Taste your way around Vietnam with Felicia’s handy hints…

Ask anyone about their holiday to Vietnam and it won’t be long before they get that misty eyed look and coo, ‘oooooh….and the FOOD!!’

In the UK, we’re not as exposed to Vietnamese cuisine as we are with other Asian regions – Thai, Chinese, Japanese, etc. But Vietnamese food, once experienced, is memorable for all the right reasons. It’s difficult to explain why without a scratch ‘n’ sniff screen but here are several reasons why a visit to Vietnam is worth it for the gastronomic experience alone…

1. It’s healthy! Explain how else you can eat two five course meals day for a fortnight and still not put on weight.

2. It’s same same…but different. Of course there are similarities to Thai food, but curries aren’t as rich and heavy, appetisers aren’t so frequently fried. The food is generally fresher, lighter, and full of fantastic flavours. You’ll fall in love with the spring rolls (Goi cuon) – translucent rice paper stuffed with minced pork, coriander, ginger, carrot and other vegetables and dipped in a uniquely Vietnamese sweet chili sauce (Nuoc Cham).

3. Bust the myths. There is a naïve fear that the Vietnamese will use our four legged friends as meat, a concept completely alien and distasteful to western civilisations. A guide from Hanoi explained this very well to me… “Vietnam experienced decades of war, poverty and starvation. We’d eat ANYTHING to survive. We don’t want to eat dog, cat or rat, but if your family were starving, you would too.” Thankfully, Vietnam is now experiencing a wonderful time of growth, development and stability, and Fido is well and truly off the menu.

4. The fruit is fresh, local and widely available. Dragon fruit (Thanh Long) at breakfast, the sweetest watermelon (quả dưa hấu), pineapples (Dua) and the tiny flavourful bananas (tieu) bought from the roadside. You’ll forget about chocolate and sugar when these sweet treats are all around. If you’re feeling brave, try Durian (Sau Rieng), the infamous spiky fruit that my Vietnamese friend describes as ‘smells like vomit; tastes like ice-cream!’

5. Noodles pho breakfast? Yes, when they taste this good. A chicken broth based noodle soup flavoured with coriander and ginger is the Vietnamese staple at any time of day. You’ll find Pho (pronounced ‘fur’) stalls all over the country and on most hotel breakfast stations.

6. The Vietnamese are very proud of their coffee. You may have heard of the ‘weasel poop’ (ca phe chon) variety – made from coffee berries expertly sniffed out and extracted from the waste matter of a civet-cat – but you’ll have to look hard to find this expensive delicacy.  Don’t be fooled by the products sold in the markets and tourist shops – most simply include an image of a weasel as an excuse to double the price of regular coffee. The locals love cà phê sữa đá, an iced coffee with sweetened condensed milk. Dairy is not a staple of the Vietnamese diet, so you may have to ask for cow’s milk when ordering your morning brew, or be ready for a shot of sugary wonder.

7. Don’t be afraid to try new things in Vietnam. Menus are usually offered in English (although by asking for one, you’re hinting at the price to increase), so just choose a flat noodle, rice or pho dish, washed down with a local lager (Bia Hanoi or Bia Saigon are ever-present) and prepare to be amazed at how many different flavours you can enjoy during your visit.

Travelling from the North to South of Vietnam provides a great way to see how flavours change through the regions and also how perceived notions of western tastes have influenced the areas with more international visitors.

This itinerary is just a guide – we can create a perfectly tailor-made trip to suit your exact requirements. Give us a call on 01453 883937 or email us at sales@odyssey-world.co.uk for help planning your Vietnam Adventure.