Vietnamese noodle dishes always make the hearts of food lovers flutter. From a dish consisting of broth and long noodles made from different types of flour, the Vietnamese have created many dishes with diverse and special flavors for each region in this country. If you are a lover of Vietnamese culture or a tourist who wants to visit Vietnam, then you must definitely try the dishes with the Vietnamese identity that we are about to introduce in this article.
Don’t encapsulate your passion for Vietnamese cuisine into familiar noodles like Pho or Bun Cha. We bring you Popular Noodle Dish From Vietnam: Top 10 Ideas For Tourists.
Let’s get started!
Popular Noodle Dish From Vietnam To Experience: 10 Best Ideas
1. Cao Lau (Hoi An Noodle)
This is the most popular noodle dish from Vietnam when you come to Central Vietnam.
Cao Lau is a definite must-try if you are visiting the historic city of Hoi An in Quang Nam province. Its presentation is very special which distinguishes it from other types of noodles.
Cao Lau noodles are made mainly of rice. However, before making vermicelli, people should soak the rice in lye water. As a result, the texture has a pleasant bounce and softness.
The broth is made from pork bones, shallots and onions. They serve broth with marinated pork on top and vegetables including perilla, mint, lemon basil, coriander, lettuce, and bean sprouts on the side.
The taste of this dish is very rich and attractive. The thin and thick broth has a harmonious top and salty taste that guarantees you will be addicted to it. The noodle is very unique, it has a thick texture that is both hard and soft combined with roasted pork or pork char siu.
Deep-fried noodles are another option. Noodles will be chopped and deep fried. Unlike other Vietnamese pho dishes, Pho Cao Lau is difficult to find as it is mainly found in Hoi An.
2. Bun Dau Mam Tom (Vietnamese Rice Noodles With Fermented Shrimp Taste)
Coming to the north of Vietnam, besides famous dishes such as Pho, Bun Cha, … Bun dau mam shrimp is the most popular noodle dish from Vietnam when you come to Hanoi.
Shrimp vermicelli noodles do not include broth, ingredients are served separately: vermicelli, tofu, pork, and fish sauce. Mam tom is fermented shrimp paste, and it’s like Vietnam’s vegemite sauce – you’ll either love it or hate it. Add some lemon to the sauce before serving with the tofu and pork.
This dish can be considered as a snack but also as a main course. This is a dish with a unique form and way of eating. You will be surprised by the combination of the accompanying dishes, although they are not elaborately processed, when eaten with shrimp paste, they will create a great taste. However, shrimp paste is difficult to eat with foreigners, so you can use it with normal fish sauce.
3. Mi Quang (Quang Noodle Soup)
Located close to Hoi An is Quang Nam province and the most popular noodle dish from Vietnam in this province is Mi Quang.
Mi Quang is a popular Quang Nam dish, however, it can be found in many street food stalls and restaurants across Vietnam.
My Quang broth is made from turmeric and pork. It is often bold and powerful. However, the broth doesn’t completely cover the noodles, allowing them to be served warm or lukewarm. The fresh vermicelli used in this dish is about the same size as fettuccine and is white or yellow in color – the only difference between the two is that turmeric is added to the dough.
This dessert can be topped with chicken, shrimp, pork, fish, beef, boiled quail eggs, or steamed pork sausage (ch). Toasted sesame rice paper (sesame rice paper) is another special ingredient that enhances the attractive flavor and crispy texture of the dish.
If you want to add more flavor to this soup, add garlic, fish sauce, and black pepper. In addition, vegetables and seeds such as peanuts, mint, lettuce, onions, cilantro, and common vegetables are must-have ingredients at Mi Quang.
Consider this My Quang if you want a great Vietnamese breakfast.
4. Hu Tieu Nam Vang (Shrimp and Pork Chop Noodle Soup)
And now we will come to southern Vietnam, the most popular noodle dish from Vietnam in this region is Hu Tieu Nam Vang.
This is a popular southern Cambodian and Chinese-inspired noodle dish.
Hu Tieu has dozens of variations, but the broth is quite similar to any version, made from bones, dried squid, rock sugar, pork, and a bunch of vegetables to simmer for hours. Add to that some noodles, veggies, and meat and you’re good to go.
The Vietnamese term for Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s capital, is “Nam Vang.” As a result, Nam Vang Hu Tieu is a Cambodian meal. It uses hu tieu fibers, as the name suggests.
This hot soup has a rich, umami flavor. The broth is mainly simmered with pork bones and dried shrimp. Ground pork, pork loin, and sliced pork liver are often used as toppings.
Shrimp and quail eggs are other popular additions. People use shallots, celery, chives, basil, and fried garlic as vegetables.
5. Banh Canh (Thick Noodle Soup)
Another popular noodle dish from Vietnam in this region is Banh Canh – a popular noodle dish from Vietnam, but there are different versions in each region.
Banh canh is both a main dish and a side dish. This meal is unique in that there is no single preparation method. Recipes vary by location and family.
The first one I want to offer is the Crab Soup, which consists of crab soup with quail eggs. Banh Canh Chanh Pork and Shrimp Meat features shrimp and pork, while Banh Canh Cha Ca features fish cakes.
