10 Vietnamese Foods to Try Before You Die

Vietnamese food – it’s unforgettable, exotic, inexpensive, and tasty as hell. Spicy, sweet, unusual, moreish, you name it, Vietnam has it all!

According to Contiki here is a guide to the Vietnamese dishes you need to indulge in while you’re there, because we'd be lying to ourselves if food isn't one of the many reason why we enjoy travelling so much. Right?

So get your taste buds ready…

Vietnamese food – it’s unforgettable, exotic, inexpensive, and tasty as hell. Picture: Supplied

1. Pho – The national dish of Vietnam. It is a delicious rice-noodle broth flavoured soup with chicken or beef, topped with an assortment of herbs. It’s normal to eat this for breakfast, lunch or dinner. And it’s pronounced ‘fuh’.

2. Goi cuon and com chien – Rice paper rolls filled with prawns that have satay sauce drizzled and a side of fried rice mixed with sausages.

3. Nam Neung – are so cheap and the best way to consume copious amounts of pork rolls with crackling and dipping sauce. It's also really fun rolling your own!

4. Thit nuong – The crispy pork wins our heart every time. Go local, and head into authentic Vietnamese joints, where you'll find it served with rice noodles! You won't regret it.

5. Drip coffee or in Vietnamese terms, ‘Ca phe sua da’. It’s dark roasted coffee, through a drip filter over condensed milk, that is then mixed with ice. The first time you try it, you won’t understand it. But it will grow on you, and you will learn to love it!

Additionally, check out the local markets for a taste of how the locals do business.

Bến Thành Market in Ho Chi Minh and the local food market in Hoi An are two of the best. There are markets and street vendors everywhere but especially in Ho Chi Mihn, Hoi An and Hanoi! If you decide to go on a cooking tour, they will guide you on the kinds of produce you should be buying, and how to cook authentic Vietnamese dishes (worth it).

6. Cao lau is a unique dish that is usually only be found in Hoi An. It consists of noodles, thinly sliced pork, bean sprouts, greens and it’s truly delicious.

7. Banh bao, Banh vac or White Rose dumplings can also be found in Hoi An, and if you love dumplings, you will go crazy for this dish. It’s shrimp wrapped around translucent white rolls with toasty bits of garlic and sweet dipping sauce.

8. Delicious assortment of stir fried dishes. Hail to the tuna, mixed seafood, and vegetables dishes. So simple, yet so gratifying.

9. Com ga – Possibly one of the best meals in Vietnam. It’s crispy chicken over a bed of rice and if you take a close look at that little bowl with a lime in it - they mix salt and pepper together, and squeeze lime over it to complement your chicken!

10. Delicious chicken rissoles drizzled with a home-made sweet chilli sauce.

HOT TIPS SO YOU'RE IN THE KNOW.

- Nước chắm: Let those words sink into your brain. That is the infamous Vietnamese dipping sauce that's usually accompanied with most dishes. It's sweet, sour, and a lil' spicy.

- Ca phe: is coffee. When you're on the road, you'll no doubt need a hit of caffeine, and the Vietnamese sure know how to make good coffee.

- Goi: VEGETARIANS - This will be the most important word for you in Vietnam. It means 'salad'. So when in doubt - 'Goi'.

Why not start the foodie adventure across Asia your hungry heart always desired? Check out the trips we run that'll have you dropping delicious food, left right and centre and if you book and pay your deposit before end April you’ll save 10%. Contiki’s Vietnam Adventure starts from R20 736 for 12 days exploring the length and breadth of Vietnam from Ho Chi Minh to Hanoi and Halong Bay. Call Contiki on (011) 280 8400 or visit contiki.com for more inspiration.

Life’s an adventure – make it count with absolutely #NOREGRETS.

By iAfrica