9 most popular Vietnamese dishes voted by foreign newspapers

Bun cha

A dish made from pork and originating from Hanoi . The dish combines three elements: a bowl of grilled meatballs in cold broth, a plate of rice noodles and a combination of many green vegetables such as perilla, lettuce, coriander and water spinach.

Although bun cha or its variants can be found in many regions of Vietnam, the local version from Hanoi is considered the most highly regarded. Little is known about the history or origins of the dish, but it gained international recognition in 2016 on the culinary show of celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain when he enjoyed bun cha with former US President Barack Obama.

Huong Lien Bun Cha restaurant, where former US President Obama enjoyed it in 2016

Tea

Vietnamese chè is very diverse, consisting of sweet soups that are either liquid or thick, served hot or cold. Ingredients for chè include a variety of jellies and fruits, beans, rice, sticky rice, and even tubers and grains.

The 40-year-old Chinese man's sweet soup shop is busy at the beginning of the year: Wishing you a sweet year!

It is believed that chè originated in central Vietnam, but today it is widely available throughout the country and prepared in countless variations. Because it contains a lot of fat like beans and sticky rice, it is a popular snack often sold in plastic cups in Vietnamese shops, while one of the most popular types of chè prepared at home is chè đậu trắng.

Beef stew

A popular Vietnamese beef stew that can be eaten alone or with bread and a variety of herbs. The dish includes ingredients such as large chunks of beef, carrots, lemongrass, cinnamon, chili, pepper, garlic, and shallots, all simmered in a spicy, aromatic broth. In rural areas of Vietnam, beef stew is often much spicier than in urban areas.

Hue beef noodle soup

A popular Vietnamese soup traditionally served for breakfast, consisting of a broth made from pork and beef bones, rice noodles, lemongrass, fish sauce and a variety of herbs. Bun noodles are much spicier than most Vietnamese soups and the flavours are often described as rich and complex.

Bun bo originated in Hue, but little is known about its origins or its exact inventor. Common additions include beef, sliced pork, or crab balls, but each chef makes slight variations to the dish. Many believe that Bun bo Hue was influenced by royal court cuisine.

Quẩy

The deep-fried snack is inspired by the popular Chinese snack youtiao. Although it is very similar in preparation and shape to its more popular cousin, the Vietnamese version has its own unique characteristics.

The snack is made by combining two pieces of dough that are briefly deep-fried until golden brown. In Vietnam, people often eat youtiao with the "national dish" pho or congee.

Banh xeo

A popular Vietnamese dish, similar to a Western crepe, but crispy with a variety of savory ingredients. The signature Vietnamese element in these nutritious pancakes is rice flour, combined with water, turmeric powder and coconut milk to create a thick yellow batter.

Additional ingredients, most commonly green onions, bean sprouts, shrimp, and pork or beef, are stir-fried before the mixture is added to the pan. The pancake is pan-fried over low heat and gently folded in half, trapping the ingredients inside the pancake.

Spring roll

The South calls it spring rolls, the North calls it nem ran, but either way, they both have the main characteristics of pork and shrimp filling, wrapped in thin rice paper. Spring rolls are fried and give the dish an eye-catching golden color, a thin, crispy outer layer and a rich filling.

Meatloaf

Made from various cold cuts such as grilled pork, sliced pork belly, ham, or sausage, along with cucumber, mayonnaise, pickled carrots and daikon, liver pâté is sandwiched in a baguette.

Meat sandwiches are popular throughout Vietnam and are often enjoyed for breakfast but are not restricted to any meal of the day. Vietnamese sandwiches have now gone beyond the country's borders and are available in many places around the world.

Foreign tourists buy late-night sandwiches on the streets of Ho Chi Minh City.

Noodle soup

As the national dish, the most popular dish in the country, it is also one of the most beloved Vietnamese dishes in the Western Hemisphere for its complex, unique flavors and elegant simplicity. Although classified as a soup, pho is served as a main course and no two bowls are ever the same.

Traditionally, pho is made with chicken or beef broth, with bones simmered for at least three hours until the broth is perfect. The addition of herbs and spices brings out the flavors, and the chewy noodles, succulent slices of beef, and herbs elevate the dish.