Ten Vietnamese foods everyone must try at least once (part 2)

Cha ca

Seafood dishes are among the most famous of Vietnamese cuisine. Reportedly devised in Hanoi, Cha ca may be the best known. It is white fish sautéed in butter with dill, spring onions, and served with rice noodles and a scatering of peanuts.

Cao lau

Cao lau is one of Hoi An’s most famous and tasty specialities. It is a mouthwatering bowlful of thick rice-flour noodles, pork-rind croutons, and bean sprouts in a light soup flavored with mint and star anise, topped with slices of pork and sprinkled with crispy rice paper or served with grilled rice-flour crackers.

Mi quang

If you want the truly original dish of Da Nang, this must be Mi quang. Mì means noodles and Quảng stands for Quang Nam province. To make it clear, Da Nang used to be a part of Quang Nam in the past (under the name Quang Nam – Da Nang province) before it was separated in 1997.

This unheralded and affordable noodle dish is a specialty of Quang Nam and Da Nang. It is made with various ingredients and is served in a simple bowl of meat noodles enlivened by additions such as shrimp, quail eggs, oils, fresh sprigs of leaves, peanuts, and mint.

There are many types of Mi quang, from the basic ones like pork and shrimp or chicken, to more special ingredients such as eel, snakehead fish, or jellyfish. A bowl of Mi quang consists of a rich layer of vegetables at the bottom, noodles, and topped with a fair amount of broth. Mi Quang broth is added just enough to barely soak the noodles and cannot go without the toppings of crushed roasted peanuts, herbs, lemons, rice crackers, and chilli.

Com tam

Com tam (broken rice) is a street-stand favorite in Viet Nam, especially in Ho Chi Minh City. It is commonly served with barbecued pork or beef and a fried egg.