Ho Chi Min City (Saigon): Vietnamese Food Series
I expected Saigon to be a small city, dusty and provincial, the
impression I got from watching ‘the Amazing Race’. However, when I arrived, it was totally not
what I expected. The city was big and drenched in bright
lights. According to our guide, decorative lights were put on city streets for the Chinese New
Year, but left for other holidays, if not for the rest of the
year. We arrived late in
the evening, so I settled for a Banh Mi (Vietnamese sandwich) that was
delivered to our hotel for dinner. That simple Vietnamese sandwich tasted so good, different from the Vietnamese sandwiches I had in California that it made me say, "I'm in Vietnam, indeed!"
The exit from the very narrow tunnel |
I was hoping to return to the city before noon, so I could find and have lunch at the ‘Lunch Lady’ place featured on Anthony Bourdin No Reservation. But on our way back to the city, we stopped by the rubber tree plantation. My stomach was growling by the time we arrived in the city. I was so hungry that I did not have the time to go looking for the 'Lunch Lady'. I settled for a pho at Pho 24 closest to my hotel. Pho 24 looked relatively modern. There was a choice of
“Australian beef”, chicken, pork and vegetarian. I ordered the beef pho. My pho came in a medium-size bowl with a clear,
flavorful broth and slices of beef and very fresh basil, mint, spring onions
and lime on the side. It really tasted good and better than the many pho's I have had, particularly from the Silicon Valley area of California.
After lunch, I joined a walking tour. It was a good way to learn how to cross the streets with waves of motorbikes going in different directions, and to get some sense of history of the place. Ho Chi Min City started from a small fishing
village to become the capital of the Republic of Vietnam and the most populated
in Vietnam, ravaged by wars and now again a sprawling metropolis. Ho Chi Min
City has gone by different names through its long history. I call it Saigon as what most Westerners still
refer to it. Saigon has a long history
that I would not even try and write about it in this blog. So, let me just say that nothing was more
evident of the city’s history than the French colonial influence. We visited the Opera house, the Notre Dame Cathedral and
the post office.
We braved crossing the ocean of motorbikes and after walking a few blocks, we found the restaurant recommended by Trip Advisor, but it was closed for the day. H's eyes were glued to his smartphone (yes, he had a portable Wi-Fi) trying to find other highly rated restaurants. We then headed to Wrap and Roll. We wanted to try everything listed on the menu, so we ordered everything from the menu, that included grilled slices of beef, fried shrimp spring rolls, fresh spring rolls, pork wrapped in leaves, pork wrapped lemongrass, etc. Two items on the menu were no longer available as they ran out of ingredients to make them. I was disappointed, but glad to know that the foods there were made from the freshest ingredients. Each order was served in small portion (e.g. 4 pieces of spring roll) that came with fresh greens (basil, mint, lettuce, arugula-like leaves with lemony taste), noodles, sauces and wrappers. Our server noticed that we ate our food as they arrived, so she tried to demonstrate how to wrap and roll using chopsticks. The total cost, including drinks (1 beer, 2 glasses of lime juice and fruit smoothie) was less than $30.00 for four people.
The meal we had from Wrap and Roll was satisfying, but H, the ultimate foodie wanted to explore other places after Wrap and Roll. We followed his lead and ended at the urban-hip-looking restaurant with outdoor seating, but we could not get in because the place was packed. We did not pursue looking for another place to eat as it was getting late (most business establishments, including restaurants in Vietnam close before 9pm). I returned to my hotel in Saigon Square quite satisfied with the food I had from Wrap and Roll. Before retiring to bed, I ate the mango and cherimoya I bought from the open market earlier. I then look over my window to see the brightly lit Saigon Square. It was quite lively.
I showed our guide the picture of buon cuon that my friend posted on Instagram and described as the best meal he had in Vietnam, When I asked where I could find it, he said, “Not here in Saigon, wait ‘til Hanoi”.
Apparently, each city in Vietnam takes pride in their specialty food. My dining experience in Saigon may not be that unforgettable, but it sure lived up to the Vietnamese food hype.
TO BE CONTINUED...
TO BE CONTINUED...
PHOTO GALLERY
Ho Chi Min City was nice.
It’s a big city with bright lights alright, but during the day, the
trees and green parks gave it a chilled-out vibe that seemed to ignore its massive size.
NOTES:
1. I have no material connection to the restaurants, brands or products mentioned in this blog nor received any compensation for writing this post.
2. Photos by the author
These decorative street lights glitter at night |
Notre Dame Cathedral |
Opera House |
Inside the Saigon Main Post Office |
NOTES:
1. I have no material connection to the restaurants, brands or products mentioned in this blog nor received any compensation for writing this post.
2. Photos by the author
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