BOLT TOP 5: Vietnamese Eats

We came for a month’s stay and are here for 6. I came with negative opinions about Vietnamese food, gratefully they have changed.

I love the freshness of Vietnamese food. Everything is full of vegetables and herbs. Many dishes come with a side plate of fresh herbs and greens. Another thing I love is that most things are served with a variety of delicious sauces.

It’s a lazy Sunday so I thought I’d share my top 5 Vietnamese meals. All of these can be made vegan, vegatarian of with seafood, poultry, beef or pork. So here’s my countdown.

5. Morning Glory!

These savory greens, also called water spinach, remind me of home cooked collards. I serve them with beans and hot water cornbread.

4. Spring Rolls!

Whether fried or fresh you can’t go wrong with spring rolls. Whenever I don’t know what to order these are always my go to.

3. Op La!

There are many varieties of this egg sandwich. I like this deconstructed version served at Rom Coffee Cafe. The eggs are served sunny side up, topped with a delicious spicy sauce. You create your own sandwich on crusty French bread with lettuce and tomato.

2. Bahn Xeo!

You can get versions of this Vietnamese savory crepe all over Da Nang. My favorite is this vegetarian version filled with mushrooms served at The End of the Beach restaurant.

1. Bun Cha!

This is a delicious and unique Vietnamese noodle dish, said to be President Barak Obama’s favorite when he visited Vietnam. It’s traditionally made with pork meatballs but I love the vegan version (below) served at one of my favorite spots, Loving Vegan.

One of the great things about travel is trying new foods. Living life without set favorites and preferences allows me to explore and enjoy new things all the time. I hope you do too!