By Andrea Tee
Photos by Christyna Fong
Vietnam existed under Chinese rule for over a thousand years, finally gaining independence in 938AD. It’s hardly a surprise, then, that many aspects of Vietnamese culture exhibit a heavy Chinese influence.
Apart from the omnipresent French bread, typical street food in Saigon revolves around rice and noodles, the most celebrated noodle dish being the world-famous phở (pronounced ‘fuh’). Phở is the quintessential Vietnamese dish—one I’ve had many times before in Vietnamese restaurants. Of course, a Vietnamese dish cooked in Malaysia can hardly hold a stick up to the real thing. I was, I admit, terribly single-minded in my pursuit of the perfect bowl of noodles from the moment I set foot in this country.
Saigon did not disappoint. The first thing we had upon checking into our hotel was a beautiful, big bowl of Phở bò (Beef soup noodles), and Phở gà for those who prefer chicken. For those who are unacquainted with this dish, Phở is served in two parts- a plate of raw vegetables (Thai basil, onions, cilantro and bean sprouts) and noodles with soup. The veggies are steeped in a steaming hot bowl filled with noodles, rare, thin slices of beef and a savoury beef soup stock.
The bowl is finished with a squeeze of lime and some chillies, and it is truly one of the most delicious dishes I have ever had the pleasure of sampling. The lime adds a level of complexity to the soup, which is warm and satisfying. The beef, cooked through by the heat of the soup, is incredibly tender. The noodles are just the right amount of firmness, and the wonderful thing is that every table is equipped with a cruet of chilli sauce, extra lime and hoisin sauce such that the spiciness is customizable.
Phở, while essentially a Chinese noodle dish, is believed to have both French and Chinese influences. A theory about the origins of its name suggests that it derives from the French ‘feu’ (fire), as in the French dish of pot-au-feu. Like Phở, it uses the French method of adding charred onion to the broth for color and flavour, which lends it its distinctive deep, sweet fragrance.
Others believe that the origin of the word derives from the Chinese ‘fen’ (粉), and many of the spices used in the broth (such as the star anise and the cinnamon) are staples of Chinese cuisine. It is currently day 8, and I have since had many bowls of Phở. None of them have left me disappointed, and the only thing I could have wished for was a deeper spoon.
Interestingly, none of the places we have been to in Saigon or the Mekong Delta have used deep, Chinese soup spoons. Rather, noodles are eaten with chopsticks and western, metal spoons—yet another symbol of French-Chinese fusion.
Another quintessentially Vietnamese dish we tried were spring rolls wrapped with rice paper. Every bite was a delicious mix of soft, chewy and crunchy textures. Vietnamese spring rolls are fresh-tasting and, for me, ultimately preferable to the deep fried Chinese ones.
Near the National University of Vietnam is a little shop that sells delicious crab noodles, and glutinous rice. The noodles are shaped quite like laksa noodles, albeit much firmer, and the soup is much like Penang Hokkien Prawn Mee, albeit filled with gloriously huge chunks of crab. The glutinous rice, on the other hand, is covered with a layer of salted, dried prawns and shredded chicken. Both are utterly wonderful.
Many of the Chinese cakes and ‘kuehs’ here are similar to the ones in Malaysia. Sweet, glutinous rice cakes are popular here, and though the texture is often firmer and they are cut differently (in wedges instead of small rectangles), the taste is very much the same.
It is so easy to be passionate about food in Vietnam. I don’t believe I am an easy person to please, but nearly every gastronomic experience I have had here has been a tremendous and satisfying experience. I found that keeping out of the shopping malls and chain restaurants, and searching for small, roadside stalls is an almost sure way to find amazing food.
Dishes here are such a fascinating fusion of French and Chinese cuisine, stemming from hundreds of years of history. All of these unique dishes have been tried, tested and ultimately perfected over the ages, to create something so quintessentially Vietnamese.
I love everything about Vietnam. I love its people, its architecture, its language. I love the sense of community and overall generosity of spirit, and most of all I love its food.
9 days was scarcely enough, and I will most certainly be back with an open mind, heart and an even more vacant stomach.
Andrea Tee, 22, is a Communications and Writing major in her final year. She reads, writes, goes on the internet and does other stuff sometimes.
