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Private tailor-made journeys of a life time
Aug 10, 2023
By Ms. Minh Thu
In the second reason of the famous series Gordon’s Great Escape in 2013, Gordon Ramsay - the richest international chef and restaurateur used to say that fortunately he was not born in Vietnam, otherwise he was just a bad cook. Vietnamese cuisine has become more and more well-known worldwide, especially the best Vietnamese noodle dishes. The article below by the best Vietnam Tour Operator will collect the best Vietnamese noodle dishes that you definitely try when you come to Vietnam.
Vietnamese food is highly known for having traits like sociability, diversity, low fat, and rich flavor from the skillful blending of a wide variety of ingredients and spices to enhance the flavor and appeal of each meal. The Vietnamese culinary system has few dishes that are extremely complex, stewed and simmered like Chinese cuisine, nor are they inclined to highly aesthetic presentation like Japanese cuisine. Instead, they prefer to use ingredients that are chewy and crispy or to delicately mix spices to make dishes that are delicious. Vietnamese cuisine is the very first and foremost thing that international tourists visiting the country are impressed with due to its balance in the combinations of ingredients and spices. Best Vietnamese noodle dishes such as Pho and vermicelli successfully represent this uniqueness of Vietnamese cuisine.
Vietnam has a long history of cultivating water rice for thousands of years. So agriculture has had significant influences on Vietnam’s culture such as language, art and cuisine. That the agriculture dramatically affected Vietnamese lives is reflected in many dishes, in which noodle dishes are the most typical. Because in this dish group, we can find the footprint of wet rice civilization in both broth and noodles. Water is the most crucial element in growing wet rice. Vietnamese people has a famous proverb: Nhất nước nhì phân, tam cần, tứ giống (the most important is water for irrigation, the second is diligence, and the third is good breedings). Every Vietnamese meal has water such as water from boiled vegetables to eat with rice, or broth in noodle soups. Therefore, when cooking noodle dishes, Vietnamese people pay careful attention to making delicious broth, which is simmered from bones, meat and many Vietnamese spices in hours. No wonder, this is regarded as the soul of every Vietnamese noodle dish.
The second element is the noodle. Noodles are made of rice. Vietnamese people eat rice most everyday. It's no exaggeration to say that Vietnamese people can not lack rice in their meals. And when they get bored of eating rice, they eat dishes also made of rice, which is noodles. If noodles around the world are made of flour, Vietnamese noodles are made of rice powder, which brings about unique texture, color and flavor. These noodles reflect the wet rice civilization and the culture of eating rice and its products that has taken root for thousands of years.
The first habit that needs mentioning is chopstick-using culture of Vietnamese people. You have to use chopsticks to eat best Vietnamese noodles dishes. Because unlike Western noodle dishes served with thick sauce or paste to mix with, Vietnamese noodle soups have broth (the reason why these dishes often have the word “soup” in their names). As a result, eating Vietnamese noodles, you can not use a fork and knife as usual. You just can use chopsticks to pick up noodles drowned in fragrant and bold broth, which is nearly level with the height of the bowl.
Another interesting fact when you try best Vietnamese noodle dishes is you have to eat with the help of a table. Because a bowl of Pho or vermicelli is always served hot, especially the broth is the boiling water, you can not hold the bowl while eating. You will need the help of a table while you eat so that you don’t need to hold it, and blow off the heat and suck noodles at the same time. This can also explain why people don't eat Pho or vermicelli for picnics.
To eat best Vietnamese noodle dishes in a truly Vietnamese-styled manner, you need to know ways to boost the flavors of your noodle bowl. You just simply squeeze a half of lemon, add some herbs and a little chili paste, and dip some bread into your bowl of noodle, then nobody thinks that you are new in Vietnam.
1. Bún đậu mắm tôm (Rice Vermicelli Noodles with fried tofu and shrimp paste)
Referring to Bun dau mam shrimp, visitors will see in every corner of Hanoi, Bun dau mam shrimp has become a rustic sidewalk dish that attracts domestic and international tourists. Because of that, this dish becomes attractive and is the first suggestion in the list of delicious dishes to try in Hanoi. Today, shrimp paste noodles are sold in many places, but it can be boldly said that there is no place that makes it as delicious and flavorful as in Hanoi. This dish is more delicious and interesting when you sit and enjoy it with friends on the sidewalk, eat while chatting, and watch the scenery of Hanoi. A portion of vermicelli with shrimp paste includes vermicelli, beans, shrimp paste, perilla, ... in addition, you can eat it with boiled meat, fried rice, spring rolls. Bún Đậu Mắm Tôm is undoubtedly one of the best Vietnamese noodle dishes.
