Last summer’s trip to Vietnam was nothing short of wonderful. Our two-week stay in the country began and ended in Saigon, with a six-day side trip to Quy Nhon in between. We’ve been meaning to return to Vietnam for the past 14 years, but it took Cousin Jimmy’s wedding to finally make it happen. Coincidentally, it was also the 50th anniversary of when my family left Vietnam following the war. The timing and occasion seemed poetic in some way.
Whether traveling domestically or internationally, I usually arrive with an ambitious spreadsheet of restaurants or specific dishes that I need to try. For Vietnam, I had two reservations at Michelin-starred spots, a short list of old haunts to revisit, and a few family commitments to attend. Otherwise, our calendar was free to wander and eat whatever looked good.
Following our nose and good sense did not lead us astray once. Here’s a rundown of the best dishes we ate in Saigon:
As much as Vietnam has advanced on all fronts, I love that the most efficient way to obtain the local currency remains exchanging crisp Benjamins at a local jewelry store. While in the heart of District 1 to change our dollars into dong, we stepped into a random noodle shop for a bite to eat; see IG stories for the geotag of all the locations mentioned in this post.
Even though we were smack dab in tourist central, the crowded dining room and bustling operation signaled that these porky noodles were going to be solid. The Astronomer and I shared a bowl with kidneys, livers, wide rice noodles, and broth served on the side, while June’s bowl had thin egg noodles, ground and sliced pork, and no green flecks in sight. Both bowls hit the spot.
Our trip didn’t include any time in Hanoi, but that didn’t stop me from drinking as many egg coffees as possible. My favorite of the trip was at Cà Phê Trứng 3T — the texture and flavors were pure lusciousness, and the complimentary iced tea and biscuits served alongside were lovely accompaniments.
Beyond Michelin’s starred restaurants like Ciel and An An, I was curious about how their more casual recommendations stacked up. I had no complaints about Pho Viet Nam except that tripe was not offered, which is a travesty. Otherwise the clear, flavorful broth and hand-cut noodles were great.
Everyone in our family loves ginger tofu, so we were on the lookout for it in the afternoons when the vendors usually offer the dessert. We encountered some on our first afternoon in Saigon and savored it on a teeny red plastic stool while watching traffic whiz by.
We filled up at the hotel breakfast buffet every morning, but made some gastro real estate for sticky rice when we encountered a vendor one A.M. The warm sticky rice came topped with all manner of proteins: egg ribbons, shredded chicken, pork floss, and cha lua — with soy sauce and fried shallots to finish.
I didn’t grow up eating grilled baby bananas wrapped in sticky rice, but discovered it during my expat days.
To serve, the bananas and sticky rice were snipped into bite-sized pieces and ladled with tapioca-studded coconut milk. A lovely afternoon pick-me-up on Ly Chinh Thang street in District 3.
One of the best parts of the trip was having my cousins in Saigon at the same time due to the wedding. It was great introducing them to my favorite fried chicken joint: Su Su. Since my last visit in 2011, the shop has moved from District 3 to the “backpacker neighborhood” in District 1.
The hot grease contraption that rains down on the chicken is still doing its thing, and the results are as excellent as ever.
A complete meal with fried chicken, tomato-tinged rice, and fresh coriander, tomatoes, and cucumber. The savory sauce served on the side and in giant squeeze bottles at every table remains elite.
Another beloved joint that we revisited was the crab shack, Quan 94. It’s now Michelin-recognized.
We ordered all the hits, including glass noodles with crab…
…crab-filled cha gio…
…and best of all, deep-fried soft shell crabs with tamarind sauce. This spot is on the pricier side compared to other casual spots, but remains a good value for the quality and memories.
And yet another old-school spot that we hit up was my favorite bun rieu and snail vendor: Thanh Hai in District 3.
Everything tasted just as we remembered, from the bun rieu to the sauteed snails with green bananas and the stuffed snails. The ginger fish sauce served alongside the snail dishes brought brightness and balance.
Saigon classic Banh Xeo 46A was a great venue for hosting a very large party even though the food wasn’t exceptional. Also, after experiencing the heights of Quy Nhon-style banh xeo, the floppier Saigon counterparts just didn’t hit.
What a treat dining in Saigon with my Viet kieu crew.
Our travels coincided with mangosteen season, and we polished off as many as we could handle. There’s really nothing like the tart, sweet, and fragrant taste of mangosteen in the world.
After spending the morning hanging out at a cat cafe, a dream of June’s, the smell of grilled pork chops beckoned me down a narrow alleyway.
We shared two pork chop plates with an added fried egg and mam chung (fermented pork meatloaf) for good measure. Simple bowls of canh were served alongside. This is the kind of filling and delicious street food that I dream about when I’m not in Vietnam.
Post-lunch che is one of my favorite Saigon street food traditions. Bumping into this lovely lady and enjoying some warm che troi nuoc on the sidewalk was tops.
My great uncle Hien, who lives in Washington state but was in Saigon for my cousin’s wedding, introduced me to his favorite hu tieu muc (squid noodles) joint. In addition to everyone ordering their own noodle bowls, he insisted on an additional portion of squid for the table — I like his style. The restaurant’s excellent house-made muối ớt chanh sauce lives rent-free in my mind.
The Astronomer with family from my maternal grandmother’s side.
The roving fresh fruit vendor never failed to deliver refreshment. The dipping salt with chilis and fermented shrimp paste paired beautifully with the snappy mangoes and ripe pineapples.
One of the highlights of our time in Saigon was venturing to District 4 for dinner; we called the island home for a year as expats. It was a bit challenging getting our bearings after so many years away, but once we found Ton That Thuyet Street, it was smooth sailing.
An excellent plate of broken rice with three kinds of pork and a fried egg.
June enjoyed a bowl of wonton soup. The portion of wontons was generous.
I was afraid that my favorite ice cream shop, Cong Truong at Turtle Pond, had closed for good, but fortunately, it was still open for business. (It’s been around since 1974.) I ordered my usual coconut ice cream served in a fresh coconut, which came with a cool cup of coconut water on the side.
Viet kieus at the ice cream shop.
And finally, a round of very well made cocktails at Firkin Bar with cousins Jessica and Danny. The perfect ending to the perfect trip. Cheers!