Local Eating in Saigon

The local food scene is everywhere in Saigon. And in many cases, it's mobile.





Banh Mi
Prior to coming to Vietnam, I had two dishes in mind that I had to eat: Banh Mi and Pho. For the most part, banh mi (Vietnamese sandwiches in French baguettes) is sold in street carts. We passed by many carts during our trip. Before checking in at the airport, we even enjoyed one last banh mi. I love the crunch of the crispy, flaky bread and the contrasts of flavors and textures inside. Soo good!





Ta Banh Mi Thit
After researching for a banh mi restaurant, I came across this site. It's located next to the Ben Thanh market, and it was right across the street from our hotel. The store is designed mainly for take out, as there are no tables to dine in. We ordered one sandwich each and ate it at the local park. It was so delicious that we walked back to order another round.

Ca Phe Sua Da
Vietnamese Coffee with Milk and Ice. I love the rich and bold taste of Vietnamese coffee! I had at least one iced coffee each day.

Banh Mi Thit
The classic banh mi. Ham, Pork Roll, and Pate with Cilantro, Carrots, Radish, Chili Peppers, Mayonnaise and Fish Sauce.

Banh Mi Ca Sardine
Sardine Sandwich.



Wrap and Roll
This is a local Vietnamese chain that specializes in fresh rice noodle rolls.

Pork Roll
With basil and lettuce.



Pho 2000
We had plenty of choices for where to eat a bowl of pho (Vietnamese noodle soup). Pho 24 is like McDonald's/Starbucks - it's in every block. (Speaking of McDonald's and Starbucks - we didn't see a single one! Well done, Vietnam! Keep your own food cultures and standards for taste and health.) We opted for Pho 2000 because it was not a chain like Pho 24.

Clinton Was Here
Bill and Chelsea helped bring The Slanted Door to fame. I'm a huge fan of that place, so that made me think this pho place was going to be pretty good.

Coconut Juice

Beef Pho
A thicker noodle than what I'm used to, but overall the broth was flavorful and the bowl was satisfying.

Garnishes
Fresh vegetables to add to our soup. I love how the aromas and the fresh taste adds so much depth to the dish.

Grilled Pork Chop over Rice
We're big eaters, so we ordered this plate to share.

Cho Ben Thanh

One of the must-see places in Saigon is the Ben Thanh Market, or the Cho Ben Thanh ("cho" meaning "market"). During the day time, the indoor market is filled with vendors selling everyday items like clothes, souvenirs, and food. At night, the indoor market closes, and the night market on the side streets open up with food stalls, tons of food stalls.

The Clock Tower
The main entrance and clock tower of the Cho Ben Thanh.

Inside the Market
We went on a weekday before the lunch time, and it was already this crowded.














The Night Market
This is a popular place to eat for locals and tourists.



Hai Lua
We chose to eat at this place in the night market because we saw a table that had a beautifully presented deep fried fish. I felt like Anthony Bourdain eating here (He actually did eat in one of these food stalls). TV Producers - My food traveling resume is developing. I'm ready for my own food show!
All the food stalls in this night market were similarly "decorated" with plastic chairs. Actually, all throughout the country, the local food stalls all have plastic chairs.

Bia Ba Ba Ba
Beer 333. I read about this beer in a New York Times article prior to this trip. It wrote about Vietnam's developing beer scene, and it mentioned this beer. It's a light local brew that is refreshing with the hot weather. It also pairs pretty well with Vietnamese food. Because of the heat, the beer gets warm so fast. When it gets warm, a bitter taste develops. In southeast Asia, I noticed that some local places give ice with beer. For me, this was a huuge no-no, especially growing up in Northern California where some fantastic brews are made. However, I gave it a shot. And, I have to admit that with some southeast Asian lagers, ice can be added. It mellows the bitterness and brings out the malt flavor.

Grilled Pork with Rice Noodles
A fun appetizer! The pork was nicely grilled, and the rice noodles were different from what I expected. Instead of long noodles, they were like thin, netted, sponges. Delicious!

