Vietnam is truly a foodie's delight. To say that our Vietnamese sojourn has been the ultimate culinary experience for me (rest of the family are vegetarians) would be an understatement. I had tried many new things (like clams and oysters and scallops) and many new dishes of already tasted delicacies (like prawns, squids,etc). If I try and document every meal that I had, then this post would become a never ending one. So I am trying to give a brief overview of what I loved and is indispensable for seafood lovers like me in this post.

GRILLED OYSTERS WITH SCALLION OIL (HAU NUONG MO HANH)

I had the best experience with trying out oysters for the first time because they weren't raw! Grilled and garnished with fried garlic, scallions and roasted peanuts! The best combination ever! Also, if you have ever tasted fish eyes (like of Rohu or Catla) oysters taste the same. (For the ones who haven't tasted yet).

SWEET AND SOUR CLAM SOUP (CANH NGAO CHUA)

I have always been apprehensive of clams, but I finally took the plunge. Cooked with pineapples and rosemary and cherry tomatoes and all, it was really a delight!

Scallop Tempura:

Give me tempura in any form and I will relish it. And the succulent scallops are a must if you love seafood.

Vietnamese Spring Rolls Recipe (Gỏi Cuốn) 

Well this can be loved by all provided you are open to having pork and seafood. Because the rolls are thin rice paper rolls and the stuffing is minced pork and squids and all. Served with a sweet and sour dip, glass noodles (vermicelli) and a bowl of very pungent raw herbs. I finished them all!

Vietnamese Noodles with seafood:

I opted for only shrimps and squids with my noodles and they were delicious! Of course the noodles were loaded with bok choy too.

Banh Mi

Basically a Vietnamese sandwich, this should not be missed at any cost! If you are a non meat eater, you can try and explain them to add egg instead. Vegetarian food is difficult and communicating with the locals is even more challenging!

Vietnamese Fried Tofu with Scallions (Dau ran tam hanh)

I love tofu and these were an excellent veg option for my family members.

Trứng Chiên Chay/ Rolled omelette: Again they were a delight and if you love eggs, go for it!

Deep fried Taro Balls

I am not a fan of Taro and I don't like this South East Asian delicacy.

Cải Thìa, Cải Chíp (Bok Choy)

OMG the amount of Bok choy I had during the entire trip; I hadn't had in my entire life! They add bok choy in EVERY SINGLE DISH. But who's complaining? I like it!

Goat Meat: This is a delicacy of Ninh Binh and I did not like it. It was rough, dry and chewy. Not at all upto my liking.

Egg Coffee and Coconut coffee: Coffee is an integral part of Vietnamese cuisine and they are special indeed! They use condensed milk in place of creamer and it's heavenly!

I was sceptical of egg coffee but it tasted like pudding! They serve it over hot water and you are supposed to stir the coffee and then drink it. Surely a must try!

Coconut coffee is a universal favourite. Imagine cold coffee in coconut milk and 100 times tastier. A definite must! 

 This post is a part of #BlogchatterA2Z 2023