There are many delicious options for Indian in town, but two central ones are Ganesh and BaBa’s Kitchen. 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. I’ve had cha gio in the uk where they’ve guaranteed that the oil hasn’t been used to fry other items that may have contained gluten, I would love to have some in Vietnam, do they tend to reuse lots of oil for different gluten items? Ut is actually the onomatopoeia for the sound a pig makes, the Vietnamese for “oink”. Wish I could eat it. Less fancy rooftop: With a view of Notre-Dame Cathedral, a narrow and unlit alley entrance, a bathroom with a profoundly permanent smell of mothballs and a rickety staircase to the roof, Casbah isn’t for those seeking an opulent rooftop experience. We’ll be in Vietnam (and possibliy) Cambodia in March and reading your blog makes me feel way less stressed eating while traveling…thank you! Instead of rolling them in cloudy rice paper, this vendor uses a big banh trang rice paper that has been softened, much like we use for the fresh goi cuon (summer rolls) when making them in Canada. A Slightly Fancier Meal 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. The best advice I can give is go in a group and order to share. This is not available for land entries. The owner, a gruff but loveably guy, finally stopped a reporter who was interviewing me to ask what I did for a living, baffled at how I kept rocking up with new people. But what I will say is that this website is still helping so many, including myself. Any tips for this? Official government site allows you to, E-visa agencies will offer online application of VOA, then email it to you as a PDF and you can print and bring with you for airline officials and to use for your actual visa on arrival in Saigon. fish sauce must be cooked in the right way with tomatoes, pineapples, water and chillies. 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’. There are many recommendations in town for banh xeo, most famously Banh Xeo 46A, which is on the ‘Bourdain trail’ (he visited the place during his Saigon episode). Thanks for all the tips girl! This bun mam stand is also close to Ben Thanh market, but it is often full of locals. I even made my landlady a Dong flower with my rent money, but she was extremely unimpressed with my Dong Decorating Skillz. Relaxed Alternative: Live music, art, outdoor seating, casual food, usually on the grill, and skateboarding options, Saigon Outcast became a favourite Sunday afternoon activity for many of my friends. Bún riêu (bun rieu) 5. Banh da xuc hen is a lovely and satisfying snack. With a great route and excellent guide, you can participate in a walking food tour that can show off the history, culture, and street food. 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. The first dish out of food to eat in Ho Chi Minh City is mixed rice paper. :) too wordy but i really appreciated your collection and want to contribute. However the Pham Ngu Lao area still had many places open to cater to the backpacker crowd. 8/15 Le Thanh Ton Street, District 1 Priced at VND 20,000 onwards, we highly recommend grilled mussels with scallion oil and peanuts (chem chep nuong), blood cockles sautéed in tamarind sauce (so huyet ran me), and clams steamed with lemongrass. Added bonus: crass jokes. It might have been one soup that brought me to Saigon, but it was the rest of the food that kept me there, and keeps me coming back. Hu tieu nam vang, kho. All rights reserved. Thank you! Where: Quan Mi Cat By far one of the best posts I’ve read on Vietnamese street food. Thank you very much. They will call one for you and you can just wait a few minutes until it arrives. 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). The taste might not be for everyone but it is worth a try at least once. $$ – My friends John and Brooke first discovered this tiny restaurant, set slightly away from the road, sliding doors covered in a light curtain from the inside. The third is a Chinese-style pho, a bit sweeter, but for meat-lovers it is a solid option. Futa Buslines’ bright orange Phuong Trang buses (link to Vietnamese-only site) is reliable and leaves from the central De Tham area in District 1. +84 (8) 3911 0120. Is English commonly spoken in Saigon? 188/1 Nguyen Van Huong Street, Thao Dien, District 2 Packed with vendor stalls and long shared tables, it is one of the fun places to eat in Saigon. If you can’t get to Saigon but this sounds like it is up your alley, a recipe here. For me, ‘pandemic season’ in Vietnam can be divided into three phases: ‘Pre-Covid’, ‘Lock-Down’, and ‘Post-Virus’. The soup is topped with fried shallots and fresh cilantro. 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