hesitate to order up a
mi xao bo
— that’s stir-fried yellow noodles
topped with mushrooms, kailan,
broccoli and narrow cuts of tender
beef. This delectable recipe bursts
with umami, although it does tend
to pack more than its fair share
of cooking oil. An alternative is
the part-salad, part-soup delicacy
known as
mi quang
, which matches
the noodles with rich chicken broth
and meat; also included is a dash
of chilli paste, some vegetables,
shrimps and a sprinkling of roasted
peanuts. Rice crackers add a
welcome crunch to this mix, giving
you a noodle bowl that’s brimming
with taste. Mi Quang My Son on 38B
Dinh Tien Hoang is a local favorite,
and it’s also near a cluster of eateries
specializing in that perennial tourist
must-eat — the fried
cha gio
pork
spring rolls.
Any of these hearty lunches should
keep you powered for the next few
hours — at least until it’s time for
the next Saigonese snack. Just a few
blocks north of the PhamNgu Lao
backpackers’ haven is a joint that
specializes in a duo of tasty southern
Vietnamese snacks. Muoi Xiem (204
Nguyen Trai Street) pays tribute to
the humble turmeric crêpe — the
banh
xeo
—with its countless renditions,
ranging from the traditional shrimp-
and-beansprouts filling to the
more modern mushrooms and
seared chicken. With its crackly,
wok-fried skin, the banh xeo is best
eaten by hand alongside a platter
of fresh vegetables. The same goes
for this restaurant’s other forte
— the
banh khot
—which uses a
similar batter, but is shaped like a
little cup. You dip it into a lime-
based sauce, bite into the crispy
exterior and feel the custard-like
texture explode in your mouth:
simply delicious.
Clockwise from top left: Downtown HCMC has food
stalls on just about every corner; crispy
banh khot
morsels;
a roadside
banh xeo
stall cranks out delectable turmeric
crêpes;
hu tieu
noodles; (opposite page, above) the
com
tam suon trung
is a lunchtime favorite; (below) a com tam
stall opens shop by the roadside
SAIGON STREET EATS
81
