Incredibly rich, varied, tasty and aromatic, Vietnamese cuisine is truly a sensory journey on its own during your trip to Vietnam. And since it would take you several trips and maybe several lifetimes to appreciate the full breadth of Vietnam's culinary heritage, here are the top 10 dishes you should not miss when you come to make your trip to Vietnam a gourmet getaway.

Pho noodle soup

A traditional Vietnamese dish, Pho is the soup that is eaten on every street corner in Hanoi particularly but also all over the country. This classic of Vietnamese cuisine consists of a broth flavoured with spices and herbs of incomparable taste to which is added rice noodles, strips of beef or chicken, bean sprouts, leaves of Thai basil, cilantro and Asian chives. An excellent Vietnamese national dish!

Banh my

The Vietnamese star sandwich which is now internationally renowned. A baguette made from rice flour and wheat, a heritage from the French colonial period, garnished with pate, pork or egg and served with sweet and sour raw vegetables, coriander and chilli. This sandwich brings together all the much appreciated qualities of Vietnamese cuisine.

         >> Read more: Top 5 best places to enjoy a banh mi, the Vietnamese sandwich

Hot pot

A typical dish from North Vietnam, Vietnamese lau or hot pot is very popular with Vietnamese in winter for its warming power and also because it is a very convivial dish. The diners sit around a small pot containing a simmering broth with multiple flavours in which we cook meat, seafood or pieces of frog, vegetables, mushrooms and vermicelli. For more flavour, we also add a multitude of aromatic herbs.

Bun cha

You cannot miss this speciality of Hanoi. Even Obama, when visiting Hanoi, couldn't resist this typical dish of grilled pork rice vermicelli bathed in a sauce made with "nuoc mam" and pieces of green papaya. Everything is accompanied by salad and fresh herbs and sometimes spring rolls for the greediest. It’s a real delight that you must absolutely taste when visiting the capital of Vietnam.

         >> Read more: Bun cha Vietnam won the heart of the whole world

Cha ca

In this Hanoi speciality, fish is the focus. The Cha ca consists of fish fillets with flavourful flesh cut into bite-size pieces, marinated in Indian saffron powder and finally fried over a charcoal grill. While cooking, add basil, cilantro, dill and baby onions. We then taste the preparation with cold rice vermicelli and roasted peanuts.

Bun thit nuong

A dish as simple as it is good, Bun thit nuong is a very popular Vietnamese dish, consisting of cold rice noodles topped with grilled pork, fresh herbs like basil and mint, fresh salad and chunks of spring roll or nem, carrot, cucumber marinated in a sweet and sour sauce. The dish is dressed in fish and peanut sauce. A balanced, refreshing and complete dish as beautiful to look at as it is to taste.

Banh xeo

A delicious pancake made from rice flour and turmeric garnished with sliced or minced pork, shrimp and bean sprouts. We eat the pancake folded in half with salad leaves and aromatic herbs and dip each bite in a sauce made with "nuoc mam", the famous Vietnamese fish sauce. “Banh xeo” is a gastronomic speciality from Hue and the Mekong Delta.

Cao lau

Cao lau is a typical dish from Hoi An city, located in central Vietnam. Several centuries old, this traditional dish was born from the culinary influence of the different communities that have lived in Hoi An (French, Chinese, Japanese, etc...). The traditional Hoi An version of Cao Lau calls for yellow pasta, shrimp, lean hash browns, some freshly cut aromatic herbs, rice cakes, and a sweet and sour sauce to drizzle it all over.

Bun bo Hue

This is the iconic soup of Hue, the former imperial city. A savoury, rich, spicy soup made from rice pasta topped with thin slices of beef shank, pieces of oxtail, and pig's trotters. This mixture is decorated with coriander, finely chopped spring onions, chopped raw onions and banana blossom.

         >> Read more: The Little Miracle of the Bun Bo Hue Recipe

Thit kho tau

Caramel pork is one of the most popular dishes in Vietnam and is also one of those served for the Vietnamese New Year, Tet. This family dish with a beautiful colour and a good sweet and salty taste is eaten with rice. Each bite is a concentrate of simmered flavours so that the meat is tender and juicy.

If all of these dishes have made your mouth water, take advantage of your trip to Vietnam to participate in a cooking class to discover the extraordinary richness of Vietnamese cuisine and unlock some of its secrets.

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