Vietnamese Food & Cuisine

Gourmet Corner
December 2013
What would come to your mind when talking about Vietnamese cuisine? Is it
delightful, unforgettable, or humble but also delicate? Are you in love with
significant balance in flavor of the Pho, the simple but also unique creation of
banh mi? On the other hand, does Vietnamese street food cause you severe
stomachache? Lets explore more about top favorite Vietnamese dishes in Ho
Chi Minh City as well as many popular, reliable restaurants with reasonable
prices. We are now offering you a chance to enjoy one of the worlds most fa-
vorite culinary cultures, which is not only delicious, but also stomach-friendly...
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Cm tm (broken rice)
BIG FEAST IN ONE DISH
Rice is Vietnamese tradition-
al food, but cm tm (broken
rice) is one very unique version
of the Southern area, especially
one served in Ho Chi Minh City.
Dont be deceived by the dish
simplicity, cm tm is a well-
arranged combination in visual
view, favor and nutritional val-
ue. Forget about the concept of
appetizer and entre, cm tm
itself can be served as a deli-
cious, nitrous, healthy big feast.
Ingredients
The dish is made up of sunny steamed/
fried egg, bright rice, bits of green, orange
pickles, and little burnt pork ribs will
surely make you drooling before taking
the frst spoon. Toppings of cm tm
can vary to please the diners interest.
Every dish has its own secret. For the
case of cm tm, its the diluted fsh
sauce. Te sauce with the combina-
tion of salty, sweet, and spicy as well as
the tangy smell can excite your taste.
3
Here is some good news: No chopsticks needed! Instead, spoon
and fork are the used since its served on plates. Happy feasting!
Where to eat
Cm tm stores are available at every corner of Sai Gon. However, food safety
goes frst, so you should learn by heart some famous places.
Cm tm Ba Ghin
84 Dang Van Ngu, Phu
Nhuan district
Cm tm Mc
4 Le Tanh Ton, District 1
Cm tm Cali
449 Vo Van Tan, District 3
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Ph SOUL OF NATION
Is it time for breakfast? Get a
bowl of Pho...
Is it raining? Get a bowl of Pho...
Tired of rice? Get a bowl of Pho...
...Because Pho is Vietnameses best
lover!
Ingredients
A traditional bowl of Pho consists
of fat rice noodles which are made
of fragrant rice called Gao Te, meat-
based broth, and many other spices.
The secret of a warm, hearty and deli-
ciously refreshing bowl of Pho is the meat-
based broth. Perfect broth is a balance in
the combination of well-cooked bones of
cows, shallots, grilled gingers, and oth-
er ingredients like repatriation, coriander
seed, cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom.
A bowl of Pho is a beautiful marriage
of tender rare beef slices, onions, and
fat rice noodles in a rich and aromatic
broth. It is ofen accompanied by fresh
herbs, bean sprouts, spicy chili peppers
and lime wedges. Putting them all togeth-
er and youll have a playful interaction of
salty, sweet, sour, spicy, and savory Pho.
Does it sound simple? Probably. Can you
succeed at frst try? Not quite! So lets visit some
popular booths of Pho for more experience.
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Where to eat
What is the best place to eat Pho? It actually depends on many factors. Do you
prefer Pho in Northern or Southern style? Are you in need of air-conditioned eatery
to run away from the extreme heat in Sai Gon? Or do you prefer a cozy place for a
rainy day? Moreover, when youre dying for a bowl of Pho, the frst thing you should
wonder is: How much money do I have? But no matter how much you can af-
ford, you should always choose a reliable place that can help you avoid the hospital!
Ph Ha
260C Pasteur, District 3
Ph Hu
56 - 58 - 60 Cuu Long,
Ward 15, District 10
Ph L
303 305 Vo Van Tan
District 3
How to order Pho like a pro
First of all, dont speak English! Dont pronounce Pho as foe. Pho is your
lover, not your enemy! Te most common way is to pronounce it as fuh.
Second of all, you need to know about various types of pho bo (Pho served
with beef). It includes the following:
Bo chin (sliced well-done steak)
Bo tai (sliced rare steak)
Nam (fank)
Gau (fatty brisket)
Gan (tendon)
Sach (tripe)
Bo vien (beef meatballs, nor-
mally with tendon)
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How to enjoy
If its the frst time you try Pho, here are some tips for you:
First, forks are not good friends of Pho.
