Endowed with fertile soil, rich oceans and abundant rain, Vietnam boasts one of the world’s freshest and most varied cuisines. From spicy to sweet to savoury and tart, the pantheon of dishes in Vietnamese fare is sure to please even the pickiest of palates. Although once solely regarded as a war-ravaged and struggling country, today Vietnam has grown into its own and earned a rightful reputation as a gastronomic paradise. The sheer number of restaurants, street vendors, markets and food stalls in every major city is a clear signal that this is a country that has great pride in its food and takes time to eat well.

Vietnamese food seamlessly combines deep flavours with subtle nuances using fresh herbs, seasonal ingredients and the king of all condiments—nuoc mam (fermented fish sauce). To truly experience Vietnam, one must not only see the sights and meet the people, but taste the plethora of delights as well.
While every region has its own delicacies, none has captured the hearts of the masses the way pho has. Originally a northern specialty, pho is now regarded as the country’s national dish. Pho comes in two chief varieties—pho ga (chicken) and pho bo (beef). Thin and flat rice noodles form the base of this belly-warming soup. The broth, which is poured on top, is made by slowly simmering beef or chicken bones, charred onion, and spices such as star anise and ginger.
The dish is garnished to taste with thinly sliced white onions, basil, lime juice, fresh chillies, and bean sprouts and a number of sauces including hoisin, fish, and chilli. While brisket and flank are the most common cuts of meat, adventurous gastronomes must sample pho tai sach. After getting over the initial shock of eating stomach lining, one will find that tripe is intriguingly chewy and takes on the broth’s flavour well.

Whereas pho has gained international admirers, bun rieu is still relatively unknown. Fresh vermicelli noodles and a pleasantly sour crab-based broth lay the foundation for this dish. Bun rieu can either be served with sautéed snails and crab (bun oc rieu cua) or with crab alone (bun rieu cua). Plump red tomatoes add a robust layer of tanginess to the soup.

While the crab absorbs the broth’s sour notes, the snails enhance the soup’s aroma and add textural complexity. Mam ruoc (fermented shrimp paste), lime wedges, bean sprouts, herbs, and a plethora of greens are on hand for diners to personalise their bowls of bun rieu to taste.

Foreign visitors to Vietnam often find local portion sizes meagre compared to the ones back home. Cha gio and Goi cuon, the yin and yang of Vietnamese cooking, are the perfect meal supplements. Cha gio, also known as Imperial Rolls, are Vietnam’s take on the classic Chinese egg roll. Stuffed with seasoned ground pork mixed with shrimp or crab, woodear mushrooms, and sometimes even shredded taro root, the rolls are wrapped in thin rice paper and deep-fried to a blistering crisp. These are fabulous either eaten plain or wrapped in giant romaine lettuce leaves and dipped in nuoc cham (fish sauce with lime juice, garlic, and chillies). Goi cuon are fresh spring rolls filled with slices of boiled pork and shrimp, lettuce, and herbs and dipped in either a hoisin and peanut sauce or fermented fish sauce—a healthy choice for travellers looking to eat light.
Many of the treasures of Vietnamese cuisine can be traced back to the city of Hue, which once served as the country’s imperial capital. Bun bo Hue stands out in the sea of broth and noodle dishes for its mildly spicy and lemongrass-infused beef broth. Unlike the flat and thin rice noodles found in pho and bun rieu, the noodles served in bun bo are cylindrical and thick.

Bun bo usually includes thin slices of tender beef shank and juicy pig’s knuckles that diners pick up out of the soup to gnaw clean. Although not essential, cubes of congealed pig’s blood round out the soup’s flavour. Bean sprouts, lime wedges, shrimp paste, and thinly sliced banana blossom are classic accoutrements served alongside bun bo.