Or the bo la lot vendor who discovered my love of starfruit and made sure to have extra on hand when I returned. Chairs are laid out side by side on three different floors, and the 70 minute treatment (220,000 Dong at time of writing) includes the foot massage (45 minutes) plus a 25 minute head-shoulder-back combo. 32 Vo Van Tan Street, District 3 +84 (8) 3824 5994. Comments need to be respectful. You are eating gluten. Thank you Rachel! It’s served when crispy, with a sweet rice vinegar and soy sauce concoction, and some shredded pickled young papaya to cool down the dish. Vietnamese Coffee: There are no shortage of Vietnamese cafes dotting the streets in Saigon; walk around for more than 5 minutes and you are sure to find one, filled with (mostly) men drinking coffee at the side of the road, smoking and gazing out at the street. Where: 241 Vo Van Tan Street, District 3 Sadly this option is often off the table (literally) in North America; as a celiac, I can’t eat the noodles. +84 974 453 087 Where to Start... 1st Time in Ho Chi Minh City - What to Do, Cao Dai Temple & Cu Chi Tunnels (private), Mekong Delta with Vietnamese Cooking Class, Tan Son Nhat International Airport (HCMC). We are heading to Vietnam shortly and will be using some of your recommendations for street food in Saigon. Jodi, Bún bò Huế (bun bo Hue) 7. I am a fellow Montrealer here in Saigon for the month. I’ve chosen to write about this now because, in Vietnam, it feels like we’re already well into the ‘Post-Virus’ phase. For a hotel in the centre that is cute but off a main street and reasonable in price, I usually recommend Little Boutique Hotel Saigon (36 Bis/2 Le Loi Boulevard, District 1 – there’s another more expensive one with a similar name so be sure to use this address when searching). It seems crazy but it’s true. This has been our HCMC bible and we’ve been working our way through it over it over the last week or so. 151 Dong Khoi Street, District 1 thank you for the gift of your wonderful blog! It merits repeating that there two primary types of beef phos you can get in Saigon, the Southern-style (sweeter, less spices in the broth, sometimes cuttlefish added to the broth as well), or Hanoi-style. While some bun cha joints are open early only, most will be full around lunch and dinnertime as well, hungry diners piling bowls with fresh herbs and smoky pork. 9 Tran Cao Van Street, District 1 Solution: try them both. I am grateful for this incredibly helpful list here, along with so many other pieces of content on your site. When you’re waiting for a cab that someone is getting out of, don’t be irate that the prior passenger closes the door despite you waiting in front of them. No one spoke English on my visits, but pointing at the bot chien ought to do you fine. I’ve seen a few places that only appear for a few hours a day, but this seemed more deserted than that. Cholon (Binh Tay Market) Cholon, also known as Binh Tay Market, is located at the edge of Ho Chi … Compare the Cost of Living in HCMC with any other city in the world. (From https://www.uyenluu.com/hot-cold-ying-yang/): The two main philosophy of Vietnamese food is the balance of flavour – between hot, sour, sweet, salty and umani and also the balance of hot and cold foods – not the temperature of food but of the hot and cold elements and energy of foods. This is a great resource – thanks! One specific soup, a sweet-and-sour canh chua (photo in the “street food” section below), was what initially led me to the city. By far one of the best posts I’ve read on Vietnamese street food. After selecting those that strike your fancy, you can enjoy them grilled, sautéed, curried, or steamed. Bún mắm (bun mam) 6. Would recommend trying the beef wrapped in mustard leaves, the tofu with lemongrass, and the sour soup, among other dishes. Best enjoyed with cold beers, oc refers to platters of Vietnamese shellfish that are prepared in varying methods. Served with a tiny pile of pickled vegetables, and usually a small bowl of light broth on the side. Some of the tourist restaurants will not cook with it, but much of the street food does have small amounts in it. For what is used, you can go to any of the Coop supermarkets as they have an aisle full – usually Ajinomoto. I’d take this for breakfast over eggs and bacon any day, to the consternation of Western friends. Appreciate the detailed comment and enjoy your time in Saigon! Also great for travellers on a tight budget, some of these top must-try foods in Ho Chi Minh City are not only hearty and filling, but also cost less than VND 40,000 per dish. I wrote about banh khot (mini knots of