Culinary Chitchat: Xem Xem

Vietnamese cuisine has never been my favorite, even after having lived there for three years. My wife on the other hand can’t get enough of the stuff. For me at least, it's the fact that the cuisine relies heavily on oil. Whether the remnants of oil on sautéed

vegetables added to a soup or just the addition of chili crisped in oil added at the end there seems to be a slickness left on the pallet.

Vietnam’s cuisine, like many other cuisines around the world, has a basic flavor combination that rarely changes. The French have their carrots, onions and celery and the Vietnamese have chilis, ginger and lemongrass. These flavors are found in the majority of dishes throughout Vietnam. The distinguishing factor for me is that this flavor combination is found not only during lunch and dinner but at breakfast as well. Where other cuisines might mix it up a bit, Vietnam sticks to its basic profile and eventually sends you on a quest for anything without lemongrass like a burger, pizza or salad.

Try to resist the temptation and stick to ordering Vietnamese.

What I’ve come to understand is this idea of "xem xem, same but different” culture, or as I like to call it ‘almost’. A term made popular by the American GI’s and spread across much of the Mekong. It speaks to much more than just the food. The way individuals: walk, work, sleep, even get insulted and react to things, and especially drive. Everything is done in the same way, by every single person, as if everyone is part of a hive and begs an explanation as to why? However, I do find ‘xem xem’ comforting when ordering food. I almost always know what I am ordering and the order I actually receive will almost always be what I think I ordered. The flavor will be consistent across the country.

However, the longer I spent in Vietnam the more I started to understand that not everything is xem xem. The seasoning nuances in Vietnamese cuisine in particular divides the country into thirds. Ultimately, everyone picks their favorite flavor profile: North (rich), Middle (sweet), or South (herbs and spice). Me? I'm South all the way. Everyone has a preference so I will leave it to you to decide.

Whichever you choose, know this...at its heart Vietnamese food is meant to do stuff. A hearty bowl in the early morning is meant to fill you up for a hard day’s work ahead. The spice combinations of ginger, chilies, and lemongrass are meant to heal you. The rich broth keeps you warm during very cold and damp days. Most importantly the dishes are meant to comfort you; to take you home when you’re feeling out of place and lonely.

Morning meals consist of a large bowl of pho and a plate of fresh herbs and spices; eaten on the side of the road, at a favorite stall, on tiny red chairs too small for a child let alone most westerners. Evening meals are served family-style on hundreds of little tapas plates accompanied by cases of beer and water bottles filled with Rượu đế a home brewed rice wine. Meant to be shared, an opportunity to come together, and most importantly laugh.

Need to know:

Most restaurants have two menus. One in Vietnamese with Vietnamese pricing and the one you will be ordering from with western pricing… don’t worry, even with western pricing it’s still ridiculously cheap.

Beers are cheap and regional, the main ones are Saigon, Huda, Larue, and Bababa (333). There’s also ‘fresh beer’ dirt cheap... good luck with that. There are plenty of wine shops throughout Vietnam. Have a Dalat wine to say you had it… order the red with lots of ice DON’T drink the white.

Booze is widely available, inexpensive, and 100% fake, I don’t care where you buy it.

Must-try dishes:

Pho a rich and hearty noodle soup is a must of course, but give these a try Bún chả a hearty noodle dish with meat and Bánh Tráng Nuong a pancake served with rice paper, fresh herbs, and a number of sauces a similar dish Bánh xèo known as a Vietnamese crêpe.

Order Bánh xèo in Hoi An and Bún chả in the North you won’t regret it. Order a Huda or Saigon Beer to go with it.

Hoi An

Bon Restaurant & Bar expect it to take a while. Order the turmeric fish!!

Vietnamese, vegetarian Friendly 474 Cua Dai, Hoi An Vietnam

+84 121 573 7986 09:00 AM - 10:00 PM

Hanoi

Nem lụi Tây Hồ an awesome Banh Xeo

139 Phố Yên Phụ, Yên Phụ, Tây Hồ, Hà Nội, Vietnam