Another famous regional variation is Trang Bang Banh Canh, which denotes the origin of the dish (from the town of Trang Bang). It is topped with cooked pork and other herbs from the region. All varieties include green onions, cilantro, black peppers, and red peppers.
There are three common types of banh canh fibers: rice flour, wheat flour, and filter flour. Banh Canh broth is also processed differently depending on the region, with clear broth and cloudy and sticky water.
6. Banh Da (Vietnamese Red Noodle)
After going to 3 regions of Vietnam, let’s come to the beautiful coastal city of Hai Phong, a province in the Northeast region of Vietnam. Referring to Hai Phong, it is impossible not to mention the interesting noodle dish Banh Da Cua – one of the best popular noodle dish from Vietnam.
It’s interesting that locals use the word “cake” to refer to various noodle dishes. Banh Da Cua has a different appearance compared to other noodle dishes because it is red and translucent.
Although made from high-quality rice, Banh Da Cua is distinguished from other types of Vietnamese noodles by its color. These panels are flat and have a large width.
The texture of Da crab cake is soft and chewy. Making crab cakes also requires accuracy in soaking time and temperature. This dish has a topping of fish cakes, craps, spring rolls and eggs a bit similar to the side dishes of banh canh.
The clear and sweet broth combined with the chewy rice noodles and the pungent smell of the accompanying vegetables will bring you an interesting experience.
7. Banh Hoi (Grilled Pork Noodle Bowl)
Banh Hoi is small sheets of yarn woven together. What is their weight? Banh hi is as thin as a toothpick, but it is difficult to shred because this type of noodle is wrapped in strands.
It is made from rice, similar to rice vermicelli. However, the technique of creating them is difficult to replicate at home. It involves several stages, including soaking the rice, grinding, steaming, and kneading (or frying in a pan) the flour combination.
It all comes together to create a light but dense hi cake that doesn’t stick. This noodle dish originates from Binh Dinh, a coastal region of South Central Vietnam.
Vietnamese people like to serve banh hi with meat, especially beef and pork. They usually drizzle scallion oil on top. You can find it at shops that sell traditional Vietnamese cakes like banh beo and banh cuon.
8. Bun Mam (Vietnamese Fermented Fish Noodle Soup)
Bun mam is another dish that you will either love or hate. This noodle dish is served with a dark, opaque broth, seasoned with fermented fish sauce. To complete the meal, seafood, pork, eggplant and chives are combined with a few of the more common herbs. Because it comes from the South, bun mam has a slightly sweet taste.
Because it has a soft fish sauce, many foreigners will be afraid because it is very smelly and difficult to eat, but if you get used to this flavor you will become addicted.
Fish sauce is mixed with pineapple juice to increase sweetness and hot chili makes you inhale.
9. Bun Bo Hue (Spicy Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup)
Another famous noodle dish from Vietnam in the central region is Bun Bo Hue
The dish has a name associated with Hue, the ancient capital of Vietnam. The broth is simmered with buffalo bones, hoofs, lemongrass, chili, and noodles that are thicker and more cylindrical than most other Vietnamese pho dishes. It is accompanied by a plate of herbs, banana flowers, bean sprouts, and oil-fried lemongrass chili sauce on the side. A dish you will love at first taste by the sweetness of the broth and beef. It can be eaten in all four seasons of the year, but it is most suitable in winter because it is very warm.
Besides, equally famous is Nam Bo bun bo, it has made me excited. Nam Bo vermicelli is a dish of beef stir-fried with lemongrass, chili, and seasoned braised beef served with vermicelli, sometimes called rice vermicelli in the United States. It’s rich, but not like soup. It’s topped with peanuts, deep-fried chives, herbs, bean sprouts, lettuce, pickled carrots, and papaya — there’s a lot here in terms of texture.
10. Pho (Beef Noodle Soup)
And it is impossible not to mention the most popular noodle dish from Vietnam in the hearts of international friends, which is Pho – Hanoi‘s delicious gift.
When it comes to Vietnamese cuisine, everyone immediately thinks of Pho, one of the national dishes of Vietnam. Pho serves banh pho in beef broth.
The flavor of the broth is created by cooking ox legs or oxtails with ginger, onions, and spices (e.g. star anise). Some customers want a thicker broth to make the broth richer and sweeter.
Thinly sliced beef, ribs, meatballs and tendons can be added to this hearty soup. Locals in the North of Vietnam often dip their toppings in the sauce before eating.
Mint leaves, lemon, Thai basil, sawtooth, scallions and bean sprouts are among the vegetables and herbs served with Pho.
Pho has a delicious and attractive taste. In particular, it is very popular in winter, especially in Hanoi where the cold is very harsh, so foreigners who have a cold climate love Pho very much.
Nowadays, pho is very famous, so there are many pho restaurants and Asian restaurants serving this dish all over the world such as Chicago, Boston, UK… you can enjoy these restaurants but definitely won’t get it. taste like in Vietnam.
Conclusion
Have you thought of enjoying Vietnamese noodles after reading this “Popular Noodle Dish From Vietnam: Top 10 Ideas For Tourists” article? It’s not hard to make a decision, is it? All of them are very irresistible. And I’m sure you want to try as many as possible.
If you have friends or family who love Vietnamese food, why not share this article with them so they can learn more about Vietnamese noodles? I am grateful for your likes and shares. Thank you for your interest, and I hope to see you again in future posts!