Vietnamese culinary adventure: “Breakfast will never be the same”

Sydney Morning Herald, a newspaper published in Sydney, Australia, has just published an article highlighting a Vietnamese culinary adventure “Greatest pho ever: I ate the best of Vietnamese food in 48 hours”.

Pho, a famous Vietnamese soup dish consisting of broth, rice noodles, herbs and meat.

The writer excitedly shared the best Vietnamese dishes based on his own experiences. His first dish for an energetic breakfast is pho, a famous traditional dish of Vietnamese cuisine. Phở can be found everywhere—in restaurants, hotels, and on virtually every street corner.

“Sitting at a rickety table amid early-morning Ho Chi Minh City crowds, the smell of scooter exhaust almost entirely masked by the scent of ripped basil leaves and the deeply complex beef broth right before you. I’ve eaten a lot of pho. I love pho.”

This aromatic Vietnamese noodle soup is so perfectly balanced with flavors and textures, its broth flavored with herbs and aromatics, its noodles slippery and chewy with just-cooked beef, crunchy bean sprouts, thin-sliced onion, fresh basil and coriander. The interplay of textures—from the tender slices of beef to the crisp bean sprouts and velvety noodles—is irresistible.

For many, morning coffee is a ritual and a source of energy and focus.

However, besides pho, you should definitely try many other dishes, for example, a charcoal grill Bo la lot, spiced ground beef wrapped in lot leaves served with herbs, pickled vegetables and rice-paper sheets. Its flavors are a delightful mix, sweet, sour, savory and smoky, making it a perfect introduction to Vietnamese cuisine.

Another dish for a good taste is a loaf of bread, a classic pork roll, a baguette filled with pate, mayonnaise, various slices of cured pork, pickled daikon and carrot. It is a beloved street food and a must-try for visitors to Vietnam.

The writer also reminded travelers not to forget to sip iced milk coffee, a great way to start a day. Sitting in a lovely cafe, sipping coffee while listening to melodious music will give us the feeling of peace and relaxation.

For a hearty option, Bun Rieu soup stands out. It is served with tomato broth and topped with minced freshwater crab. There are several varieties of Bun Rieu by region. “Bun Rieu broth is made with tomatoes and small freshwater crabs, with thin rice noodles, crab cakes, hunks of pork meat and pork rind, shredded banana flower, fresh herbs, etc.”

Banh Canh Cua, a thick crab-based soup with chewy tapioca noodles is surely another must-try masterpiece. This slurp-worthy bowl of Banh Canh Cua has an explosive fresh crab flavor and slippery tapioca noodles for every noodle soup lover.

And then finally the next day, he went on to have one more meal with a dish of Banh Cuon, or steamed rice sheets with shrimp and pork, a delicate and delectable Vietnamese dish that exemplifies the country's culinary artistry. Banh Cuon can be enjoyed as a breakfast dish or a light meal. The dipping sauce is sweet, sour, salty, savory and/or spicy and so addictive.

With a variety of dishes to choose from, “Breakfast will never be the same” during a culinary adventure in Vietnam.

N.T