Like other Asian food, eating Pho is a prac-
tical eating technique that Asians have mas-
tered. Hold your chopsticks in your domi-
nant hand and your soup spoon in the other.
For those with minimal chopstick skills, the
spoon also acts as a backup allowing you to
catch those slippery noodles that may escape.
Second, dont be shy with the condiments (sauces).
On the table you may fnd hoisin sauce, (a sweet dark
sauce made of soy beans), Sriracha (a spicy hot sauce
of red chillies) and Vietnamese fsh sauce. Tose are
used to put directly to the bowl of noodle soup. Many
foreigners are not acquainted to those kinds of sauces,
and the frst experience might be terrifying! However,
the more you get to know it, the more you love it; as
those condiments are part of a complete bowl of Pho.
Third, use your garnishes. A plate full of garnish-
es is normally the frst thing to arrive at your table afer you order a bowl of
pho. If the condiments refne the favor of the soup, then lime wedges, fresh
herbs and bean sprouts heighten the fa-
vor and aroma of the overall dish. Tey can
create contrast in texture and balance the
rich, savory favor of the meat-based broth.
Finally, its up to you to adjust the condiments
and herbs. Every customer can be a chef even
when the noodle soup is served! Tose experi-
ments are harmless unless you ask for a second
bowl in a row. Tats when your stomach explodes!
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Bnh m - ART OF STREET FOOD
Bnh m is one of the most delicious street food in Ho Chi Minh city. It is
also the majority peoples favorite choice for breakfast . For Banh mi Saigon boasts
the characteristics of a food that fulflls peoples very common needs of: mobile,
cheap, and tasty. More than that, you can fnd to buy bnh m 24/7 every where
in the city.
The traditional Banh mi Saigon combines of pate, pork cold cuts, mayonnaise,
greens, pickles, chili. Besides, there are many newly innovated versions with vari-
ous fllings such as Cha ca ( grilled chopped fsh), Ga ( grilled chicken), Pha lau
(intestines), Heo quay (roasted pork), Cha bong (chicken or pork foss), Ca moi
(canned sardin fsh),...
Especially, Banh mi Saigon with
grilled meat on the sidewalk of
Nguyen Trai street in District 1 -
Ho Chi Minh City was U.S. travel
magazine Cond Nast Traveler
selected as one of 12 dishes the
worlds fnest street about 5 years
ago. Bread barbecue here is ex-
pected mix of Vietnamese cui-
sine - France. It is the crispy bread
combine with marinated steak bold, crisp cucumber slices, pickles, fragrant cilan-
tro and soy sauce - Vietnamese cultural characteristics.
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The more creative Banh mi Saigon has changed into, the more appealing its vari-
ous versions are. Here are some other popular kinds of banh mi and special ad-
dresses to buy in Sai Gon.
Banh mi Saigon with Tit nuong
(grilled pork)
Address: 37 Nguyen Trai , Ben Tanh Ward,
District 1, HCMC
Price : VND15,000
Banh mi with Xiu mai (meat ball)
Address: 358 Nguyen Ti Minh Khai,
Ward 5, District 3, HCMC
Price VND 15,000
Traditional Banh mi Saigon Huynh Hoa
Address: 22 Le Ti Rieng, District 1, HCMC
Price: VND 27, 000
Banh mi Saigon with Bi (shredded
pork skin with fsh sauce)
Address: 150 Nguyen Trai, Ben Tanh Ward ,
District 1, HCMC
Price: VND 15,000
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Gi cun ( Vietnamese fresh spring
rolls) - FAST FOOD OF VIETNAMESE
Gi cun means salad in a roll. Tis dish
is a very popular southern food in Vietnam and is
rated by CNN as one of 50 best foods in the world.
When youve been indulging in too much of
the fried food, these summer rolls is a healthy
choice for you. Teyre traditionally flled with a
mix of rice noodles, fresh vegetables and ofen a
few boiled pork slices and shrimps. Vietnamese
people use rice papers as a vehicle to wrap this
stuf and make them into neat and attractive rolls.
The rolls have been loved since the frst time
they appeared, and are carried by the people ev-
erywhere they go. Nowadays, Goi Cuon goes
global. Tey are grabbed by street food lovers as
well as appreciated on formal dining tables.
This dish is served with a special Vietnamese
sauce, which is sweet, salty, spicy and sprinkled
with crushed toasted peanuts.
So healthy, delicious, and easy to make!
