
HO CHI MINH CITY – With just two days in Vietnam before heading to Cambodia, Australian traveler Ben Groundwater set himself one mission: eat as much local food as possible.
Arriving from Sydney at the end of March, Ben explored Ho Chi Minh City’s bustling food scene, sampling iconic Vietnamese dishes from street stalls to hidden eateries – all at affordable prices.
On his first evening, Ben tried bò lá lốt (grilled beef wrapped in betel leaves) at a local eatery, describing the smoky-sweet flavors as a “perfect introduction to Vietnamese cuisine.” Just steps away, he bit into a legendary bánh mì Huỳnh Hoa, packed with cold cuts, pâté, pickled vegetables, and pork floss, calling it “a flavor explosion.”
The next morning began with the ultimate Vietnamese breakfast: phở bò at Phú Vương, which he crowned as “the best bowl of pho I’ve ever had.” Washed down with iced coffee (cà phê sữa đá), Ben continued his food marathon with bún riêu cua (crab noodle soup), which he described as “not for the faint-hearted.”
For dinner, he chose bánh canh cua, a thick, chewy tapioca noodle soup rich in crab flavor, before wrapping up his whirlwind stay with bánh cuốn (steamed rice rolls) filled with shrimp and pork.
After 48 hours of nonstop eating, Ben said Vietnam had delivered unforgettable flavors and ranked phở as his top breakfast dish worldwide.
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Source: Vietnam Insider