Photos by Christyna Fong
Vietnam existed under Chinese rule for over a thousand years, finally gaining independence in 938AD. It’s hardly a surprise, then, that many aspects of Vietnamese culture exhibit a heavy Chinese influence.
 |
The Chinese Imperial palace in Central Vietnam – A remnant of the millennia-long Chinese rule (Image sourced from Wikipedia) |
Apart from the omnipresent French bread, typical street food in Saigon revolves around rice and noodles, the most celebrated noodle dish being the world-famous phở (pronounced ‘fuh’). Phở is the quintessential Vietnamese dish—one I’ve had many times before in Vietnamese restaurants. Of course, a Vietnamese dish cooked in Malaysia can hardly hold a stick up to the real thing. I was, I admit, terribly single-minded in my pursuit of the perfect bowl of noodles from the moment I set foot in this country.
 |
| The amazing, the incompareable Phở |
Saigon did not disappoint. The first thing we had upon checking into our hotel was a beautiful, big bowl of Phở bò (Beef soup noodles), and Phở gà for those who prefer chicken. For those who are unacquainted with this dish, Phở is served in two parts- a plate of raw vegetables (Thai basil, onions, cilantro and bean sprouts) and noodles with soup. The veggies are steeped in a steaming hot bowl filled with noodles, rare, thin slices of beef and a savoury beef soup stock.
The bowl is finished with a squeeze of lime and some chillies, and it is truly one of the most delicious dishes I have ever had the pleasure of sampling. The lime adds a level of complexity to the soup, which is warm and satisfying. The beef, cooked through by the heat of the soup, is incredibly tender. The noodles are just the right amount of firmness, and the wonderful thing is that every table is equipped with a cruet of chilli sauce, extra lime and hoisin sauce such that the spiciness is customizable.
Phở, while essentially a Chinese noodle dish, is believed to have both French and Chinese influences. A theory about the origins of its name suggests that it derives from the French ‘feu’ (fire), as in the French dish of pot-au-feu. Like Phở, it uses the French method of adding charred onion to the broth for color and flavour, which lends it its distinctive deep, sweet fragrance.
Others believe that the origin of the word derives from the Chinese ‘fen’ (粉), and many of the spices used in the broth (such as the star anise and the cinnamon) are staples of Chinese cuisine. It is currently day 8, and I have since had many bowls of Phở. None of them have left me disappointed, and the only thing I could have wished for was a deeper spoon.
Interestingly, none of the places we have been to in Saigon or the Mekong Delta have used deep, Chinese soup spoons. Rather, noodles are eaten with chopsticks and western, metal spoons—yet another symbol of French-Chinese fusion.
 |
| Spring rolls and dipping sauce |
 |
| Crab noodles |
 |
| Glutinous Rice |
Near the National University of Vietnam is a little shop that sells delicious crab noodles, and glutinous rice. The noodles are shaped quite like laksa noodles, albeit much firmer, and the soup is much like Penang Hokkien Prawn Mee, albeit filled with gloriously huge chunks of crab. The glutinous rice, on the other hand, is covered with a layer of salted, dried prawns and shredded chicken. Both are utterly wonderful.
 |
| Chinese cakes, cut in a wedge style |
Many of the Chinese cakes and ‘kuehs’ here are similar to the ones in Malaysia. Sweet, glutinous rice cakes are popular here, and though the texture is often firmer and they are cut differently (in wedges instead of small rectangles), the taste is very much the same.
It is so easy to be passionate about food in Vietnam. I don’t believe I am an easy person to please, but nearly every gastronomic experience I have had here has been a tremendous and satisfying experience. I found that keeping out of the shopping malls and chain restaurants, and searching for small, roadside stalls is an almost sure way to find amazing food.
Dishes here are such a fascinating fusion of French and Chinese cuisine, stemming from hundreds of years of history. All of these unique dishes have been tried, tested and ultimately perfected over the ages, to create something so quintessentially Vietnamese.
I love everything about Vietnam. I love its people, its architecture, its language. I love the sense of community and overall generosity of spirit, and most of all I love its food.
9 days was scarcely enough, and I will most certainly be back with an open mind, heart and an even more vacant stomach.
Andrea Tee, 22, is a Communications and Writing major in her final year. She reads, writes, goes on the internet and does other stuff sometimes.
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