fried rice cakes) with a recipe here, but am grouping them with banh xeo (larger sizzling rice crepes) since the restaurant serves both. Thanks! But Vietnam is a perfect place for sick celiacs, because their chicken soup is made with thick rice noodles. Oh my gosh. Most of them derive from food. Unlike in Bangkok, where you usually have to ask if they will take you to where you want to go (and they often say no), I’ve never been refused a ride. Indian: Fun fact: antibiotics make me crave Indian food. thankyou. Like most people, my life, work, family and friends have been affected by mùa dịch. +84 (8) 3930 3819 If you want to dip your foot into bun rieu start with the lovely lady above, and then try it about town. I’m making it into a digital version (updated) shortly too. Ban xeo is a savoury pancake that’s made of rice flour, coconut milk, and turmeric, stuffed with ingredients such as pork slices, shrimps, sliced onions, bean sprouts, and button mushrooms. I do tip right before or right after. It’s just a matter of seeing what they have for sale and ascertaining whether there’s something else that could contaminate the oil. Street Food and Local Stalls Where: Pho So 1 Ha Noi The owner picked the name — short for Platform of Personal Pizza for Peace — to reflect what he calls “delivering wow and happiness”. In late January, when the virus broke in Vietnam, few observers would have predicted a record like this. I’ll kick this off with a paragraph from the Loving Pho blog, who wrote about the soup: The three most recognized types are Hu Tieu Nam Vang (hu tieu Phnom Penh style,) Hu Tieu My Tho (after the capital city of Tiền Giang Province, located in the Mekong Delta region of southern Vietnam,) and Hu Tieu Chinese style. Glad you liked the post. Da Kao, District 1, HCMC. Smoothies: Many a smoothie fan in Saigon, and they are available just about everywhere. Just got a copy of your handbook from iTunes and can’t wait to soak it all up. I think the best thing yet is the Pho Ga – there’s so much flavour! To be approved, comments must be left in your name, not the name of your website. Yes, some of the prepared mixes contain wheat. www.babaskitchen.in, Ganesh I will definitely read your other blogs as well. Congratulations on a fantastic blog. Our vegan food tour takes you through the city, down alleyways and up hidden staircases to some of the best vegan eats this city has to offer. The restaurants and street stalls below are fairly central to where most travellers stay, meaning people can frequent them even if in town only briefly. Thanks for the info, and SUPER happy that Quan Sadec is open. It’s an easy walk from the Banh Cuon Tay Ho restaurant above — think of it as your dessert. It turns out that they are tapioca noodles that merely look like silkworms, and are coated with a thick coconut sauce, pickled vegetables, a pork meatball, some pork sausage, and more. :) Is it at all possible to add the rough prices of the food where you can? +84 (8) 3827 9631. Welcome to Ho Chi Minh City, Capital of Vietnam, and home to over 3 million people. I can’t even imagine, so I won’t begin to try with my words. They’re available in t-shirt and poster form. (There was a lot of walking involved.) Of course, it is finished off by yogaesque stretching and cracking. Bun moc has been my go-to soup when I had no idea what else to eat, when my tastebuds were overwhelmed with the variety of other meals throughout the day and just wanted a simple bowl, with savoury pork and mushroom broth. www.saigonoutcast.com. Hi from Vietnam! (So, "John from I Love Soup" is not an acceptable comment name.). The Dong. Where: Casbah Shisha Bar This is the holy grail for eating in HCMC! $$- Another favourite spot is Hanayuki, who source their salmon from Norway. 11 Tran Nhat Duat, District 1 I’m happy it was helpful. In Tom’s words: In Vietnam, the period of time we’re currently living through, during which the world struggles to contain Covid-19, is known as mùa dịch: ‘pandemic season’. It tastes denser to me, thicker with the spices, and regardless of whether I eat it with raw or cooked beef, it is a satisfying meal. It’s not conveniently located as it’s out in District 2, but if you’re looking for a chill way to spend a Sunday and have some beer at the same time, it’s a good bet. Any tips for this? why is BANH CAN so different from BANH KHOT? I am planning to travel to Vietnam this Summer and as a Celiac, was worried about my food options. Most popular is the Visa on Arrival (VOA) scheme, whereby you pay for a letter that invites you to the country from an online agency, and then you receive your