Locally, culinary excellence doesn’t simply hide away inside Michelin-star restaurants or in hard-to-find alleys, although there are plenty of these. The food can be found everywhere, be it on the streets, in roadside stalls, at tiny establishments beside a lake, and even on the sea overlooking limestone mountains, the article wrote.

The most famous dish is the globally renowned delicacy Phở. This food can be made in many ways, with one way being the classic route and have it with chicken or beef broth accompanied by flat rice noodles and various vegetables, or it can be stir-fried and peppered with nuts. It can also be soaked in a five-spice blend rather than a broth.

The proper way to eat this local specialty is not in air-conditioned restaurants but on the street, sitting on tiny plastic stools that dot roadside curbs, the author Kanishk Singh shared.

Another iconic Vietnamese food is Bánh Mì, with the spicy and smoky flavours of the pork pairing well with the pickled carrots and jalapenos and being served in a baguette-style bun.

Bánh Gối, or pillowcake, is a savoury snack that offers a hint of sweetness from the pork, although it is complemented well with scallion, jicama, and mushroom filling.

For dessert, Hanoians love to try their sticky rice covered in muang bean sauce. The dessert isn’t too sweet and leaves diners wanting more, but at Chè Bà Thìn eatery in the Old Quarter of Hanoi, it’s a dish reminiscent of childhood for many locals.

Egg coffee is offered by almost all restaurants, but only a few get it right. Its place of origin is Café Giang in Hanoi, named after Nguyen Van Giang who invented the dessert during a milk shortage caused by the French War in 1946.

The coffee is crowned with a meringue-like dense froth that is made with condensed milk and egg yolk. One can have it with an espresso, as is traditional, or coconut coffee, or even with a rum back, the website added.  

Over recent years, Vietnam has embraced newer, trendier foods from all over Southeast Asia. The most recent example of this is the coin pancake, a street food served with cheese and toppings of one’s choice, which started selling in Hanoi only as recently as September this year. Other popular examples include boba tea borrowed of Taiwan (China) and the kumquat tea which is similar to any iced tea, with the nation’’s palette constantly evolving.

For those travelling to Vietnam, visitors can savour these delicacies through guided food tours that can be booked on apps like Klook and Viator, the article concluded.

Source: VOV