Xoi Ga, or chicken on sticky rice
There’s rice in every part of Asian cuisine but in Vietnamese, we make a whole meat from it. Vietnamese sticky rice or chicken rice is hearty, delicious, and tummy-filling. The chicken’s perfected in tender strips. A handful of fresh handpicked Vietnamese herbs topping this dish makes it all the more special. Add a dash or two of soy and sesame, and it’s an unmistakably Asian dish you’ll want to try.
Cao Lau, or pork on thick noodles
This iconic dish in the pantheon of Vietnamese cooking brings together a Japanese influence alongside a pure city restaurant approach. Thick wheat noodles populate these plates, with pieces of juice pork drenched in a broth topping it all. There are a few different ways to prepare the broth, usually a mix of thin pork and a select number of herbs. There’s also plenty of vegetables, bean sprouts, peanuts, and other small protein-filled veggies or nuts to include.
Bun Bo Nam Bo, or beef on rice noodles
Canadians love their beef! While other Asian cuisines lack the influence of beef, Vietnam has several premiere dishes including this protein. For this particular meal, tender slivers of grilled beef are cut and are spread across a bed of fresh vermicelli noodles. As with other Vietnamese preparations, you have fresh herbs and peanuts among those toppings. Sometimes, a sweet, sour, salty, and/or hot dipping sauce is served alongside it with some carrots or unripe papaya.
Banh Xeo, or crepe wrap
Although you won’t find Banh Xeo at every Toronto or GTA Vietnamese restaurant, this is fast becoming a Canadian favourite. A take on a crepe, it’s crisp and savoury, and stuffed with cooked meats, bean sprouts, fresh herbs, and more. Additional garnishes occasionally include basil, mint, and mustard leaves. It’s hard to pass up on, as you’ll find is the case with so many authentically prepared Vietnamese recipes.
Thit Nuong, grilled pork
Pork is the favourite meat of Vietnamese cooking, use in everything from pho to rice dishes. Vietnamese pork can be marinated, grilled, and/or smoked, and is perhaps the best BBQ food you’ll find in the cuisine. Especially when it’s prepped on a skewer, it proves to be a filling, quick, meaty snack. Grilled pork is also sometimes stuffed in a baguette, wrapped in spring rolls, or sees use sitting atop a small mound of noodles.
Banh Mi, or baguettes
The most obvious French colonial influence on Vietnamese eating is with the Banh Mi. This is essentially a baguette. They can be filled with a lot of different products, ranging from pork liver pate to Vietnamese sausage, shredded radish and carrots, cuts of cucumber, squeezes of mayonnaise, and chili. If you love hearty sandwiches, this is the closest thing we have to Vietnamese sandwich.
Goi Cuon, or fresh spring rolls
Spring and summer rolls are an excellent fresh finger food in Vietnamese cuisine. This acclaimed fresh spring roll is the best Vietnamese snack that Canadians love, all the way healthy and packed with fresh greens. Wrapped in a traditionally thin rice paper, inside are vermicelli rice noodles, herbs, and your choice of meat. Sauces are usually offered, with the most popular being a peanut sauce. There’s also meatless or vegetarian varieties!
Nem Ran, or fried spring rolls
The fried spring roll is admittedly built a little difference and is generally less healthier but what a taste! Fried spring rolls comprise of meat and veggies packed into rice paper and then, deep-fried. They're crispy and delicious, and you won’t be able to eat just one. On every Vietnamese menu, we can guarantee you’ll find both fresh and fried spring rolls ready to dig into.
Pho, or Vietnamese noodle soup
The most popular Vietnamese food in Canada in 2019 was pho, a type of Vietnamese soup. Without question, this is far and away the #1 meal ready to order. Synonymous with Toronto Vietnamese cooking, pho is eaten for breakfast all the way up to dinnertime. Customizable, it all starts with the broth and builds from there. Included are flat rice noodles and herb flavourings, alongside a protein source of some kind – usually a beef or chicken but also, pork or tofu. Seemingly, there are endless variations on pho for you to try – even some vegan and vegetarian ones!
Vietnamese cooking done right is absolutely scrumptious! At TorontoPHO, we try our best to stick with traditional, authentically prepared Vietnamese recipes. We’ve made our name on having some of Toronto’s best pho but we’ve also got so much more on our menu to offer. Whether we are your introduction to Vietnamese food or you’re a dedicated fan, TorontoPHO is here to provide high quality, fresh, veggie-driven plates of protein, carbs, broth, finger foods and more. Drop by today, pick up a plate or bowl, and choose your own favourites from our menu. You’ll absolutely love it!
