Sights and Sounds of Street Food
I’m sitting on a brightly colored small plastic chair that reminds me of one I owned as a child. Less than 20 feet to the left of me, cars and motorbikes zoom by, honking to others to let them know they are there. I’m surrounded by the background noise of every other person speaking Vietnamese around me and feel droplets of sweat accumulating on my skin from the heat coming from the kitchen.
In front of me sits a plate that wasn’t there just a second ago when I sat down. It’s almost impossible to see the plate beneath the large portion of meat I was not familiar with until now, a side of rice and steamed bok choy adding a splash of green. All for less than $2.
Vietnamese culture is very well known for its delicious and affordable street food. If you are looking to truly experience Vietnam, you cannot overlook the vendors that line almost every street.
Hesitation Turned into FASCINATION
I would be lying if I said I was immediately attracted to the street food vendors along the winding streets outside my apartment building. For the first few days of my trip, I dealt with a bit of travelers’ sickness, and the last thing on my mind was street food.
As an American in Vietnam, it was a bit of a culture shock to see your food being made in front of you and eaten on the sidewalk of a busy roadway. But it is quite hard to step into a restaurant once you have your first taste of street food and see the price tag that comes with it.
My Street Food Tips and Tricks
Only being in Vietnam for three weeks, I am far from a street food expert, but I have picked up a few pieces of advice that I would have loved to know on my first day.
1. Follow the crowd.
As an American, when I am eating by myself without a friend or coworker who is Vietnamese, picking a place to eat can be difficult and sometimes overwhelming. The locals know where the tasty and affordable food is better than anyone else. If the restaurant is packed, then it is going to be good food.
2. Ordering as soon as you sit down.
As soon as you sit down anywhere, whether it is a street food vendor or sit-down restaurant, the staff will hand you a menu and often stand by your table waiting for you to place your order. Often, if the menu is too overwhelming and I can’t decide, I like to ask the person working what their favorite dish is and order that. So far, it has yet to fail.
3. You must ask for the bill.
This was one thing that I was not used to, and am still not used to, while eating in Vietnam: I have had to flag down an employee in many restaurants and street food places to get the bill. Learning how to ask for the check-in in Vietnamese can and will be very helpful!!
Crossing off my street food bucket list
When traveling to Vietnam, it is crucial to try at least one street food dish in order to gain the “real” Vietnamese experience. Street food is such a large part of the culture here and therefore should be enjoyed by all. Here are some of the delicious street food dishes I have tried in just a few weeks.
Banh mi chao – Bread with Combo Pan
This dish was discovered at a street food place by accident one night. My roommates and I were walking around well after 7 p.m., hoping just to find anything edible for dinner. The dish includes egg, pate, and various types of meat served on this sizzling cow-shaped plate. It is eaten with a small loaf and bread and can be dressed up with lettuce or the cilantro shown in the picture.
It could just be the fresh loaf of bread and the free cup of Coca-Cola, but my roommates and I have not been able to stay away from here for more than a few days.
Pho – Rice Noodle Soup
Pho is a staple Vietnamese dish and the only dish I had tried before traveling to Vietnam. With that being said, pho in the United States simply is just not as good as the pho I have had in Vietnam. This soup dish is enjoyed with various herbs and some kind of meat, my personal favorite being beef. I also prefer to dress my pho up with a bit of chili, but be careful because the chili flakes here carry more bite than any I have tried in the States.
Cơm tấm – Broken Rice
This is by far probably my favorite dish I have had in Vietnam and one of my go-tos for lunch at work during the week. Broken rice is fragments or smaller pieces of rice grains, and something about this smaller size just makes it taste better than regular rice, in my opinion.
My favorite way to eat cơm tấm is with grilled pork ribs, fresh vegetables (the cucumbers and tomatoes I have had in Vietnam are so fresh and delicious), lots of scallions, and fish sauce on the side. Sometimes, you can also get an egg, but that is almost always an extra charge.
Bánh xèo – Stuffed Rice Pancake
I have been incredibly lucky that my supervisor and coworkers at my internship have made it their goal to introduce me to as much Vietnamese food as possible in eight weeks. During our lunch break one day, my boss took me to enjoy the meal below. Bánh xèo is a crispy rice pancake. Ours was cooked with pieces of pork and shrimp and stuffed with sprouts. To eat, you simply tear off a piece with your chopsticks and dip it in garlicky fish sauce.
Embracing Change and Culinary Diversity
Before traveling to Vietnam, I never realized how different eating out could be in a different country. I knew that being here would open my eyes to new cuisine that I was not familiar with before, however I did not expect the differences to extend pass that.
While I was originally unsure what to think about this new experience, I have truly come to love and appreciate the differences in eating habits here in Vietnam. It has been so important to remember that just because you are used to something being one way, it doesn’t mean it’s the “right way.”
Cassie Lathrope, Saint Michael’s College, is interning abroad in Vietnam with TEAN.
