Talking about Vietnamese cuisine, our international friends may immediately think about The Vietnamese noodle soup Pho, like the signature food of the country. Pho is a mixture of richly aromatic broth mixed with an array of meats, spices, and healthy condiments, which fills your senses and stomach with goodness and well-being. Yet, for the Vietnamese, Pho isn't the only one food can have that soul-satisfying quality, in fact, people in different regions of Viet Nam enjoy very different kinds of food and have very different ways of cooking style, which was originally influenced by old habits, gradually involved with the change in society and climate and spiritually reflects the characteristics of the local people.
The recipe for Pho is far from complicated and only the people in the North (Ha Noi region) can proudly say they know how to make the truly Pho, which tastes very different from its adapted versions one might find in other places. You didn't read wrong, what I'm trying to say is "Don't have Pho in Da Nang, go to Ha Noi for the truly Pho!!!". It's hard to find a Pho restaurant that serves Pho having the proper taste here, however, if you don't list Ha Noi in your itinerary this time, I recommend to try out this two Pho places in Da Nang: Phở Bắc 63 (203 Đống Đa St) and Phở Cồ Cử (831 Ngô Quyền St) where the owners come from the North).
How about When in Da Nang, eat as the Da Nang-ers eat?
Below I list the top 3 traditional food that I, my family and my friends love the most and where to find them:
Mỳ Quảng (Quang noodle) - The soul of Quang Nam cuisine
Quang noodles are the most popular dish to cook in Quang people kitchen (i.e. Quảng Nam province, before 1997, Da Nang as part of Quang Nam-Da Nang Province, the city was later separated to become one of four centrally controlled municipalities in Vietnam). The food is as "easy and modest" as the people in this middle region of Viet Nam.
Quang noodle is an "easy" food because its specific flavor surprisingly combines nicely with many main ingredients. Ancient settlers in the region used to use locally sourced fresh ingredients - including whatever seasonal plants, meats, and fish they had on hand - to create their culinary traditions. Chicken noodles, shrimp noodles, meat noodles, egg noodles, beef noodles, jellyfish noodles, snakehead fish noodles...very diversified in materials, yet the taste is still unmistakable.
Quang noodle is "modest" because it's believed to originally be food for the labourers in the past. Unlike Huế food that was served only for the elites in the Royal Palaces, Quang noodle is prepared and loved by people from all social classes. Young girls are taught by their moms and aunties how to cook a bowl of hot and aromatic Quang noodles for the whole family.
Where to have Quang noodle:
Mỳ Quảng Bà Mua (19-21 Tran Binh Trong st.)
Mỳ Quảng Bà Vị (166 Le Dinh Duong st.)
* often be a breakfast for the local
Bánh xèo (Vietnamese pancake) - the Crispy, crunchy weeknight dinner
Banh Xeo is sometimes described by travelers as Vietnamese pancakes. The yellowish mixture of rice flour, turmeric, egg yolk is poured over a pan to form the "banh", then the whole "banh" is heated over charcoal to make the outside crunchy while the inner is soft and fluffy. The topping includes minced beef, river shrimps, and beansprout, added to the surface of the "banh" part just before turning down the heat. The name "Xeo" portraits the sound of pouring the mixture on the hot pan.
The Banh Xeo making process is very simple, yet the secret of the food comes from its sauce. The viscous and greasy dipping sauce made from peanuts and pork liver can really transform the simple "banh xeo" into something more sophisticated, just enough to please
all diners.
Places that I recommend to try "Banh Xeo"
- Bánh Xèo Bà Dưỡng (K280/23 Hoang Dieu st.) (very popular among tourists these days, but also for local people too, we love to come there especially on a cold rainy day; the place was there for a long time and the taste hasn't changed much since I first was there many many years ago)
- Quán Bánh Xèo Tôm Nhảy Cô Ba (248 Trung Nu Vuong st.) (they use very fresh shrimps, the name "Tôm nhảy" means "jumping shrimps")
* often be a dinner for the local
Bánh Canh (Canh noodle)
The last food on the list is Banh Canh (I'm not sure the English name for this one). Here the word "banh" doesn't mean "cake" (like in "Banh xeo"), it actually means the raw noodle, and "Canh" means the soup.
The noodle used in this food is thick and round, unlike the thin Quang noodle, of course far different from the flat noodle in Pho. While Vietnamese noodle dishes may have some crossovers in ingredients and herbs, they often have totally different compositions and certain ingredients that truly make each noodle dish special.
One special thing about this "Banh canh" is that the noodle is the only noodle in Viet Nam that you use a spoon to have it. The food is an orange-colored thick Vietnamese noodle soup that consists of thick and round noodles, whole shrimp and crab meat OR fishcake OR Pork Hock.. (many to add to the list), topped with fresh cilantro and green onions. It can be served as a hearty breakfast, simple lunch, or a quick dinner meal.
Places that I recommend to try "Banh Canh"
- Bánh canh cua (285 Hai Phong st)
- Bánh canh Thu (78 Nguyen Chi Thanh st)
- Bánh canh ruộng (20 Hà Thị Thân st)