Brian Jeffrey
Exploring Vietnam’s Culinary Delights on a Budget
During her journey through Vietnam, she explored the historic town of Hoi An in Quang Nam province, along with the coastal city of Da Nang, the imperial city of Hue, the capital Hanoi, picturesque Ninh Binh, and bustling Ho Chi Minh City, all while indulging in local cuisine.
In Hanoi, she set a personal challenge to spend only $5 (VND125,000) on food and drinks for an entire day.
“I was curious to see how many traditional Vietnamese dishes I could try for just $5 (or VND125,000 with the current exchange rate),” she explained.
Her culinary adventure began at a café in the Dinh Tien Hoang area, a lively part of Hoan Kiem. She purchased a cup of coffee for VND25,000.
Next, she visited a famous banh my (Vietnamese sandwich) shop located on Quan Thanh street in Ba Dinh district. After browsing the menu, she chose a sandwich for VND25,000.
Diana remarked that while the banh my from the street vendor was less expensive than in a restaurant, it was still very enticing. Despite being a small, lesser-known establishment online, she found the banh my absolutely delightful.
“It was the perfect banh my for just VND25,000,” she shared.
After wandering around, Diana found a bun rieu (vermicelli with sour crab soup) shop tucked away on Duong Thanh street in Hoan Kiem district. This quaint spot had diners enjoying their meals right on the sidewalk, served by a warm and friendly staff.
She mentioned that small alleyway eateries are common in Hanoi. At this particular shop, there was no menu; instead, servers brought out large bowls. The bun rieu, which featured a rich broth and a variety of toppings (including fried soybean curds and meatballs), cost VND40,000.
Diana discovered this hidden gem while exploring the area.
For dinner, she decided to revisit a chicken rice shop located in a small alley off Trang Tien street. There, she ordered com ga (chicken rice) and was pleasantly surprised by the generous serving, which included a whole chicken leg along with pickles and sauce. “It’s hard to believe such a delectable dish was only VND45,000,” she said in amazement.