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How to eat Goi cuon as a Vietnamese?
No spoons, no chopsticks or forks! Eat the rolls with your hands and you will fnd
it much more tasty.
How to make it?
Since Goi Cuon is simple and easy to make, you can search for some websites
about cooking on the internet, fnd the instruction and make it at home by your-
self.
Here are two reference websites:
http://notenoughcinnamon.com
http://www.eatingwell.com
If you would like to try Goi Cuon, here are some guides for you.
Where to eat???
Goi cuon C Hu - 57, Chau Van Liem street, P14, Q.5 (10,000 VND/ roll),
from 9am to 9pm.
Goi cuon C Ba - 650/4/20b Dien Bien Phu, district 10 (6000 VND/ roll)
Le Van Tam park Hai Ba Trung street
80 Hai Ba Trung street, district 3 (3000 VND/ roll)
Street vending next to no.7 Nguyen Tri Phuong street, district 5. (7,000
VND/ roll), open from 2pm to 7pm.
Besides, you can enjoy goi cuon at any street foods shops in HCM City, usu-
ally in the evening, with the average price from 5000 VND/ roll.
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C ph ( cofee) - INSPIRATION
FOR NEW DAYS
Saigon (HCMC) the city that never sleeps, people here have a rushed and
consecutive life. Tey love things which are fast and instant, things that can
not make their life be late even for a moment. surprisingly, unlike other coun-
tries, the citizens live in this city rarely grab cofee to go. To them, drinking cof-
fee at a cofee shop is the way they take a break from their normal hurry life and
relax. For that reason, cofee becomes a special and featured point of this city.
But where should we go? Tere are too many plac-
es for drinking cofee in this big city . Are they all special? Is the
drink good? A lot of questions and I am here to give you some hints.
Vietnam cofee is famous for its favor: strong and fagrant, but
cofee in Saigon is famous for the ways and places to drink it. Com-
ing to Saigon, you have a lot of good choices for drinking cofee.
If you like silence and peaceful, gar-
den-caf may be a good idea for you.
If music and elegant atmosphere are
things you love,modern-caf with ac-
costic/ live music must be a best choice.
Or if you want to fow in the Sai-
gons life and enjoy Saigons breath, just come to Bet cofee and you
can feel it clearly. Its very Vietnamese, very local, but also familiar, al-
most bohemian. Its a chance for Vietnams exploding youth to interact.
Price is very cheap , just from $0.25-$0.50 for drinks and $0.50-$1 for foods. It is
round Notra dame Catherdral in the central of district 1.
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Here are some must-go coffee houses when you come to this beautiful city
Tram cofee Garden caf
Tis is like a lush, hidden, tropical world in
the middle of Vietnams biggest and busiest
city
Price: $2/ cup
100 Tran Huy Lieu street, Phu Nhuan District
Ton Tat Dam Apartment Build-
ing
Tis old aparment is like a strange
cofee town, you can fnd a lot of
good cofeehouses hide in this old
apartment, a Must-go place for cof-
feeholic
Mockingbird caf 4nd Floor,
14 Ton Tat Dam street, District
1 ( $1.5-$2.5/cup)
Tings caf 1st foor, 14 Ton
Tat Dam street, District 1 ($2/
cup)
Banksy studio caf 1st foor, 14
Ton Tat Dam street, District 1
($1.5 -$2.5/ cup)
Te other person caf 3rd foor,
14 Ton Tat Dam Street, District
1 ($1-$2/ cup)
Vung oi, mo ra caf
An idea place for people who love mu-
sic. You can listen and perform here. In
Daytime, when the cofee is quite, youre
free to pick up any intrusments and have
a go, in night, the cofee is flled by the
live music with Piano, guitar, violin and
vocals.
Price: 1.5$/ cup
1st Floor, 17 Ngo Toi Nhiem Street (al-
leyway 17), District 3
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Ho Chi Minh City is the heaven of street food, especially traditional one. Every time
tourists have a chance to visit this modern, active city of Vietnam, they always look
for many popular, reliable food stores which may serve the best of Vietnamese cui-
sine. What we have introduced to you are just five out of countless dishes of Viet-
nam. Their very own significant flavors are the delicious taste of Vietnamese culture.
Thats one of many reasons why travelers find it irresistible to stay on in this small,
peaceful country. Live your moments at every single bite and make it memorable...
Your ideal cuisine destination
VIETNAM