VIETNAM: How to Eat Like A Local
March 21, 2018
Today, I am going to make you salivate with the foods I tasted when I was in Vietnam. I tried some of their popular dishes which not only the locals enjoy to eat but made foreigners to beg for more. I was never a vegetarian but when I stayed in Vietnam for more than two weeks, it made me crave to eat more and more vegetables.
I first arrived at Hanoi and met a friend who recommended me to eat a sandwich as we are waiting for our bus to depart going to Ha Giang Province. At the terminal, you can see people eating beside the buses parked outside. From freshly made rice noodles to this sandwich that my friend recommended for me to try.
In Vietnam, they call it Bánh mì which means bread or specifically the baguette or the thin French loaf bread. Inside the Bánh mì sandwich has some native Vietnamese ingredients like coriander, cucumber, pickled carrots and radish. You can also add some chicken, pork or beef if you like. Wherever corners you go in Vietnam, you can see this sandwich.
Even their modern cafe's including starbucks has Bánh mì written on their menu. For only 25,000 dong(normal price), you can fill your stomach and have a kinda diet meal.
Coffee 24 located at Hanoi old quarter
I thought I would be eating sandwich for my entire stay in Vietnam. I was glad when I was served a normal meal when I was having a trip in Sapa. But ofcourse I can't refuse to eat the vegetables. The taste is really different compared with the vegetables here in Philippines. Even the greenest leaves on the dishes were not bitter at all!
Going back to Hanoi, I was with my significant other strolling around and found a place near where the night market was located. We found this stalls at Bít Tết Hải Tý where you can just sit down and choose what kind of food you prefer to eat. We ordered crispy pork chop chunks, beef fried rice, one bottle of Hanoi beer and their specialty, Bít Tết.
Aside from that, Xôi Yến is also famous in Vietnam. If you're a fun of glutinous or sticky rice, this is the dish that suits you and your stomach. Xoi is a traditional Vietnamese dish made from glutinous rice and top with the meat of your choice like chicken, roasted pork, sausage, etc. You can also add to your meal some crispy fried onions and mung beans.
If you are staying in Hanoi, you'll probably never skip a day without passing in their pub street. You will be able to pass through the busy place especially at night where it's full of tourists, waiters and waitresses inviting you to eat in their restaurant.
I was craving for a barbecue like meal that night so we decided to look for a good restaurant. Then, TADAAAA! Cravings satisfied!!!
Look at those vegetables they serve! So fresh and delicious.
During my trip in Ha Giang, I was able to observe how the owner of the Pho restaurant made his special rice noodles. I was amazed and it was really in a traditional way.
I hope I made you satisfied with the Vietnamese dishes I shared.
If you have questions about my travels like how's or what's, feel free to message me via email. You can also reach me through my Facebook page or Instagram account.
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