Top 10 best places for a gourmet tour in Hoi An

Whether it's a dish made from rice or rice cake, noodles, a barbecue or a Vietnamese sandwich, we have created for you a list of 10 places that can’t be missed for a memorable experience  in Hoi An.

1. Com ga (chicken rice), Ba Buoi

This restaurant is run by the children of Mrs Buoi, a street vendor at the market in Hoi An which first appeared in the 1950s.

Like any other recipe, the dish is made with rice, shredded chicken and aromatic herbs. What distinguishes "com ga ba Buoi" from others is the choice of ingredients. Quality rice, chicken from the garden, and herbs brought back from the famous Tra Que village are the key to this culinary reputation.

2. Thanh Cao Lau (Cao Lau noodle)

No need to go to a chic restaurant for a good bowl of "Cao Lau" from Hoi An, a small shop in a corner in Thai Phien Street of Hoi An will fill you up fine with its delicate cuisine.

In a bowl of Cao Lau thick light yellow noodles and large slices of pork are blended with aromatic herbs.

According to the inhabitants of the old quarter, Cao Lau first made its appearance in the 17th century, at the time of the opening of Hoi An international commercial port. The dish is a refined blend of Chinese and Japanese influences while revealing an authentic taste of Hoi An.

Address:  Thanh Cao Lầu, 26 Thai Phien Street

3. Banh Bao, Banh Vac (ravioli stuffed with shrimp and pork), Hoa Hong Trang

Banh Bao and Banh Vac are two types of Vietnamese dumplings whose recipes and ingredients are largely similar and are often served on the same plate.

The Banh Vac is a bun stuffed with chopped shrimp, a little pepper, garlic, onion, lemongrass and probably some secret spices.

Banh Bao is made with minced pork, mushrooms, and onion leaf in a bun. Everything is sautéed with the same spices as Banh Vac. It is these particular spices that make Hoi An foods incomparable compared to dishes in other regions. Before savoring, you can appreciate the cooking steps taken with great care by the cook.

Address: Hoa Hong Trang Restaurant (White Rose), 533 Hai Ba Trung Street

4. Banh mi (sandwich), Madame Khanh

Banh mi of Hoi An (Vietnamese sandwich) is a specialty that continues to attract many tourists from all over the world. Before, at the top of the charts in Hoi An was Banh mi Phuong, it has been well appreciated by many foreign visitors.

In recent times, another booth that wins the title “best of Hoi An” is "Bánh mì Madame Khánh". Located a bit far from the old quarter. At first glance, Madame Khanh's restaurant is a modest kiosk. On the other hand, there are many compliments displayed by travelers of different nationalities who flock to her stall and call her The Banh mi Queen.

Address: Madame Khánh, 115 Tran Cao Van Street

5. Banh uot cuon thit nuong (grilled meat with rice cake), Hoai River

It is on both banks of the Hoai River that gourmets can discover this very popular Hoi An delicacy, Bánh ướt cuốn thịt nướng, which will delight both adults and children.

The dish consists of grilled meat, rice cake, and aromatic herbs. Wrap a hot barbecue skewer and herbs with a rice cake, and get ready to taste this delight, dipped in a tasty sauce. Once tried, it's hard to stop at the first skewer.

Addresses: street vendors or street food, on the banks of the Hoai River

6. Banh dap hen xao (corbicula with rice cake), Ba Gia

It is a combination of fire-baked rice cakes (banh trang nuong) and steamed rice cakes (banh trang uot) mixed with other ingredients. The "banh trang uot" is mixed with crushed green bean before being covered by two "banh trang nuong". Make sure that the cakes are well glued without crushing the crisp outsides.

Taste them with a plate of sautéed corbicula and enjoy it with nuoc mam sauce, to which you add a little sugar, dried onion, chopped pineapple, garlic and chili.

Address: Ba Gia hostel, Cam Nam commune, Hoi An

7. Banh Beo (steamed shrimp rice cakes), Hoang Van Thu et Dinh Tien Hoang

Served on a small plate, Banh Beo is another kind of steamed rice cake with a colorful filling, including prawn and pork, black pepper and green scallions. All are drizzled with a sweet and spicy sauce according to your taste.

Banh Beo is mainly made with quality rice, shrimp and pork. To serve, we have small plates of pancakes on the table and then add the filling with oil. Note that the Banh Beo Hoi An is eaten with the use of a bamboo cane, which distinguishes it well from other rice dishes in Hoi An and you can’t find this eating style anywhere else.

Addresses: Hoang Van Thu and Dinh Tien Hoang streets

8. Hoanh Thanh (won-ton) Van Loc

Originating in China, Hoanh Thanh has long been a specialty of Hoi An and known with three variations, either crispy or mellow: soup, fried and noodles. They often eat it in the late afternoon as a tasty snack.

Hoanh Thanh’s ingredients are mainly flour, eggs and shrimp. The mixture of flour and eggs, once fermented, is flattened and cut into small pieces to make the wrapper. The spicy shrimp are finely crushed and used as a garnish. A little broth is added to everything, that’s mixed with pineapple, tomatoes and mushrooms. A portion is served with some leafy greens.

Address: Van Loc Restaurant, 27 Tran Phu Street

9. Banh Xeo (pancake stuffed with shrimp and meat), Gieng Ba Le

Banh Xeo is a crispy little yellow pancake stuffed with pork, shrimp and soy that is wrapped in a rice cake to enjoy. Banh Xeo is served hot with a sweet and sour sauce, and aromatic herbs. It is a pleasure to experience especially when the weather is cool.

Address: Gieng Ba Le Restaurant (Bale Well), 45/51 Tran Hung Dao Street

10. Thit Xien Nuong (grilled meat skewer), Kazik park

This is a great find on the sidewalk of Hoi An where you can enjoy a delicious meat skewer, with only a modest price of 5.000 dong.

You can't find a way to eat the grilled meat like that elsewhere. The hot skewer is rolled by a rice cake steamed with cucumber and papaya. To taste, everything is soaked in a discreet sauce with exceptional flavor, a combination of sweet, acidic, greasy, spicy and bitter tastes.

Address: Suong booth, along Kazik Park, Tran Phu Street

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