I have been on a food tour only once before, in Rome, and it was amazing, something I will never forget. Knowing next to nothing about Vietnamese cuisine and desperate not to miss out on anything, I wanted a similar experience here. I booked the scrumptious Da Nang Food tour with Anh and it was everything I had hoped it would be.
Booking
A quick google search will bring you to their website. Offered are morning and evening tours. I selected the evening tour at $45 US. Ouch, yes, the price is high, especially for a budget traveller, but I hoped the experience was well worth the price.
Sent off a quick email and Anh was prompt and friendly with a reply to my selected date. He sent a link to the meeting spot witch the Grab driver found with ease.
Quan Tam
First stop was to Quan Tam for banh nam and banh beo. The banh nam are little parcels of steamed rice and minced pork. They are wrapped in bamboo leaves and steamed on the street in a large pot. With a dollop of sauce, they are the most delightful things to consume.
Banh beo are steamed rice cakes topped with mung bean and pork floss. Using the same type of rice, it is another method and a completely different texture to the banh nam. Delicious!
Banh Mi Ga Co Chi
I had read about banh mi before my arrival and knew it was something I should try. This is a traditional Vietnamese sandwich that is sold all over town, mostly from street vendors.
A large crispy and chewy bun is filled with meat or egg, then topped with various ingredients, popped onto the grill to get piping hot then consumed. Man is it ever good. The one I had here was too spicy for me, but everyone since has been devoured!
I usually get mine with the sweet mayo, fried egg, greens, onion, special brown sauce (donโt know what this is but it is tasty), pork floss and soy liquid magic sauce.
Banh Canh THU
Next stop was this place for traditional Vietnamese noodle soups. I tried crab and fish, Anh enjoyed the quail egg, and they were all equally delicious. Once you have procured your steaming hot bowl of noodles and broth, you then doctor it to your liking.
Adding lime, vibrant green herbs, pickled carrots & onion and of course chiliโs until you have the soup tasting just the way you want. Donโt forget to dip the doughnut type bread sticks into the soup. Wow, what a flavor packed meal this is.
Banh XEO Ba Duong
Getting full by this point, we hopped on a local bus which took us to a different neighbourhood. Banh XEO was packed and we were lucky to get a seat. This is a family run restaurant and has been operating for generations.
Here I ate traditional Vietnamese pancakes which consist of fried egg and sausage on a stick wrapped in rice paper with lots of other goodies. These are finger foods, so first everyone uses the communal sink to wash their hands.
Take a piece of rice paper, place the egg on one side. Add greens, julienne veg, green papaya and onions. Gently roll the rice paper up. If you give it a little shake and nothing falls out, you have done it correctly. ๐ Now dip into the sauce and consume. Wow! Delish! That crispy fried egg with the bright greens and yummy sauce is amazing. Try another this time using the sausage. Once wrapped, grab the stick and pull to remove, then dip and enjoy!
Thai Tran
Last stop, dessert! I tried three items, the flan in coconut milk, the jellies and beans in coconut milk and the mixed bowl with a large dollop of durian on top. I had specifically requested to try durian on this tour, and this was my chance.
Told by Anh that it was a love or hate relationship, I must say I was a little scared. ๐ But I liked it! Would I go out and hunt it down to devour? No. However, if offered a piece at some point in time, I would accept it.
This food tour with Anh was everything I had hoped it would be. Anh is a wealth of information about Da Nang, Vietnam and off course all things food related here. He was a joy to spend four hours with and like my tour in Rome, I will not forget this experience.
