Yummy Eats - Vietnam

Southern Vietnam Cuisine

Simple yet scrumptious -- they are generally light, non-greasy and colourful with a mix of flavourful ingredients like garlic, shallots, ginger and lots of fresh herbs! 

Preserved sweet, sour and spicy produce at Chau Doc market

Chau Doc

Located in the vast flat, fertile, flooded plains of the Mekong Delta; the diverse ethnic groups of Vietnamese, Khmer, Chinese and Cham have created their own cuisine. 

On this leg of our journey, Khuong brought us to a popular local eatery with no menu, that serves only one of a kind Cambodian beef! 

Seasoned sliced beef with okra

An interesting appetizer -- the organ meats

I first tried a piece of each without adding seasonings or sauce. Surprisingly refreshing that got a crunchy texture to taste; not gamy at all. Really yum when wrapped with fragrant herbs and dipped in a variety of spicy sauces!

This succulent lemongrass ground Cambodian beef skewers wrapped with caul fat were so amazingly delicious! 

The caul fat melts as soon as it was placed on the grill; adding extra moisture and flavour. Absolutely divine!

The authentic Cambodian beef hot pot with added spring onions cooked over charcoal-fired stove. A full-flavoured rich beef soup!

This Banh Mi was not part of the meal. It was the takeaway from the push cart stall at the market place. I had it lightly grilled until crispy on the outside to enjoy it!
Thanks Khuong for taking us there!

Chau Doc Market

An explosive colours of local produce -- the must-visit to have a glimpse of the local food culture for foodie lovers!

Dried fish and meat 

Fresh local fruits and grilled bananas and, the laid-back lifestyle of a vendor taking a nap

Tempting snacks

A variety of mouthwatering glutinous snacks

A Pho vendor 

Fresh vegetables to go with Pho

My favourite Banh Mi push cart stall, outside the local market. I enjoyed the extra pickled vegetables and the fresh fragrant herbs with cut meat and pate (15,000VND/USD0.80). If you like it really spicy, request for extra red chillies.

Where there is a market place, there would be some interesting eateries nearby. My favourite pennywort smoothie at a local corner coffee shop.

Fresh pennywort

I went back to the same corner coffee shop to order takeaway of the ice-Vietnamese coffee (15,000VND/USD0.80) and my preferred pennywort smoothie (15,000VND/VND0.80). 

On this second round, I requested for additional booster of fresh pennyworts, an additional spoonful of the freshly made avocado and less cane sugar without condense milk. A refreshing smoothie I would love to have more of them!

Southern Vietnamese generally has a sweet tooth. Most drinks are either added with fresh coconut milk, condensed milk and added cane sugar. 

Cai Be Market
This was one fun hilarious day going to the local market to buy fresh seafood and had Khuong's friend to cook them for us.

This market sells largely local produce from this region

Juicy castard apples

The first time I have seen and tried this 'milk fruit' or 'milk apple'; spotted only at one fruit stall here. 

According to Khuong, this is a seasonal fruit and has anti-oxidant properties. It has a dense skin and texture. The outer rind is not edible.
A first try at savouring this interesting looking, sweet juicy fruit!  

Wild flowers and greens

We spent more time at the market than anticipated. Khuong got the boatman to take us to this interesting place located in one of the inner canals on an island in the Mekong River Delta.

After we got off the boat, we took a short walk to find this beautiful sprawling rose apple orchard. 
This quaint spacious eatery is tucked away in the midst of this lovely orchard with several separate open-air huts for small group dining. 
We picked some of the rose apples to try while Khuong arranged for his friend to cook the food we bought earlier from the market. 

Steamed prawns and crispy fried frogs

Deep fried spicy whole calamari

Happy (free-range) chicken with onions and chillies

Fresh wild mushrooms and greens

The owner greeted us, offered his own homemade rice wine that had a mild, strong smell and a fiery taste!


Di Linh, the Central Highlands
Due to ideal weather condition and well-drained soils; coffee and tea cultivation, fruits and vegetables as well as flower farming thrive in the highlands.

Fresh produce from Juliet's Villa Resort's garden -- there are many fresh fruits grown in the highlands but nothing like picking fresh fruits to enjoy them!

Fresh fruit platter -- dragon fruit, papaya and mini guava that is pink on the inside 

Hien's family coffee plantation and their own waterfall

Most family coffee plantations grow several good quality durian trees that are used only for family consumption. There are some grown for domestic market. 

Known as 'The King of Fruits' in South East Asia that you either love or loathe -- the creamy, rich, strong, pungent and intoxicating...

The 'King of Fruits' love connection...

Foraging for food in Hien's family coffee plantation -- there are fruits and vegetables grown in the hill slopes. Climbing up and down the slope was fun though challenging with both our hands filled with a big pumpkin, some long beans and durians! 