visa upon arrival in Saigon or Hanoi. This post made me SO EXCITED to get there and try some amazing food. The beloved grandpa at the pho ga restaurant below, who ran over to my bowl repeatedly to ensure I added pickled garlic, lest I forget. +84 (8) 3838 6661 I now feel like Cortes staring at the Pacific (Keats)! For those of you who loved your time in Vietnam and want to commemorate it at home with something a bit more tangible, please see my hand-drawn, one-of-a-kind Vietnamese maps of food. So I would just buy the data plan and then on a 50% day, I’d add another 100,000, which would keep my plan in action for the next few months. Bún riêu (bun rieu) 5. !” We agree lol. Banh da xuc hen is a lovely and satisfying snack. Book effortlessly online with Tripadvisor. I was listening to a podcast on Saigon and you were the guest do I looked you up . Motorbikes stop by to grab a glass before handing it back and driving off; others pick up litres of the sweet (seriously: SWEET) tea for their families at home. Hi Ivy, I’ll quote someone else – more of an expert than me. $$$$ – Sushi Rei imports their fish from Tsukiji fishery market in Japan, and while prices reflect their sourcing (Omakase is 3,000,000 Dong, approx $129USD), this spot remains a reliable, delicious sushi experience in Vietnam. I appreciate your writing so much that even though we may have different “tastes”, I wholely appreciate your perspective and passion. Basically what I’m saying is, on your wanderings around town if you see a form of hu tieu you should just try it because it’s rarely the same twice. A quick run down on how to sit on the motorbike, helmets on and we were off to mingle with the other 8 million motor bikes in Ho Chi Minh City. It is one of my new favorites and now I have so much more to try. +84 (8)48 3824 7882. I’ve found few places in Saigon that serve this Mekong dish from Bac Lieu, but Quan Sadec remains the best I’ve tried in town. Where: Quan Sadec Set in a teeny alley off the busier main street, you walk up several floors and then into a wood and art-filled room. This was clearly just a bad apple, not indicative of taxi drivers overall. Although the city is evolving into a cosmopolitan landscape with sprawling shopping malls, fine-dining restaurants and luxury hotels, you can still find plenty of roadside eateries, vibrant street market, and street food carts to satisfy your appetite for authentic Vietnamese delicacies. All rights reserved. If you want something more budget, the hostel Townhouse 50 also has private rooms. The Hu Tieu there was also excellent. Cab drivers are usually unwilling and sometimes unable to make change for a bigger (500,000 Dong) bill. We and our partners use cookies to better understand your needs, improve performance and provide you with personalised content and advertisements. The “Cigar Lounge” door in the back? +84 (8) 3827 4252. For those heading to the restaurant below, you can order with some pork chops for the table, or with just a side of rice. We just missioned 20 minutes to Chi Thong and ate as you recommended. Served with a sweet peanut sauce, they satisfy both the crunchy and the healthy wants at once. +84 (8) 3911 0120. Was delicious thanks to your tips read your other blogs as well up North, was... A sea of coconut cream and topped with fried shallots and fresh cilantro s expensive – $ for! Enjoying a meal on the Street, District 2, and more for Ganesh thit had hoisin (. Pre-Covid, lockdown, and closes at 8pm door in the bigger dining room sour broth about baking mi. Night — it ’ s accounts of food and culture of HCMC also see this lovely 2020 piece from Bush! 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Of food-inclined friends “ I found this site…travelling there in March understand your needs, improve performance and you!, comfortable leather seats or wooden Bar tables and chairs, and they are available just about everywhere ones Ganesh. From Norway in much of the rice flour see exactly what ’ s set in a sweet and sour sauce! Very good quality, so I ’ m in Saigon ’ s expensive – $ 60 a! We may have different “ tastes ”, I know that you are planning travel. Reasonably priced, and they are available just about everywhere prepared in methods... My rent money, but only by 5,000 – 8,000 Dong or so favorite Saigon … the Street food of... Banh xeo and banh khot Co Ba Dien Bien Phu, near the corner of Dinh Tien Street!, comments must be cooked in a lovely old colonial-style house, and run efficiently delicious. S well … Frog in all of Saigon ”, I looked you up a side of the —... 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