Saigon, (aka Ho Chi Minh City) Gastronomy Tour Part II

If you travel to HCM City and can only eat at one place, then it has to be Quan An Ngon restaurant, a HCM institution. I loved it so much I went there three times in one weekend.  'Ngon' means delicious -- which is almost an understatement. What Quan An Ngon managed to do was bring all the local street food under one roof. The place is packed with locals and foreigners. There is a lot to choose from on the menu and it can be overwhelming. If you can, go with a local. But if can't like me, just do a quick once over in the restaurant. I tend to go for the 'I am looking for the bathroom route', just to see what everyone else is eating. Luckily, the restaurant also has open air cooking. So you can actually see how many of the dishes are being prepared. Just as if you were on the street!

Pork and Spring Roll Vermicelli. 

Spring Rolls! 

I had one of my all time favorite Vietnamese dishes, Pork and Spring Roll Vermicelli. Truth be told I just love the spring rolls and the fish sauce combined. So I got a dish that was only that as well. And despite the Spring Rolls, I felt that these were very respectable healthy dishes. But I am sure it was all in my mind. 

My friend had the Mekong Delta Style Roasted Pork and Seafood. The soup had a deep rich fish paste base to it. I think it was called the Mekong Delta style because they lumped ingredients you would find in the Mekong Delta. A weak theory, I know.

Green Papaya Salad with dried beef and peanuts.

I saw everyone eating the Seasoned Toast and Beef Cubes. It was the restaurant's take on the traditional Banh Mi, which they did not have much to my disappointment.  

Quan An Ngon

138 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia

Ho Chi Minh City, District 1

Vietnam

Saigon, (aka Ho Chi Minh City) Gastronomy Tour Part I

Unfortunately there is nothing really sexy about this city once named Saigon. If you were hoping for a French colonial feeling Hanoi is your best bet. Saigon, or what it is presently known as today -- Ho Chi Minh City, is still very much an underdeveloped, dare I say industrialized city. There aren't too many sights to see, but the Gastronomy Tour: Saigon Edition I took was one of the greatest.

First stop Pho Hoa, considered the best Pho in all of HCM. The sayers were right. This place was delicious. The sliced raw beef - tender and taseful. Not at all the chewiness I sometimes find. I got the Pho Tai for 35,000 VND (2.10 USD) which I found to be almost a crime. I think the look I gave them was appalled. Preying on the innocent tourists. Usually a bowl is 27,000 VND (1.60 USD). But it's almost pointless to argue over a few cents (though on more than one occasion I have). Especially, when you fly all the way to their country and walk half way across the city for a bowl of noodles. Indeed, Pho Hoa is not the easiest to find. But it was all worth it to taste the clear broth and fresh ingredients.

A close up. With the necessary condiments of hot and plum sauce.

A delicious last bite!

Pho Hoa
260 Pasteur Street
Ho Chi Minh City, (Saigon)
Vietnam