Food: Saigon Edition

Currently Listening To: Marry Me by Train

Of all the Asian cities that I've visited - Saigon Vietnam will forever remain a favourite :) Not because I've learned so much about my self from experiences but because I love the street food and some restaurants from there. 

Food tripping is how I call it, I think in almost all my travels I try to taste something that's entirely spiced and prepared the traditional way but of course we all must take precautionary measures to avoid getting sick or poisoned at some impulse instances. 

Here are a few photos of the foods I've tasted during my recent trip to the city where I fell in and out of love - Ho Chi Minh (Saigon) Viet Nam :)

THAI EXPRESS: now this is entirely not a vietnamese diner but that of the traditional Thai spices but there are food like their Chicken Curry which was prepared the way vietnamese would. I wanted to taste all the food on the menu but heck I was the only one eating thus - I went for the food that I craved for that day. This is my third time to dine in this resto and I must say the taste of the food are good - I mean when they placed the "chilli" icon on the menu - they really mean it. Not so expensive and it's a good experience to try out thai cooking in another city which is not Thailand. Price ranged from 40,000vnd to 200,000vnd. Their Thai Red Iced Tea is a must and this shrimp toast is a personal favourite. They also offer salads for the health conscious and other thai cuisines that will suit anyone's cravings. They have a handful of locations but I'd say choose the one at the lower ground floor of Vincom Center District 1 because it's just inside the mall :) Open from 10a - 9p.

THE SUSHI BAR: another favourite because I love their Bento meals - I always chose to have the salmon instead of the other fish that it on the menu because their salmon is cooked in a really enticing way and their Bento is jam packed already, you'll surely leave with bloated stomach :D Sushi is also great and their sashimi too but didn't get a chance to try the sashimi set (i'm not a fan of raw meat). Anyhow, they also offer tons and tons of choices for sushi and sashimi and bento boxes and other noodle related meals. Price ranged from 35,000vnd to 230,000vnd and they also offer different kinds of beers - liquors :) Open from 10a - 2a and they also offer delivery services :)

BURGER KING: who would missed this place??? it's located on both floors right at the exit - entrance area at the Airport :D and if you get lucky - they offer buy one take one meals during night time. :D Price ranged from 40,000vnd to 120,000vnd. Open from 9a - 12mn. This joint is wholesomely for those who craves for something American and ready to go meals :D

PHO24: if you're visiting Saigon for the first time, surely you wouldn't miss this place all over the city and in almost all district. It's open 24 hours 7 days a week and yes! they serve the authentic Vietnamese famous PHO noodles which I will never grow tired of eating :D They have set meals which cost around 70,000vnd with drinks and some additional dish. They also have rice meals and sizes for your noodle consumption :) The Vegetable wrapped is a personal favourite since I don't eat pork :D Vietnamese, just like Filipinos - loves pork :D

RIO CAFE: this is the place where I was first brought when I first stepped foot in Saigon and I must admit, I am a fan of their rice meals specially the chicken set. Vietnamese has this way of cooking their chicken that just makes me want to eat an entire - yes! chicken. Rio cafe is like a chill out hub where you can meet with friends and do corporate meetings and have coffees - do the internet surfing stuff and relax. Price ranged 40,000vnd to 120,000vnd. 

STREET PHO near Ben Thanh Market is pricelessly good and cheap :) 20,000vnd for a bowl :D

"TAHO" as fondly called in the Philippines. This is the Vietnamese counterpart - it's very simple but tastes really good. 5,000vnd :)

MI XAO BU! Another street food favourite which is the Philippines Pancit canton counterpart but this one is prepared different - they used regular instant noodles then topped it with meat and veggies which are to die for. And it's not expensive. This one is priced at 20,000vnd on the street of Bui Vien :D

Now this one is an interesting soup which I forgot to asked the name but it had a lot of weird stuff meat in it but it taste really great and it's SPICY :D 10,000vnd for a bowl :)

Another great tasting soup - more like bird's nest back here at home but this one is crazy good - if I had rice when I had it - my life would be in cloud nine :D This one's at district 5 near a friend's house. And it cost 10,000vd for a bowl. In it are quail eggs and century eggs :D

On the street near Park Hyatt hotel - who doesn't know or should I say - there isn't a tourist in Saigon who would missed this for their life - Ca Phe Sua Da! Trust me! It's better than Starbucks - Coffee Bean and all other world wide known coffee shops. There's just something about the way they prepare it - too sticky and they aren't shy to give you their spoonful of coffee in every glass. And yes! this is readily available everywhere. On the side streets - parks - just almost everywhere. Prices ranged though - depending on which you're getting it. A MUST :D

BANANAQUE, Vietnamese style. While waiting for my bus ride - this caught my eyes because it was prepared entirely different from what I was used to - the coating that is but it's the same taste as the ones sold here :) 5,000vnd for one, not bad I should say and it's really good :)

Had this a day after my birthday... it's regular bread with tons of stuff in it :D 15,000vnd for one and it has every thing - choices for meat are ham - sardines and egg. of course I opted for eggs then all those veggies - cucumber - coriander - carrots and white squash and some chilli and it's freaking mouth watering :D And I tried this noodle thingy which was also good :D This is authentic street food 'cos they just had a small stall near the hotel I stayed - just outside the street :D

HUMONGOUS Chicken meal from a resto in Bui Vien! And like I've said earlier, the way they prepared their chicken in Saigon is crazy yummy :D This one cost around 80,000vnd.

Another Tapioca treat but this one came with Sagos and was served warm :)

OK OK OK! I suddenly felt tired and hungry writing about the foods I've tasted back there :D I've tried other stuff from the streets but I don't have photos of them. I have this favourite huge cracker favourite which goes good with beer - its has black sesame and it's a big round cracker. Ahhh :D 

I love eating and it doesn't matter where - who cooked it - how it was cooked as long as it smells and taste good - I'm up for the treat. There's this particular memorable favourite of a chicken meal set which was really cheap and was really good tasting somewhere in District 3. It was what I had on my birthday and it was also amazingly prepared - home styled cooked and the rice is just nuts yummy.

I'm not really a great fond of the Vietnamese way of cooking - I don't think I'd be able to prepare a dish from their country - all I know is that I like dining and pigging out from their street food choices and it's also because I was with great company when I had them - apart from the ones where I ate alone. 

There are other dishes that I hope to try if I get a chance to visit Saigon in a few years time. So 'til next good tripping. Missing you Saigon :)