Vietnam Food Trip

Out of the three countries that I have visited in this trip, I enjoyed Vietnam so much because of the food. I mean, come on, it's hard to miss because every nook and cranny in Ho Chi Minh City has a roadside stall that serves food and drink. Take note, these stalls don't serve the same thing because each stall has its own specialty. Although I also enjoyed Thai food as well, having Vietnamese food gave me warm and fuzzy feelings. Haha. To further diversify my choices, I did not limit myself to roadside stalls because I ate at restaurants too.

In jest, I forgot to take photos of some of the stuff I ate. Here are some of my personal favorites:

Bun cha from a shop in Bui Vien Street named, well, Bun Cha
(55,000 VND = 2.50 USD = 113 PHP)

Bun cha is a Northern Vietnamese specialty which became my instant favorite-slash-pho substitute. It is a beef patty with rice noodles on the side. To eat it, you have to dunk the noodles on the sauce that is served along the beef patty. It's up to you if you'll also dip the veggies on the sauce or it eat separately. Other great Northern Vietnamese dishes are also served in Bun Cha, located along Bui Vien Street.

Grilled scallops with kaffir lime dip from a stall in Bui Vien Street
(120,000 VND = 5.50 USD = 247 PHP)

Scallops for 247 bucks? I kid you not. It's best paired with Saigon Bia. Sarap!

Barbecued pork from a Ben Thanh Market stall 
(55,000 VND = 2.50 USD = 113 PHP)

After attending a Vietnamese mass in Notre Dame, we passed along Ben Thanh Market on the way back to the hotel. We asked for the bestseller and the server pointed to the barbecued pork on the menu. It didn't disappoint. Although it was expensive (since Ben Thanh is technically a tourist spot), it was so worth it. Even the dip is heavenly.

Fresh spring rolls at a hostel restaurant along Bui Vien Street
(35,000 VND = 1.60 USD = 72 PHP)

Vietnam is popular for their spring rolls so what is a trip to Vietnam without even trying the real thing? I tried both the fresh and fried versions and it's really good. It's actually way better than those being served at popular Manila-based Vietnamese restaurants.

I failed to take photos of banh mi, banh xeo, and the mothership of Vietnamese cuisine, pho. After this trip, my standards for Vietnamese food in the Philippines skyrocketed. Haha. But yeah, seriously speaking, this is one of the best food trips that I have ever done. I personally recommend a food walk for foodies who will go to Ho Chi Minh City.

What other Vietnamese dishes have you tried? Let me know in the comments section below. :)

Here We Come, Ho Chi Minh!

What's cool about traveling in continental Asia is that it makes it easier for us to travel overland, from one country to the next. I first had a taste of overland travel when my Ate Richie and I went to Malaysia, coming from Singapore. The thrill of crossing borders didn't escape me since then.

After the trip around Phnom Penh, it was high time that I leave the hotel for the Mekong Express Bus Station. It was a different experience from the Mekong Express bus ride from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh as you have to pre-register your passport at the bus station. But after that, everything went smoothly because the bus conductor would be the one to submit your passport to the immigration officers and all you have to do is wait. It was a very long ride from Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh. We even had to cross the Mekong River via a ferry boat to get to the border.  

Well hello there, Mekong River!

Eight hours later, I'm in Ho Chi Minh, baby!

The park along Pham Ngu Lao Street

Checked in at Golden Wind Hotel in District 1 as soon as we arrived. District 1 is known as the backpacker district of Ho Chi Minh and everything is inexpensive here. One disadvantage though, is that it's a long walk going to the major attractions of the city. But I didn't care because I'm used to walking anyway.

I'm not going to say much about our itinerary but I'm just going to enumerate the places that you must visit in Ho Chi Minh. I have to warn you that I'm a museum connoisseur so expect to get a nerdy must-visit list from me. 

1. War Remnants Museum - I enjoyed this museum although the Agent Orange section broke my heart. It's like the feelings from Tuol Sleng resurfaced. But all in all, this place made me admire the resilience of the Vietnamese and the indomitable spirit of President Ho Chi Minh.

2. Reunification Palace - The ultimate soshala place in town. My personal favorites are the banquet halls and movie theater.

Other tourists