After the durian falls to the ground, let it breathe for about half a day before enjoying them. The squirrels enjoy digging in and they know which are the best! 

Juliet's Villa Resort serves good barbecue dinner (99,000VND /USD5) 

Hien, the warm and hospitable host 

Wild game meat is not often available. I have wanted to try the highlands venison and wild boar meat. Hien has arranged to get some at seasonal price. 

Succulent venison steak! 

A wonderful barbecue dinner on my last night spent with Hien, Renaud and Hien's family members after a day back from Lang Biang Mountain with Vy.

Hien's sister from Dalat came to visit for the night. She got these fresh huge cockles (akagai) from Di Linh local market. Amazingly fresh and sweet! 
They are from the coastal town of Mui Ne.  


Di Linh Market
Hien gets fresh produce from the market daily.

The diversity of fruits in the highlands is amazing! 

About the size of a cherry but look like tomatoes, this fruit is known as 'sory'. They tasted naturally sweet! 

Silkworms are packed with protein and great to enjoy as a snack at anytime

Snails are found mostly in the flooded rice fields and rivers.  Some of the seafood from this market are from the coastal town, Mui Ne, about two and a half hour journey from Di Linh town.

Traditional medicinal herbs

At this traditional medicinal stall, I spotted the gac fruit (pictured, top right) that is native to Vietnam, use as a food or in medicine. Gac fruit is known to be a superfood, packed with amazing health properties! 

The locals use the fruit to make the popular 'xoi gac' (red sticky rice). 

Saigon Cuisine
This is one city where you are spoiled for choice on what and where to eat from street food, to local eateries to restaurants. 

This restaurant in district 1 specializes in nem cua be -- the much talked about crab spring roll that have been receiving rave reviews. 

Quan Nem dishes out only nem cua be (crab spring roll) and bun cha (grilled pork) -- the northern specialty and a must-have for breakfast.  

The square-shaped crab spring roll is served piping hot and crispy with sweet, sour, spicy fish sauces of your choice, added in with sliced raw papaya to whet your appetite.

The server cuts and quarter the crab spring roll 

The grilled pork comes in two different styles -- the thinly sliced pork belly and the ground mini pork burger . They are served with fresh rice noodles, fish sauces, fresh herbs and greens on the sides. 

Light, non-greasy and simply delicious when accompanied with fish sauces of your choice to stimulate your taste buds, along with fresh rice noodles, herbs and greens! 
I enjoyed them all but my favourite is the grilled sliced pork belly with the skin on it. Yum! 

Vegetarian cuisine 
Located in district 3, this cosy three-storey villa has a zen ambience as you walk into a lush courtyard. 
Hum restaurant has an interesting menu of good healthy eats. 

An arty touch -- the fragrant pandan leaf wrapped around the pair of wooden chopsticks

Fresh spring rolls with fried lotus root chips

Mushroom fried rice with fresh greens

Grilled assorted vegetable skewers with sweet and sour spicy sauce

Fried spring roll with rice noodles and fragrant herbs

Tofu with eggplant and zesty sauce

Steamed fresh mushroom in a coconut -- this stew is infused with fragrant ingredients and spices. The flesh from the coconut added a sweet, creamy texture to taste! 

In a clay pot -- fried rice and eggplant

Desserts -- the sea coconut with aloe vera and pandan flavoured jelly with coconut milk were superlicious!

Even if you are a non-vegetarian, this is one relaxing place to unwind and enjoy something different!

Seafood Paradise

Street food is perhaps by far the best food experience for the adventurous foodie lovers when you are in Saigon. 

Head to Vin Khanh Street in district 4. The atmosphere is most electrifying -- boisterous, chaotic, busy but one that is filled with laughter, shouting of orders, clinking of beer glasses that permeates the air. 

Oc Oanh is the place to savour the best seafood and shellfish -- the food comes in generous portions, really fresh and efficient service; all at reasonable price. 

Huge prawn skewers and octopus on sizzling grill

Stir-fried snails in chilli sauce

Grilled scallops with spring onions and peanuts

Grilled big prawn skewers

Stir-fried yellow snails with lemongrass

Stir-fried chilli crabs

This is the popular street food joint on the street! Friends hanging out in small and large groups enjoying happy seafood and (insanely cheap) happy beer. A celebration of tasty seafood and fun!  

Thanks Khuong for taking us here to enjoy the yummiest seafood!

Pho of Pho Nam

The popular Pho that the locals have for daily breakfast is a must-try even when you have been to the North and Central regions of Vietnam. Each region has its own distinctive flavour.

It is all about what's in the bowl -- the broth and the noodles and, the various zesty ingredients that stimulates your taste buds! 

This inexpensive food journey has been an interesting experience. Most of all, the friendly obliging locals have made it awfully fun. I would certainly be back again!

(October/November 2014)