VietnaMenu
A Food Lover's Travel Guide to the Best of Vietnamese Food
Featured Articles
Ultimate Guide to Translating Vietnamese Menus into English
Arm yourself with this mini Vietnamese to English Food Dictionary before stepping into any Vietnamese restaurant. Save the site or download the PDF.
Vietnam's Food Capital: Huế and its Specialty Dishes
When it comes to food, Hue is the place to be in Vietnam. 150 years of being the imperial capital left the city with an impressive list of specialty dishes.
The Greens of Vietnam: A Guide to the Herbs in Vietnamese Food
Vietnam loves herbs. It’s a big part of the reason why Vietnamese food is so good. This guide will help you make the most out of the Vietnamese’s favourite flavour enhancers.
Bun Mam
Fermented Fish Soup
This noodle soup might not be for everyone. The broth is made with fermented fish or shrimp paste, which means there's a bit of a fish funk to it. It has lots of flavour, and hits all your basic tastes, but it really makes an impact on the umami taste. The soup is usually packed with meat including seafood, fish, and pork.
Bun Mang
Noodle Soup with Bamboo Shoots
A Vietnamese noodle soup with a bit of funk. Dried bamboo shoots are used to add flavour and a soft tender texture. The most popular versions are chicken and duck, but you can also find interesting takes on this popular northern dish.
Bun Mang Vit
Duck and Bamboo Noodle Soup
Vermicelli noodles in a light broth with tender pieces of duck meat, offal, and congealed blood; plus chunks of boiled bamboo shoots. Just add your bean sprouts and shredded water spinach and you'll be one satisfied duck.
Bun Moc
Pork and Mushroom Meatball Soup
Pork paste is rolled with chopped mushrooms to make a delicious meatball that happily floats in a light broth with vermicelli rice noodles. Often served with a generous helping of cha lua (Vietnamese pork loaf).
Bun Rieu Cua
Vietnamese Crab Noodle Soup
Freshwater crabs and tomatoes make up this soup's broth, then rice vermicelli noodles, pork, and tofu soak up the flavours.
Bun Thai
Thai Noodles
A Thailand style spicy broth with vermicelli rice noodles and various proteins. It's often served with seafood like shrimp and squid, but I've also had a vegetarian version with tofu and cha lua.
Bun Thang
Combo Soup
A combo of pork, chicken, egg, and whatever else is floating around the fridge. This light, slightly sweet broth is soaked up with vermicelli noodles and a variety of vegetables. Traditionaly, it's eaten during Tet, but don't worry, nowadays a tasty bowl can be found all year round.
Bun Thit Nuong
Grilled Pork and Vermicelli
Vermicelli rice noodles with grilled pork, a spring roll, and various greens. Served with nuoc cham.
Bun Xao Chay
Vegetarian Fried Noodles
Stirfried noodles with vegetables. Often a spring roll or a mini version of banh xeo is included.
Bun Xao Singapore
Singapore Style Stir-Fried Noodles
This stir-fry is one of my favourites in Vietnam. It usually contains shrimp, Chinese sausage, mushrooms, and a mix of veggie, plus vermicelli rice noodles and a ton of flavor. Unlike the Chinese-style of Singapore noodles, it contains no curry.
Ca Phe Sua Da
Vietnamese Iced Coffee
Thick, sweet, chocolaty liquid that refreshes you, energizes you, and leaves you wanting more. Vietnam's coffee is unique and a must try.
Ca Phe Trung
Egg Coffee
Egg coffee is quite difficult to find outside of Hanoi. An egg is frothed with sugar and poured on top of a cup of thick, rich Vietnamese coffee. You can also get it with sweetened condensed milk, and can usually choose whether you want it hot or cold.
Ca Tim Chien Gion
Deep Fried Eggplant
Simply, sliced eggplant battered and deep fried. Dip it in chili garlic sauce (tương ớt tỏi) or Vietnam's famous nước chấm.
Canh Chua
Tamarind Broth Soup
A popular dish in the Mekong Delta, this sweet and sour broth soup is made with tamarind and usually comes with pineapple, elephant ear stalk, bean sprouts, tomato, okra, and fish from the Mekong River. When accompanied with rice, it makes a great meal. Check out the dish's profile to see popular variations of canh chua.
Canh Ga Chien
Fried Chicken Wings
Chopped up chicken wings are fried in oil until crispy. Garlic, ginger, and/or shallots are sometimes used in a marinade, or served sprinkled on top. These crunchy wings are often served with nuoc mam, a Vietnamese spicy sweet fish sauce dip.
Chao Long
Innards Rice Porridge
This may sound like the worst thing ever, but try it before you judge it. A thick, hearty broth is crammed with pig offal -- everything from cheek to liver. It's often served with pieces of fried dough -- maybe that will help.
Che
Vietnamese Sweet Soup
Chè isn't your typical dessert. It's can be made with beans, fruit, jelly, rice, tubers, grains, or a variety of other ingredients. The liquid is sweet and refreshing. Sometimes it's served with coconut cream.
Com Chien
Fried Rice
You've probably had many versions of fried rice, but Vietnam's version has something that you just can't get in the western world -- freshness. Vietnam is one of the top five largest producers of rice in the world. The quality of rice here is top-notch.