2. Pho
Pho is a typical dish in Vietnamese cuisine, especially for northern people. Of all the best Vietnamese noodle dishes, Pho is the most well-known among foreign tourists. Pho appears everywhere, from street vendors, country roads to urban alleys, from sidewalk eateries, popular shops and even luxury restaurants. The feeling of enjoying a super delicious bowl of pho in Hanoi's morning is nothing like the familiar breakfast dish of Hanoians. Pho here has its own unique flavor that you can hardly find elsewhere. A delicious bowl of pho with supple noodles combined with pho broth stewed from bones, thin slices of beef or chicken, and a plate of fresh vegetables, all for a delicious meal. with Hanoi Pho. In 2014, Vietnamese beef noodle soup topped the list of 40 delicious dishes of the world that should be tried once in life voted by Business Insider.
3. Bun Cha (Grilled Pork meatballs with vermicelli noodles)
Bun Cha is absolutely one of the best Vietnamese noodle dishes worth eating many times. Having brought a reputation to Hanoi without enjoying Bun Cha Hanoi is extremely lacking in you. This dish brings the soul of Hanoi cuisine, you cannot eat anywhere as delicious as here. Bun Cha Hanoi dish includes: 1 part of vermicelli served with a bowl of sweet and sour papaya juice inside is fried pieces, fried balls, a little bit burnt but fragrant, sweet, lean but not dry. To make it more delicious and rich, you can eat it with accompanying vegetables, very good. Similar to pho, such as beef vermicelli, bun cha is simple but also converges all five elements of metal - wood - water - fire - earth, showing the diversity and richness of the colorful cuisine of Vietnam. Vietnam in general, and the delicate, meticulous to every detail, each taste of Hanoi people in particular.
4. Bun Rieu (Tomato and Crab noodle soup)
Bun rieu is one of the beauties of Ha Thanh cuisine that is hard to fade over the years. From street vendors to luxury shops, this dish always attracts everyone to enjoy. The unique feature of vermicelli is the sour and sour broth of vinegar, tomatoes, plus other toppings such as: crab bricks, tofu, beef, pork loin, tofu, etc. So anyone, any age Any age is loved. From a hot summer day to a cold winter day, noodle shops have never stopped being crowded. Although the bowl of vermicelli is simple and ordinary, it shows the quintessence and sophistication of Ha Thanh cuisine. The perfect combination of flavors, seductive aromas, harmonious colors in the overall bowl of vermicelli. This is an ancient gift that makes people hungry just looking at it.
5. Banh Canh (Vietnamese thick noodle soup)
The soul of a bowl of Banh Canh is probably the broth with a sweet taste and not boring, making this present in the list of the best Vietnamese noodle dishes. The components for the broth are chosen with care, cleaned, and cooked for a long period of time over a low fire. Finally, there will be the standard juice. A bowl of Banh Canh with the right style is not only attractive by taste, but also attractive with harmonious colors presented beautifully. Who can ignore a delicious hot smoky dish with the white color of the cake mixed with shrimp and meat fillings and the green color of scallions. Then when coming to the dining table, the diners will mix a little green chili fish sauce, add a few stalks of cilantro. Finally, enjoy the rich flavor of shrimp meat and noodle soup mixed with sweet and salty broth, creating an irresistible uniqueness for this specialty dish.
6. Quang noodle soup
Quang noodles have many types such as chicken noodles, crab noodles, shrimp noodles, fish noodles... Each type has its own unique features and appeal, it is difficult to compare which noodles are more attractive than the other. Quang noodle dishes have their own characteristics, from the broth to the noodles. When ordering, you will see the chef put a layer of raw vegetables in the bowl and then cover with a layer of pre-cut noodles. The broth is soggy, so that the water penetrates into each noodle, mixed with the layer of raw vegetables, the water has a red-yellow color to create a delicious, greasy taste. Sprinkle a small pinch of crushed roasted peanuts on top, along with chopped fresh onions, lemons, chili... are extras that increase the fat, sour, and spicy.
7. Bun Bo Hue
Originally from a royal dish, the bowl of Hue beef vermicelli with rich spices but still elegant has become a "muse" in the hearts of diners from far and near. Although they have the same name as "bun bo", each region is marked by its own distinctive flavor, creating a unique and diverse Vietnamese cuisine. An authentic bowl of Hue beef vermicelli must be the perfect combination between the rich sweet broth simmered from the beef's bones, spread over the soft, chewy, spicy, and spicy rice vermicelli with hot chili peppers and aromatic herbs. And it is indispensable for the special scent of fish sauce - a spice that helps to bring up the classic salty taste, making a bowl of Hue beef noodle soup like a magnet to attract diners from 3 regions to the ancient capital. Hence, Bun Bo Hue is undoutedly one of the best Vietnamese noodle dishes that you should try when coming to Vietnam.
Above are the top 7 best Vietnamese noodle dishes that you can not ignore when visiting Vietnam. You can see that all Vietnamese noodle dishes are all nutritious, yet balanced and healthy. Gordan Ramsay used to say that Vietnamese cuisine is one of top 3 best cuisines all over the world. Hence, what are you waiting for but not pack your luggage and come to one of the best paradises of food in the world.
