“You don’t have to go looking for great food in Vietnam. Great food finds you. It’s everywhere”- Anthony Bourdain.

Mr. Bourdain could not have spoken any truer words to describe the culinary cuisine in Vietnam.  I recently came back from an 11 day trip from the cities of Saigon and Nha Trang; there was not a single day where I wasn’t stuffed from the edibles that Vietnam had to offer.  If you enjoy a good meal out in Bolsa (Little Saigon, CA) , think of that and times it by infinity and that equals the food experience in Vietnam.

Everywhere you look there’s either a restaurant, street vendor, or someone carrying baskets of goodies to fulfill your tummy’s utmost desires.  Growing up with my dad as a chef and my mom making food from our homeland, I was in heaven.  Fresh fruit stands dot the streets selling mit (jackfruit),

lychees, dragon fruit, logans, apples, Chinese pears, mang cu, and the-feared-by-some-loved-by-diehards fruit sau ring a.k.a durian.

Durian fruit

Even Anthony Bourdain himself cannot eat durian and the fruit has been featured on Fear Factor whereas I welcome it lovingly and willingly into my mouth.  If you’re new to Vietnamese dishes, the main ingredients consists of a combination of rice, noodles, some type of meat, fresh vegetables and herbs, and the Holy Grail of it all, nouc mam (fish sauce).  I know it sounds intimidating to a new comer but man, those ingredients really create a Hollywood Bowl type symphony of flavors with your mouth .

There’s nothing like waking up at 6 am to the sounds of the Saigon streets and having a café sua da (ice coffee) within a 5 foot radius of your hotel.  Lee’s sandwiches looks and tastes like chicken shit compared to the banh mi offered by the local vendors.  Pho, hu tieu, and bun bo hue is readily available every other building not to mention that the food is dirt cheap.  $2.50 USD for a bowl of pho bo and an iced milk coffee!

If you love seafood, Nha Trang is THE place to go.  It’s one of the understated cities of Vietnam and is located north of Saigon.

Nha-Trang

An hour by plane, 8 hours by car, and 11 hours by motorbike, but truly worth the travels.  Different types of fish are caught fresh and served to you by any medium you wish.  My favorite is steamed whole with a garlic soy sauce garnished with cilantro, ginger, and sliced chili to add a kick. At Doc Let beach you can rent a bungalow furnished with hammocks and chairs for 20 bucks a day and have copious amounts of fresh clams, crabs, abalone, and shrimp delivered to you in bags with white sands and clear as glass waters as your backdrop.

However, the best thing of my trip to Nha Trang was my auntie cooking everything from scratch using recipes and techniques passed down from generation to generation.  That, itself, was an indescribable experience; food made by family is more than just food.  It’s the product of culture, heritage, and love that is priceless.

Vietnam is underrated and a true pearl among Asia.  It’s a country to come back to and revisit over and over. I highly recommend Vietnam for anyone who’s down for an adventure, an appreciation of other cultures, and people who don’t mind a bug or two cooked into their soup

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For food enthusiasts it is a MUST.  I don’t recommend Vietnam for the high maintenance, anyone with an aversion to seafood, and weak stomachs. Also here are some things to avoid while there unless you want to take the risk of having your toilet and your right hand man and some parasite hindering your admittance back into the states.

1. street ice-most of the time it’s made from unsanitary water
2. milk- the way it’s homogenize, if it even is, is not like the US.
3. mayo-who knows how long it’s been out
4. soda in glass bottles- most of the time it’s super old and just doesn’t taste good
5. anything that looks like it’s been sitting out.

So is it worth the 14+ plane rides and high ticket prices?  For me, the answer is a “Du-uuuuuuh!” But really it’s up to you to decide.  Otherwise, here are some local spots in Orange County which I feel bring the spirit and cuisine of Vietnam brought to you from the refugees and families wanting to share their food with you.

Pho Kimmy 14932 Bushard St
Westminster, CA 92683

(714) 775-1699

The BEST pho restaurant in Orange County. Hands down, end of story.

Brodard
9892 Westminster Avenue / Garden Grove / California 92844
Telephone 714.530.1744

Delicious pork bbq spring rolls. I suggest an order of Nem Noung Coun. Don’t go to Brodard Chateu though, horribly overpriced and the food is mediocre.

Banh Cuon Tay Ho

9629 Bolsa Ave Westminster, CA

You can’t go wrong with ordering the number 1.

The best thing about Little Saigon is that everything is condensed and it’s a journey to try places out and discover your own little gems.  So go out, eat, enjoy, and have fun!

Me and my family

- Nataly

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Im thinking we need to send her more places after reading this post and looking at all the photos Im in the mood for some serious food.

EMPIRE OF THE SUN – WALKING ON A DREAM (LAPSE REMIX)