Balut

One of the dishes that surprises many foreigners most is “trung vit lon" (balut) which is duck eggs with the embryo partially developed into shape, considered by some Asian countries to be very nutritious. In Vietnam, balut is usually a duck eggs with a 9 to 11-day old embryo, usually served with laksa leaves, pepper and salt or lemon pepper salt.  

If squeamish, you can switch to another variation that is equally popular in Vietnam - quail eggs, which are often stir-fried with spicy and sour tamarind.

Black chicken stew with herbs

This dish is not only delicious but also nutritious and healing.

For Vietnamese, the characteristic sweet taste of black chicken mixed with the smell of wormwood and aromatic herbs has been a familiar thing for many generations. Black chicken is said to have outstanding nutritional value, so it is beneficial for women after giving birth. 

Chicken feet

In Vietnam, visitors can taste many chicken feet dishes, soaked with lemongrass or grilled with honey sauce, or simply boiled with ginger, or others. Giant Dong Tao chicken feet is one of the specialties that can only be found in Vietnam. 

Pig viscera and blood puddings

Although not recommended because of food hygiene and safety issues, blood pudding is still a popular dish for many Vietnamese, especially men. Blood pudding is made from fresh animal blood such as pigs or ducks and is mixed with a little fish sauce or salt to prevent the blood from freezing before being mixed with minced meat and cartilage to congeal. Blood pudding is often served with other organs such as heart, sausage or liver.  

Snails

Boiled snail is a common winter dish in the northern provinces of Vietnam. There are various dishes made, from boiled snails to snail vermicelli or snail rolls. Boiled snail is a popular evening snack for Vietnamese. A bowl of boiled snails and a bowl of fragrant ginger and lemongrass dipping sauce on a winter day in the North can be memorable. 

Jellyfish salad

When the summer comes, it is time when visitors can enjoy one of the specialties of the northern provinces - red jellyfish salad. 

A portion usually consists of jellyfish, beans, and sliced ​​coconut, served with perilla, marjoram and shrimp paste, or even with rice paper and roasted peanuts. 

Dishes made from pupae or worms

The oily silkworm pupae combined with the fragrant aroma of lemon leaves make a delicious and rustic dish often found in the meals of families in Northern provinces. The pupa is the larva of the silkworm. This dish contains a lot of nutrition, high quality protein and low fat. 

Sandworm omelette 

This is a dish made from the polychaete worm Tylorrhynchus heterochaetus. It is prepared from live sandworms, which are put in hot water to remove their tentacles, and then mixed with raw egg. Onions and various spices are added, and the mixture is then fried until it obtains a crispy brown surface. Because the sandworms can only be found in autumn, the dish is not available year-round. 

Do An 

Piping-hot Bun rieu featured on CNN World

Only a few shabby plastic tables and chairs are needed to enjoy a crab noodle shop in Tho Xuong alley. Diners can also have fun while dodging cars. The ‘bun rieu’ has been featured on CNN World.

The best street food in Vietnam

The editors of Lonely Planet, which has sold 145 million travel guidebooks worldwide, have named dumplings as Vietnam’s greatest street food.