Travelling for me is usually centred around food, especially when it involves trying new and delicious dishes I wouldn’t get the chance to eat in the UK. I found the food in Vietnam got better as I travelled further south, though Northern Vietnamese cuisine is just as delicious. My favourite part of the trip so far was the opportunity to try foods in places other than the usual restaurants recommended to me by TripAdvisor.
Ben Nghe Street Food Market
Hardened backpackers will tell you that this food market is not authentic street food and was in fact made for tourists. However, in my eyes, it doesn’t matter as long as it is clean and the food is delicious. There are around 30 food vendors in this covered area, ranging from traditional Vietnamese to Mexican dishes. Everything comes together nicely filling the market with a laid back ambience with something for everyone. Providing a great space for locals, expats and tourists to come together and relax. The décor is very instagrammable, I loved all of the paintings along the back wall depicted Vietnamese scenes in a modern way. My favourite part was the jellyfish lights which changed colour and highlighted different parts of the walls, lanterns also lit up the paths between the food stalls. The fish were beautiful but I am not sure if they were a small addition in celebration of the Mid-Autumn Festival which was taking place during my visit.
I had so much fun wandering around the food stalls (except the duck stall) and I found it really hard to choose what to have for lunch. After walking between the Punjab (northern Indian) stall, Thai Kitchen and a couple of the Vietnamese stalls, I finally decided to eat food from Viet House. I found it really easy to find vegetarian/vegan options in this area, though if you are strict vegetarian stick with the Indian food as it is authentic. I had a mixed vegetable and rice dish, whilst my photographer opted for stir fried vegetables with noodles; both were perfectly seasoned with a small hint of spice and salt from the soy sauce (both dishes were equally delicious).
Mr Rau was my next stop for an iced coconut coffee, a really delicious way to end my lunch. I have turned into an ice coffee addict, it’s the perfect way to cool off in the humid weather. I’m not sure if Mr Rau is a franchise but I really enjoyed the coffee, the cheap prices were an absolute bonus. My lunch cost £4.50 (VND140,270) and was worth every penny. This food market is a great place to stop if you are exploring the area around the Independence Palace and Notre Dame as they are both within walking distance.
Paragon Saigon Restaurant
I tried a late dinner in my hotel as I didn’t have the energy to go out to eat. The food was nice, but I feel like it is a little overpriced for what I got. The hotel has a huge menu with a section that has a number of vegetarian options. As I was unable to decide what to eat, my photographer and I decided to go for three dishes. Two were delicious, the third should have came with a health warning. The Thai Green Curry should come with a fire extinguisher as it is extremely spicy. I really enjoyed the mushroom and tofu dish because it was similar to a Vietnamese curry. The noodle dish was both delicious and absolutely huge, I am pleased I shared it because I couldn’t have eaten the dish myself.
Ben Nay Restaurant
My Vietnamese guide brought me to this small restaurant after visiting Cu Chi Tunnels because the drive back to the city centre would take a couple of hours. I didn’t expect much from this restaurant because it felt like I was sitting in a gazebo on the riverside in someone’s garden. Following the emotional rollercoaster of the morning, it was lovely to sit and look out over the countryside, it felt like a million miles from Saigon.
I will admit I was apprehensive about being vegetarian in a restaurant like this but the food was delicious. At one point I had 4 dishes of food surrounding me; including a pile of spring rolls and you guessed it … more tofu. The fried rice, mixed vegetables, spring rolls and spicy tofu filled me up. A few of the non-vegetarian humans even wanted to try some of the dishes. The only thing I found strange was the addition of French fries but I was happy to dip them in the tofu sauce.
Pizza 4 P’s
After a hard day exploring, my photographer and I chose to go to Japan Town for Japanese food. However as it was a weekend it was very busy. I managed to find a table in Pizza 4 P’s, a Japanese owned Italian restaurant. This is a franchise and there are several locations throughout Vietnam, Cambodia and Japan.
I had a caprese salad with house-made mozzarella which was refreshing and a welcome sight after not eating cheese for nearly two weeks. The woodfire pizza was really well cooked and similar to ones found in Europe. I enjoyed the eggplant added as a topping, something I have never had before.
Thế Giới Cà Phê Trung Nguyên Legend
My Vietnamese guide recommended this coffee shop and it was well worth struggling to find. I say struggled to find when it is just a short way further along the road from the Opera House. The coffee is slightly more expensive but it is worth the money in my eyes. I tried a coconut coffee after much deliberation and watching what the humans were drinking. The coffee arrived on a tray and I can only describe it as an experience rather than a quick drink.
I really enjoyed pouring the shot of expresso over the coconut ice cream and watching it melt together. The addition of traditional Vietnamese sweets on the side made the coffee even more instagrammable, and almost to pretty to drink. The café I visited was decorated black and white, the perfect backdrop to spend a couple of hours escaping the rain and watching the world go by.
The Cafe Apartments
The building which houses the Café Apartments is worth visiting just to experience it without going into a café. My favourite time to visit was after dark as the neon signs really brought the soviet building to life. Strangely the building charges $0.12 to use the elevator but it is refunded if you buy a drink from one of the establishments. I noticed everything from Arabica to some really unique bars.
Sadly, the building is under scrutiny by the government and may not be around much longer, so it is worth paying a visit before it disappears.
Tokyo Moon
I’ll admit I didn’t visit Tokyo Moon because I could not find either one of the cafes which are well hidden in Japan Town. The Korean family run café has an incredible selection of cakes and unique teas and coffees which I was looking forward to trying. Unfortunately, restaurants and shops often move premises in Saigon so I will have to continue my search next time I am in this incredible city.
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