We took to the streets of Vietnam in search for the real culinary experience and joined our army of guides on mopeds to capture a snapshot of the bustling city of Ho Chi Minh.
We love food tours. It’s why we created Walking Food Tours in the first place after all. But even though we might be a tougher customer to impress compared to your average Joe, it’s so easy to fall in love with the idea, the passion, and of course the amazing food.
A Brief Intro to Our Trip
The true nuances of South East Asian cuisine are beyond a few weeks in the country. We’d been to Thailand, Singapore and a couple of other stops in the weeks before our food tour, and we thought we had a pretty good grasp of at least how to pronounce Pho (phuh, by the way). Each city, even each town, has their own version of a regional dish. Each herb and spice slightly altered. It’s very interesting to eat in a variety of places from side street vendors on the side of a motorbike, to a more sit-down style restaurant vibe. What is so good is the price – where a meal for two could cost you as little as £2 for a huge portion of well-made, home-cooked food.
A couple of our favourite dishes that we’d seen and tried included Morning Glory (a sort of stir-fry mix of greens with garlic, ground peanuts and occasionally chilli) and als the Bun Cha (a DIY rice paper roll with ground pork, spices, onion, lettuce and a mixture of sliced melon, apple and cucumber for freshness).
Onto the Food Tour
There were nine hungry punters in total – mostly from the US. We knew from the start that the tour would be conducted via scooter. Unfortunately, we’d already realised that the right of way system here in Vietnam was very much so an ‘ignorance is bliss’ mentality. So we were acquainted with the driver in charge of our anxiety levels, and within 10 minutes it all became part of the fun.
We’d opted for 9 stops (of which 5 were food based) and zipped straight into it.
The non-food stops were all extremely interesting, including a brief moment paying homage to the poignant self-immolation demonstration of Thich Quang Duc and the intersection where it took place. A statue had been built in his honour and a reminder for the struggles that Vietnam has experienced in its history.
Food Highlights
Bahn Mi, a sandwich that defines Vietnamese food culture, was always going to be on the list. Part influenced by the French during their occupation, it combines rich pâté, fresh cucumber, and a selection of fillings on a crusty-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside baguette (a half each for the food tour because they’re huge).
A beautifully rich beef stew, not to dissimilar to scouse in some ways, was also a firm favourite with slow-cooked meats and veggies in a salty and slightly aromatic broth, all brought together with a touch of chilli.
Coconut is a huge part of Vietnamese cuisine: whether it’s oil, paste, dried, grated or drank. We enjoyed banana in a coconut milk cream, which bordered on savoury as the bananas here are a lot ‘meatier’ and less sweet. It was certainly an interesting choice, slightly splitting the crowd. Not something I’d have again but that’s the idea of a food tour in some ways. Find what you like, discover new things, and ultimately enjoy the experience as a whole.
Why We Love Food Tours (Even on the Other Side of the World)
At Walking Food Tours UK, we’re slightly biased – but we honestly believe food tours are one of the best ways to “get” a place quickly.
The best tours aren’t just a list of dishes. They connect:
food and local history
neighbourhoods and hidden stories
culture and the little details you’d never notice alone
So if you’re thinking of doing a Food Tour of Ho Chi Minh, we highly recommend Saigon Adventure Scooter Food Tours – head to our YouTube, Instagram and TikTok to see the full video!
If you’re back in the UK and fancy something closer to home, you can also explore our walking food experiences across our cities and towns.
