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The traditional breakfast dish is bun bo, a flavoursome, slightly spicy take on the ubiquitous beef and rice-noodle soup, with citronella, shrimp and basil providing some extra zest. And make sure to try banh khoai – a cross between an omelette and a pancake; these crispy little egg and rice-flour crêpes combine shrimp, pork and bean sprouts. They’re served with a peanut and sesame sauce, herbs and various greens, plus star fruit and green banana.

Foodstalls at the market

Hoi An’s most famous dish is cao lau, a soup of rice-flour noodles, bean sprouts and pork crackling laced with mint and star anise. A close second, though, are the beautifully named banh bao (“white rose”) – delicate parcels of minced crab or shrimp in manioc-flour wrappings, sprinkled with crispy onion flakes and a light, slightly sweet lemon dressing.

Heading south, banh xeo – sizzling pancake – is similar to Hué’s banh khoai; wrap a small portion of pancake in rice paper with some herbs and salad leaves, then dunk it in a tangy sauce. A popular southern version of nem (spring rolls) sees barbecued pork strips, green banana and star fruit rolled in semi-transparent rice paper wrappers, and eaten with a rich peanut sauce.

Street food

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Vietnamese street food | Central and southern foods |

Streetwise

Eating street food might seem a bit intimidating at first, but don’t be put off. Since most vendors and many street kitchens serve only one dish, and since everything is cooked in front of you, you can get a long way by simply pointing at what you want. If a whole range of prepared dishes and raw ingredients are on display, the place serves com binh dan, or people’s meals. Again, select the dishes you want by pointing, but ask how much it costs before you tuck in (you pay at the end). Next find a spare seat and the food will be brought to you when it’s ready.

On each table there’ll be chopsticks, metal spoons, small squares of paper (which serve as tiny napkins) and toothpicks. Select a pair of chopsticks, and a spoon if you’re having soup, and wipe them thoroughly with some napkins – it won’t necessarily make them any cleaner but you’ll look like an expert. You’ll also find condiments such as salt and pepper, limes and chilli flakes or chilli sauce and bottles of nuoc mam, Vietnam’s famously pungent fish sauce, and often a bowl of salad greens, too, from which you help yourself.

There may be a waste bin under the table for the bones, shells, toothpicks, napkins and other debris, but if not, just chuck it all on the floor. It’s fine to slurp your noodles and to hold your rice bowl up to your mouth and shovel away.

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Table of Contents

Publishing Information

Introduction Introduction to Vietnam

Where to go

When to go

31 things not to miss

Basics Getting there

Red tape and visas

Health

Getting around

Accommodation

Eating and drinking

The media

Festivals and religious events

Sports and outdoor pursuits

Crime and personal safety

Culture and etiquette

Shopping

Travel essentials

Explore Vietnam Ho Chi Minh City and around

The Mekong Delta

The central highlands

The south–central coast

The central provinces

The central provinces - Part 2

Hanoi and around

Ha Long Bay and the northern seaboard

The far north

Contexts History

Religion and beliefs

Vietnam’s ethnic minorities

Environmental issues

Music and theatre

Books

Vietnam in the movies

Language Vietnamese

Glossaries

Small print A Rough Guide to Rough Guides

Publishing information

Help us update

Acknowledgements

Readers’ letters

More on Vietnam Vietnam’s natural wonders

Vietnamese street food