Street food

Our ancestors taught us that delicious food is remembered for a long time, which is why many people are "addicted" to eating out. Staying home all the time makes people crave street food, a bowl of pho, a bowl of vermicelli, a sandwich... and they lose interest in rice and other meals. The street food sold by the women on the streets is precisely the delicious, memorable treat that we've been searching for far and wide.

The recipes that create the alluring aromas in the broths and sauces aren't gourmet dishes; they're simply everyday ingredients, spices, meats, and vegetables, seasoned skillfully and artfully to make diners "addicted," and they'll keep coming back even after they're far away.

Street food stalls, initially a means of livelihood for ordinary laborers, have evolved over the years into street artists, with circles of customers patiently waiting to savor their culinary delights.

Bun Ganh Restaurant, Ly Thai To Street, Hai Chau District, Da Nang

This noodle shop, located on the roadside, has no name or sign, but customers affectionately call it "Bún Gánh" (Noodle Shop Carrying a Basket). The shop is simple, consisting only of a pair of carrying poles and a pot of broth simmered with beef bones, topped with fragrant meatballs and blood pudding. The plastic chairs are always crowded, and customers can spot the shop from a distance. A sign would be superfluous.

The restaurant has been passed down from mother to daughter-in-law, operating from 6 PM until late at night every day. Each bowl of noodle soup is affordably priced at only 15,000 VND, suitable for working-class budgets. As soon as customers pick up their bowls, they are greeted by the fragrant aroma of lemongrass and the distinctive spiciness of chili paste in the beef noodle soup. Adding lime, chili, fish sauce, chili paste, and herbs for garnish, they skillfully combine all the flavors with their spoons and chopsticks to create a bowl of noodles that perfectly suits their taste, leaving them thoroughly satisfied.

Diners sip the broth with a spoonful of noodles that have absorbed the flavors of the spices, then savor the fresh beef, chewy beef tendons, beef hooves, pork trotters… which look tough on the outside, but are surprisingly soft and rich when bitten into. Not to mention the crab cakes and spring rolls, characteristic flavors of the sunny and windy central region. After finishing the bowl of noodles, one secretly thinks, "The quiet vendor cooks so well, I wonder how many passersby have missed out on this delicious dish."

Madam Khánh's Bread Shop, Trần Cao Vân Street, Minh An Ward, Hội An City, Quảng Nam Province

Starting their bread-making business, the husband cooked and the wife sold from an anonymous pushcart. From the beginning, they believed that while the whole world sold bread, they would create something unique, a distinctly Hoi An, distinctly Vietnamese culinary experience. It wasn't until Hoi An tourism developed and customers affectionately nicknamed them "Madam Khanh" that they rushed to get a sign. People called them Madam Khanh, but Khanh is the husband's name, and Loc is the wife's. The bread shop has been passed down through three generations: to their daughter, and now to their granddaughter. The flavor of their fluffy, crispy, soft, rich, salty, sour, aromatic, and spicy bread has remained unchanged for over 30 years.

Diners bite into a sandwich and find that after the crispy crust crumbles in their mouths, the soft, fluffy interior blends perfectly with the pate and secret homemade sauce, creating a unique and delicious flavor. The choices of fillings are also incredibly diverse, including tender char siu pork, Vietnamese sausage, mixed cold cuts… All of these are made using Madam Khánh's secret recipes. Besides the meat, there are also vegetables: papaya and carrots for a refreshing, tangy, and slightly sweet taste, along with fresh cucumber for a cool, crisp feel, accompanied by the aroma of coriander and the mild pungency of a slice of onion. After a tiring day, a bite of this sandwich is invigorating, thanks to the subtly spicy chili. However, be sure to remind the owner to adjust the spiciness to your liking, as the chili used in the sandwich is usually the spiciest kind, from Central Vietnam.

Co Thanh Broken Rice Restaurant, Vu Tung Street, Ward 2, Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City

The author isn't a big fan of broken rice dishes, but passing by Vu Tung street every day, I noticed this small eatery, which opened about a year ago. Initially, it was quiet, with hardly any customers. Gradually, it became quite busy, so I became curious and decided to try it. The broken rice here is truly delicious, with the authentic Saigon-style broken rice that people often talk about. Customers are rarely wrong; they eat there for the quality, not because of the restaurant itself, but because the owner, Ms. Thanh, is simple and down-to-earth, truly embodying the spirit of a working-class meal.

The broken rice dish here is served with grilled pork ribs, shredded pork skin, pork patty, Chinese sausage, and fried egg, in the authentic Saigon style. The plate of broken rice features fluffy broken rice topped with a little scallion oil, slightly charred golden-brown grilled pork ribs infused with sweet and sour flavors, thinly sliced ​​shredded pork skin coated in fragrant roasted rice flour, and a soft, fluffy egg patty with wood ear mushrooms and vermicelli. Before eating, drizzle some fish sauce over the rice, mix well, and then leisurely enjoy it with the grilled pork ribs, shredded pork skin, pork patty, pickled vegetables, cucumber, and tomato. The slightly thick fish sauce at Cô Thanh's restaurant is also a big plus, making the broken rice dish even more appealing.

After a difficult first year, there were days when the restaurant seemed on the verge of closing, but now the quality speaks for itself. Wishing Ms. Thanh's broken rice restaurant continued success in its business.

Street food is quick, convenient, and reasonably priced, making it an attractive choice even for the pickiest eaters. Street food has a harmonious flavor profile, is cooked to perfection, and is nutritionally balanced. Most dishes include green vegetables, which contributes to the slender physique of Vietnamese people. Many famous chefs who came to Vietnam and enjoyed the delicious street food on plastic chairs were inspired to create numerous dishes with a Vietnamese street food flavor, which they then shared back home. Some even chose to stay in Vietnam, not opening Western restaurants, but focusing solely on street food, delighting both Vietnamese people and tourists.

Author's information:

Ngoc Tran is a creative professional with a passion for street food. The author has lived and worked in many cities across Vietnam. The old streets, the lives of the people there, the food… are endless sources of inspiration for her many works. Most recently, after living and working in Hanoi, to express her gratitude to the capital city and its people during her time there, Ngoc Tran wrote "Hanoi The Lifestyle & The Food," a book dedicated to those who have, are, and will choose Hanoi to visit.

Ngoc Tran