Deep Fried Snapper
Look at that presentation! We ate the whole thing - from head to tail, and all the bones.

Fresh Greens and Rice Noodles
Along with the fish came this plate to balance the dish. After going to Thailand, I now love mixing hot foods with fresh vegetables. It's a delicious balance for health and for texture and taste.


Sticky Rice
For dessert, we stopped by a sticky rice vendor. She gave a small scoop of each color/flavor and then poured some sweet coconut milk on top. A tasty and fun ending for our first night's meal.

Ho Chi Minh City!

Following my one week in Hong Kong, my best friend and I flew to Vietnam for a 5 day, 5 night adventure. We decided on Vietnam because we both wanted an Asian experience that took each of us away from our comfort zones, as we both have no knowledge of the language. We originally wanted to go to Hanoi, but flights were all booked up. So we chose to check out Vietnam's other major city, Ho Chi Minh City, also known as Saigon. We booked our hotel for 3 nights, then left our plan open for the last days of the trip for a spontaneous adventure.

Saigon was incredible! The downside of the city is definitely the traffic with the scooters and cars, mainly the scooters. They are everywhere! And, they contribute too much to the pollution. We would come back to our hotel every night eagerly wanting to shower off the black layer of soot on our skin. Apart from that, the city is filled with history and culture. We stayed next to the Ben Thanh Market at the Lavender Hotel, a nice little clean hotel. We didn't need a taxi at all, we just walked to all of our destinations (which also meant we were constantly sweating every time we stepped outside).

Here is a slideshow of pictures taken in Ho Chi Minh City:


One of the reasons I came here to Asia was to be challenged in communicating with others. I felt that in the states I got too comfortable and too isolated. Everything is more or less the same. It's easier to figure out a way to communicate to people and get what you want there. Here in Asia, I'm challenged with different cultures and different languages. During our stay in Vietnam, I definitely felt challenged and pushed to find ways to communicate to the locals - whether by changing my wording, pointing, or whatever else came to mind at that time.

A Day in Macau

Following my trip to Thailand, my parents and I flew straight to Hong Kong for a weekend of more eating and touring. We took a day trip to Macau. It was my first time to visit. Honestly, it's a nice experience to see all the famous sites and to see the development of all the casinos, but I don't see myself going back there too soon. The tour and the city wasn't as exciting as I had expected.

Here is a slideshow of the pictures I took during the tour:


The Ferry Ride
To get to Macau we took a ferry from Hong Kong Island to Macau. We bought tickets to sit on the upper deck, where a drink and snack is included with the price.

The "Bar"
The area where they prepared the snacks

Cookies

Beer
I was surprised that I got a PBR! A fun throwback drink canned in China.


Local Food Shops
On the streets below the Ruins of St. Paul are many food vendors and tourists shops.



Lord Stow's Bakery
If you do go to Macau, you have to go to Lord Stow's Bakery. The store is not extravagant at all. It's just a small local shop. The Egg Tarts are delicious! Crispy, flaky crusts, with a smooth and creamy egg custard.







Blue Frog
Before leaving Macau, we stopped by the Venetian Hotel to fulfill our burger cravings. The Venetian Hotel in Macau is at least three times larger than the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas. I'm not that much of a gambler, so I didn't find Macau's casinos as exciting as Las Vegas. Macau's casinos focus more on the gambling than anything else. The food scene is growing, but I'd rather go to a city like Singapore where the food scene is more dominant and lively.
The interior at Blue Frog was impressive! High ceilings, a nice open kitchen display, and a fantastic wine wall.





The Beer Pairing
Macau Beer. A decent, light, drinkable blonde ale.

The Blue Frog
The standard burger with cheddar cheese. It was a decent burger. It fulfilled my craving, but it didn't meet my expectations of the taste of the meat. And, the fries weren't well-fried.

The Blue Cheese
With blue cheese sauce. The blue cheese taste wasn't as strong as fresh blue cheese.