside stops kept in a glass hotbox. Great on-the-go snack yum!
5. Pho
Probably the most famous Vietnamese dish. Frequently eaten at breakfast, but, can also be eaten throughout the day it has a flavourful broth with wide, flat rice noodles, meat and herbs. As a word of warning it’s pronounced “fuh” and not “foe”, the latter is umm, something entirely different and might raise an eyebrow from your waiter….
6. Hot pot –Lau Thai
A hot broth that you keep bubbling away in the centre of the table gradually adding fish, seafood and vegetables to. It also comes with noodles, rice and of course the obligatory herbs, man those Vietnamese love herbs!
7. Egg coffee – Ca Phe Trueng
Yeah I know it’s a drink, but with the velvety egg custard on top of deathly strong Vietnamese coffee, it feels like a dessert with a kick!
8. Bun Cha
A Hanoi speciality, you see this dish being gobbled and slurped up on every street of the Old Quarter in the capital. A bowl of light broth with BBQ pork, cold rice noodles and a giant bowl of herbs. Add chilli, garlic and vinegar to taste.
9. Cao Lao
A dish only really found in Hoi An, it’s a bowl of noodley heaven. Fat chewy noodles, belly pork, lettuce and herb mixed together with a sweet and spicy sauce, served with crispy pork skin on top. I seriously couldn’t get enough of it.
10. White rose dumplings – banh bao vac
Another Hoi an speciality said to come from the strong Chinese influence in the area. They are round open face dumplings made from glutinous rice flour wrappers with a “filling” of pork in the centre, they do look like beautiful little roses on the plate, sprinkled with crispy shallots. You grab them with your chopsticks and plunge them in delicious hot, sweet and sour dipping sauce.
Thinking about all that awesome food has made me seriously hungry! How many have you tried? Are there any other Vietnamese foods that need to be added to the “must try” list?
Epic Irish soda bread with cheese and herbs
With St Patrick’s day just a week away, and sadly many of the Paddy’s Day parades and events now cancelled, I thought I’d share with you a my favourite Irish recipes for you to try at home. This Irish soda bread with cheese and herbs is so simple and quick, because unlike most breads it doesn’t require any kneading or proving time, you just mix it together and bung it in the oven.
The ultimate 24 hr Edinburgh itinerary: eat, sleep, whisky, repeat
As well as staying in one of the most fabulous Hotels in Edinburgh my itinerary included eating at some of the hottest additions to the local foodie scene, drinking plenty of whisky (maybe a bit too much, ha!) all while seeing the best bits of this ancient city. So, if you’re visiting soon and looking for an Edinburgh itinerary that maximises your time there, look no further!
Newcastle Restaurant Week
Christmas is a distant memory, we’ve all spent the last few weeks punishing ourselves for our festive excesses with restrictive diets and crazy exercise regimes (haven’t we? haven’t we?!) and then comes along Newcastle Restaurant Week with all its naughty temptation...
This looks delicious !! Will have to try all of these
Very different to what we eat.
You should try some Vietnamese food, It’s really good!
I mean, YASSSS to all the above. Vietnamese food is my favorite of all time. Can’t ever go wrong with pho. Have you ever tried “7 Course of Beef”? It’s another whole Vietnamese adventure.
oooooh that sounds interesting! I had Pho late one night where they put in bits of meat from all parts of the cow in, including tripe and cartilage. It was errrmmmm….an experience.
Wow wow wow! These all look delicious! I definitely have to go back to Vietnam to check them out 🙂
well any excuse to go back to Vietnam 😉 although I’ve noticed loads of Vietnamese restaurants popping up here, is there one near you? I know it’s not quite the same, but I can get awesome Banh Mi locally.
The Bun Cha looks delicious! I never ate Vietnamese, I have ate Americanized Chinese and Tai.
yeah Bun Cha was a weird one at first. I mean I don’t think I’d ever seen broth that you dunk cold noodles and herbs in to, but it really works. If you can find a good Vietnamese restaurant near you give it a try.
I have always been a fan of Pho. Vietnamese food is absolutely delicious, I am hungry now!
Same! love me a bit of Pho mmmmmmmmmm
Apprеciate the recommendation. Let me try it oսt.