82
SAIGON STREET EATS
THE FINAL FEAST
The folks in HCMC put a lot
of effort into their working
day, so it isn’t surprising that
dinnertime heralds a different
level of feasting. Proof of this
can be found at sundown,
when the city sidewalks start
to overflowwith diners on plastic
tables and knee-high chairs. Stop by
for an appetizer at the neighborhood
barbecue stall (Ton Duc Thang Street
has lots of them) — a few sticks of
bo la lot
, or beef chunks wrapped in
betel leaves, should get you warmed
up — and then it’s off to the eating
house for some serious (what
else?) eating.
We suggest rustling up a
group of like-minded foodies,
and making a beeline for Hoang
Ty (1 Nguyen Huu Cau) and its
signature meal, the
thit luoc cuon
banh trang
. This is a roll-your-
own affair of thinly sliced pork
knuckles, lettuce, cucumbers, basil
and shiso leaves inside sheets of
rice paper. Pair this meal with a
It’s hard to go wrong with ingredients like
these — and besides, it’s fun to hand-make your
food together when eating as a group
The local barbecue
stall offers a wide
array of pre-dinner
munchies
