The ingredients for making banh rom include sticky rice flour, pork, green beans and green banana leaves. To turn out a fragrant, sticky and mouth-watering cake, makers are required to have skills.
I discovered lac xa tom kho (Vietnamese dried shrimp laksa), a Khmer specialty not known by many, on my latest trip to the Mekong Delta.
The central coastal province of Binh Dinh is renowned for a wide selection of food and drink specialties, including Bau Da rice liquor, nem (fermented pork roll), cha (ground meat), tre (minced pork wrapped in guava and banana leaves) and hong (pink) cake.
Coming to the ancient town of Hoi An, one of the most attractive cities in Asia, tourists can enjoy specialties right on the street.
Tucked away down a bustling small street not far from the Vung Tau waterfront, local eatery Banh Khot Goc Vu Sua goes about its business as the area’s king of banh khot.
Hanoi is known for a number of traditional exotic dishes which reflect local people’s unique and sophisticated cultural lifestyle.
If you have a chance to travel to Quang Ngai Province’s Ly Son Island, you will find an exotic plant for sure dubbed “male garlic”.
Phu Quoc Island off Kien Giang Province is known for its fresh seafood, sim fruit wine and pepper. However, tourists in the area should check out bun ken a delicous noodle soup.
Coming to the Mekong Delta, after cruising along canals, shopping on the floating market and cycling around orchards, tourists should enjoy many rustic specialties, of which cong cake is suggested as a must-try dish.
The northeastern coast province of Quang Ninh is more known for its beautiful landscapes than its gastronomy. A recent visit to the area helped me discover a local specialty that is not to be missed, cha muc or fried pasted squid.
Many people usually mistake bun sung (noodles cooked with water lily) of the coastal city of Vung Tau with noodle dishes found in the Mekong Delta provinces of Tra Vinh, Soc Trang and Ca Mau.
If you ever head on a trip to Phu Yen, don't forget to try banh hoi long heo (steamed rolls made of rice-flour served with pig's inner organs), a simple dish in this central province but quite strange to the taste buds of tourists from other regions.