Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam丨Avoid tourists and go to 5 small shops loved by

A casual French-style building and a cup of rich Vietnamese coffee make this small Southeast Asian city have the simplicity and romance of a French city. The city's food also coexists with modernity and primitiveness - there are high-end restaurants located in French villas, as well as noisy and crowded street stalls for civilians. Until now, many people are still more accustomed and prefer to call "Ho Chi Minh" "Saigon", her original name.


▲Vietnam’s tricycle was invented by French colonists at that time


▲Ao Dai is the national dress of Vietnam. It is said to have originated from the Chinese cheongsam.

Tips:

Saigon is the name of the capital of South Vietnam before unification. The current capital of Vietnam is Hanoi. After the reunification of Vietnam, this most French-style area on the west bank of the Saigon River, together with several other districts such as the nearby embankment, became a city - Ho Chi Minh City (HoChiMinh City). However, Saigon has been retained as the name of this area. Whether locals or tourists, they rarely mention Ho Chi Minh City. More often, what they say is "SAIGON".

If Ho Chi Minh is your first stop in Vietnam, then these Saigon delicacies can lead you to gradually become familiar with the taste of Vietnam. Vietnam’s iconic local food can be found on almost every street in Saigon.



No. 1 Banh Mi Hoa Ma

A restaurant with only two courses
Recommend Banh Mi Kep Thit, Banh Mi Op La



Banh Mi (Vietnamese French bread) is a street snack that can be seen everywhere in Vietnam. It means to the Vietnamese what soy milk fritters and pancakes are to us.


▲Banh Mi Kep Thit

This is one of the most popular "Banh Mi" shops in Ho Chi Minh City. It is a very simple roadside stall, but many locals only come here to eat. Since the business is often full, the shop owner has set up some tables on the roadside. chair.It closes at 10am! It closes at 10am! It closes at 10am!


▲Sitting on the roadside and eating breakfast

Banh Mi Kep Thit (VND 30k) has simple ingredients but is a rich breakfast.

The freshly baked French baguette, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, is buttered and stuffed with pork, chicken and ham, as well as pickles, green onions and peppers to choose from. Bite into it with the store's secret sauce, and the texture is endless.



Another way to eat banh mi is Banh Mi Op La (VND 50k), which is probably most closely translated as "bread and fried eggs." There are slices of ham, fish cakes and caramelized onions in the skillet, served with hot bread.


▲Banh Mi Op La



Why not order a cup of Vietnamese coffee to start your wonderful day in Ho Chi Minh City?


▲Vietnamese coffee

Address: 53 Cao Thang, District 3, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
Price: VND60k/bit
Business hours: Monday to Sunday 05:00 - 10:00

No. 2 BÁNH XÈO 46A

Large Vietnamese pizza shop
Recommend Banh Xeo, Goi Cuon, Heo Nuong Vi





▲Banh Xeo(VND 80k)

When eating pancakes, you can wrap some shrimp, pork belly and bean sprouts in mint leaves and roll them up, then dip them in fish sauce before eating. The chewy texture is similar to Korean pancakes, but thinner and more refreshing when paired with bean sprouts. Although they specialize in Banh Xeo (pancakes), the shop also offers other Vietnamese dishes such as rice noodles, seafood, and grilled meats.


▲Goi Cuon (Fresh Summer Roll) (VND 75k for 5pcs)

Vietnam’s iconic snack, spring rolls (there are two types: fresh rice rolls and fried spring rolls), must be paired with fish sauce~


▲Heo Nuong Vi (VND 100k)

Their Heo Nuong Vi (Charcoal Grilled Pork Neck) whetted my appetite, marinated in soy sauce and garlic and then grilled over charcoal fire to add a smoky aroma. According to local custom, the grilled meat is wrapped in rice paper and a piece of vegetable and eaten, which is somewhat similar to the Korean barbecue we eat~




Address: 46A Dinh Cong Trang, District 1, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
Price: VND 100k/person
Business hours: Monday to Sunday 10:00 - 14:00 16:00 - 21:00

No. 3 Phở Phú Vương

A Vietnamese pho restaurant with 200 seats and no English menu
Recommended various types of beef Pho


▲Pho (VND 55k for small bowl, VND 60k for large bowl, VND 75k for special edition)

Among all Vietnamese dishes, Pho is the most representative dish in Vietnamese cuisine. The question is: In a land of hundreds of Pho restaurants, where can you get a mouth-watering bowl of Pho? Sometimes the answer may be close at hand.



