The writer, Sophie Steiner, shared that she first visited Ho Chi Minh City in 2017 and returned three more times that year alone.
“The city reflects historical influences from China, Cambodia, France and the US, culminating in a distinctly southern-style Vietnamese cuisine that bridges bold flavors, ferments and fresh herbs,” she wrote.
Steiner noted that street food forms the backbone of Saigon, with carts feeding the ebb and flow of passersby like blood pumping to the beat of the city’s pulsating heart.
As evening turns into night, she added, city corners transform into impromptu eateries, with portable tables, plastic stools and motorbikes everywhere.
“I’ve done my fair share of devouring in this street-food mecca. There’s Bun Thit Nuong-Nguyen Trung Truc, a no-frills, 30-year-old stall known for heaping bowls of vermicelli topped with grilled pork, crisp egg rolls, pickles and a bouquet of herbs,” the travel writer revealed.
She also mentioned Bun Ca Xe Day, describing it as a late-night street vendor that ladles out steaming bowls of canh chua, a tangy soup flavored with pineapple, tamarind and tomato, topped with fried fish.
At Xiu Mai Chen Den Dau, Steiner noted, springy Vietnamese-style meatballs are served in a fragrant broth, accompanied by a crusty baguette for dipping.
“Regardless of how many times I visit, there’s always another miniature plastic chair flanking a buzzing back-alley pop-up waiting for me to take a seat,” she concluded.
Rounding out Steiner’s list of Asia’s top culinary cities were Bangkok, Thailand, and Chengdu, China.
