In an attempt to answer this oft-asked question, Mytravelroom has selected some recently visited countries, where the food could be described as interesting, mystifying, varied, and almost always, delicious.
Most of us are aware that Vietnamese cuisine is world-renowned. As illustrated by the photos below, this culinary champ of SE Asia provides a vast variety of appetising offerings. Almost without exception, most are fresh, tasty, and subtly flavoured. Also, good news for those with a delicate palate, Vietnamese food isn’t quite as spicy as some of its neighbouring countries’ fare.
This post introduces dishes Mytravelroom enjoyed during six nights in Ho Chi Minh City (aka Saigon), South Vietnam
South Vietnam – Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh is a modern “westernised” city loaded with places to enjoy the vast assortment of gastronomic delights on offer.
As opposed to Hanoi, HCMC (Saigon) is a commercial base made up of many international businesses. The combination of this, the West’s influence and a large expat community creates a vibrant, exciting, global city.
In the evenings, modern high-rises are adorned with glittering lights, sparkly, shiny river boats cruise the waters, and a thriving nightlife hub gives old Saigon a sense of modern might. As you may imagine, it’s not a hard place to enjoy nocturnal cuisine exploration. And when daylight hits, the city swaps its glitter for a visual overload of colour, noise, and outright adrenaline surges, especially when crossing a road! But there’s always a place to “lay your hat” to eat, relax, and enjoy the craziness from a safe seat!.
Against this backdrop, it’s not surprising that visitors can experience an unexpected thrill mixed with an overpowering desire to take a breath and then absorb the semi-manic ambience of a city openly inviting its inhabitants to partake in its seemingly endless food choices.
In a sentence? When in HCMC, you can eat whatever, whenever, wherever you want.
So, on that note, above and below is Mytravelroom’s pictorial record of food experiences enjoyed during our five-day stay in Saigon, which must be one of Southeast Asia’s most stimulating cities.
Extra information: Street food is uncommon in HCMC’s central city, but tons of choices can be found in places such as the popular night food market Vinh Khanh Street, District 4, which is worth visiting. It is quieter during the day and manic fun at night.
FOOD PRICES:
Ciao Bella Restaurant: Change it up and try some delicious, freshly made Italian “with a twist” food. This charming little restaurant also provides the best wine list we found during our SE Asia odyssey. The most expensive food item on the menu is NZ$31.00
High-end : Restaurants such as The Racha Room cater to a high-end customer. However, their prices are very reasonable (compared to most Western restaurants). Mains are around NZ$30.00 and entrees are around NZ$10.00. There are lots of share-plate options too.
Medium : Food in more casual cafes and bars ranges from $15 to $25 per dish. For example the, when we were visiting, the newly opened 7Bridges Brewing Co offered craft beers, wine, spirits and great “counter food”. Prices ranged from NZ$10-$25.00.
Cheap : Food Markets and Street Stalls are cheap and a great way to eat. For chowing down, sitting in a park or perched on a plastic stool, a freshly made Banh Mi or Vietnamese Beef Stew in a bowl, for example, is around NZ$4.00
Click the links below to read more “What’s the food like?” stories.
https://mytravelroom.co.nz/whats-the-food-like-in-hanoi-vietnam/
https://mytravelroom.co.nz/whats-the-food-like-in-cambodia/
MTR TIPS regarding food safety: If you feel unsure, remember that most food is freshly cooked and on high rotation. The stalls are generally bustling, and lots of locals regularly eat at the markets. To be cautious, don’t eat raw food. Wash your hands often. Carry a small spray bottle of hand sanitiser and hand wipes, wipe utensils with sanitiser, and discreetly wipe the table.
If you would like to know more about this story or any other Mytravelroom story, please contact me at janeco@mytravelroom.co.nz