The Phở Phú Vương store is almost as big as two stores, with a total of 200 seats. It is a super large Vietnamese noodle shop. This shop is more of a southern-style Pho. The difference from the northern Pho is that its sweetness comes from the sweetness of the broth.




Tips:

You can choose your Pho with a range of cuts of beef; there's no English menu here, so here's a Pho dictionary for easy ordering:

Tái = steak
Nạm = sliced beef
Gầu = beef brisket Gân = beef tendon
Sách = tripe
Thịt Nhừ = minced beef Đuôi bò = ox tail



The special feature of Saigon Pho is that after ordering the Pho you want, a plate of "grass" will be served. This plate usually contains wedges, Thai basil, bean sprouts and other assorted herbs, a few side dishes found only in southern Vietnam. The Pho soup is clear and the beef tendon is elastic. When vanilla and bean sprouts are added, the overall taste blends into one, greatly satisfying your taste buds.



Address: Branch 1: 120 Nguyen Thai Binh Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
Price: VND 60k/person
Business hours: Monday to Sunday 06:00 - 14:00 16:00 - 24:00
Phone: +84 93 195 96 96

No. 4 Secret House by Secret Garden

Enjoy authentic Vietnamese cuisine in a cozy country setting
Recommended Grilled Chicken with Herbs,Canh Chua Ca



Secret Garden received a lot of attention from gourmets a few months before it opened, and has received a lot of praise and love since its opening. The main charm of Secret House is its rustic décor, where an inner courtyard has been cleverly and creatively transformed into a herb garden. Dark wood furniture and vintage cutlery also add a rustic charm to the dining experience



Appetizer - fried glutinous rice, mixed with shrimp, mushrooms and minced meat, fried and dipped in spicy sauce.


▲Guava Salad with Dried Baby Shrimp, fried glutinous rice (VND 85k)


▲Fried Baby Squid with Fish Sauce, Fried Baby Squid with Fish Sauce (VND 85k)


▲Grilled Chicken with Herbs, grilled chicken with herbs (VND 85k)

Pair it with Vietnamese sweet and sour fish soup, which has pineapple, tomato, okra, bean sprouts, fish and tamarind. An almost perfect blend of sweet, sour and spicy. Locals will take the fish out of the soup, put it on a separate plate, and dip it in fish sauce so that the flavor of the fish can be absorbed.


▲Canh Chua Ca, Vietnamese sweet and sour fish (VND 85k)



▲Coffee and Coconut Smoothie, coffee and coconut milk shake

Address: 55/2 Le Thi Hong Gam Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
Price: VND 150k/person
Open four times: Monday to Sunday 07:00 - 22:00
Phone: +84 91 187 70 08

No. 5 Nấp Saigon

Drinking coffee at someone else's house
Recommend Egg Coffee,Egg Swiss Roll




Is there an Airbnb in Ho Chi Minh City?” “Of course, it’s just an Airbnb where you can eat. "Nấp has a hidden meaning in English. There is a Cafe Shop downstairs, and many people don't know that you can live upstairs. There is no menu in this shop, so you can only communicate face to face with the front desk, but their English is very good , there is no barrier to communication.



The seating area inside is very limited: one communal table, 2 smaller tables, and a small garden with benches in the backyard. The decoration style is very fresh.



This cup of egg coffee, which is only available in Vietnam, sounds a bit strange, but it is endlessly memorable. Instead of the familiar latte with milk foam, Vietnamese black coffee is topped with thick, hand-beaten egg white.


▲Egg Coffee, egg coffee (VND 60k)


▲Egg Chocolate, egg chocolate (VND 60k)

While Vietnamese black coffee is quite strong, paired with the egg white it adds an interesting texture, similar to a thicker cheese drink. The cake that goes with the coffee is an egg Swiss roll made with salted eggs and meat floss. There is an unexpected perfect balance between the savory cake and the sweetness of the egg coffee.


▲Egg Swiss roll with Salted Egg and Pork Floss, salted egg pork shreds egg roll (VND 50k)

Address: 3/5 Nguyễn Văn Thủ, Ward Dakao, District 1, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
Price: VND 100k/person
Business hours: Monday to Sunday 09:00 - 21:00

Saigon once had its glorious history. During the colonial period, it was the most prosperous city in Southeast Asia and was known as the "Little Paris of the East." Wandering on the streets, the romantic feelings of France are everywhere. Today, although Saigon has faded from its former glory, the perfect fusion of European culture and Southeast Asian characteristics still fascinates everyone who comes here. It is for this reason that "Saigon" Ho Chi Minh becomes the name of everyone who comes to Vietnam. A must visit place for travelers.