Bun cha
Bun cha is a Vietnamese favourite noodle dish, with vermicelli noodles and tasty grilled pork meatballs. This is served over a salad, with herbs and bean sprouts topping everything. It’s common to have sliced cucumbers mixed in as well.
Bun mang vit
Bun mang vit is a type of Vietnamese duck noodle soup, usually using bamboo shoots. It’s relatively easy to make for families and can be garnished with shredded cabbage, thin yellow onion slices, and with some spiced fish sauce.
Cellophane noodles
Cellophane noodles are used in several dishes, in Vietnamese cooking and otherwise. Chances are you’ve probably seen these at your local grocery stores or Toronto Vietnamese restaurant. They’re very common in a variety of Asian dishes.
Cao lau
Cao lau is a central Vietnam favourite. It pulls together a variety of colors and textures, usually based in a pork and shrimp-based broth. Thick turmeric noodles are used, alongside lettuce, tender shrimp, crushed peanuts, and sesame-freckled rice crackers.
Bun cha ca
Bun cha ca is a rice vermicelli soup with fried fishcakes. It’s usually seasoned with rock sugar, fish sauce, kosher salt, mushroom seasoning, tamarind concentrate, annatto oil, and any other number of ingredients.
Hu tieu
With a Vietnamese influence, hu tieu actually has an origin in Chinese-Cambodian cuisine. Traditionally consisting of rice noodles in a pork broth, you will find it oftentimes seasoned with Vietnam garden herbs.
Bun oc
Bun oc is a type of noodle dish in Vietnamese cuisine known to be served with snails. This dish embodies the influence of French cooking on Vietnamese foods. For a period of time, Vietnam was a French colony – hence the mixing of French-inspired snails with the homegrown noodles.
Sup mi
Sup mi is a Vietnamese-Chinese noodle soup made from yellow wheat noodles. Chinese immigrants into Vietnam brought a more traditional version of this recipe with them and it wasn’t long before it amalgamated with new country influences.
Bun bo hue
Bun bo hue is a type of noodle soup, prepared hot and spicy with some beef rice vermicelli featured prominently. Digging in, you’ll also notice tastes of lemongrass and pieces of pork included.
Mi quang
Mi quang is a very diverse dish and has about as much varieties to it as Vietnamese pho. In it, you’ll always find those classic wide rice noodles. Between those, there’s a minimal amount of broth and then a mix of pork chops, chicken, shrimp, vegetables, peanuts, and other ingredients.
Bun rieu
Bun rieu is served in the Red River Delta region of Vietnam, known to be a sort of rice vermicelli served in a broth derived from tomatoes and crabs. Very delicious, this is another regional delicacy.
Banh tam ca ri
Banh tam ca ri uses rice noodles in special Thai-influenced spicy chicken curry. This is a popular dish in the Ca Mau region, very much considered a specialty of the area. It is not often served outside of this district.
Mi xao gion
Mi xao gion uses deep-fried egg noodles and is topped with a mix of seafood, vegetables, and sauce. It is one of the least requested Vietnamese noodle dishes and equally underrated, internationally speaking.
Bun thit nuong
Bun thit nuong uses grilled, shredded pork and cold vermicelli noodles spread across a layer of greens, herbs, and bean sprouts. It is usually served with roasted peanuts and a small bowl of authentic nuoc cham.
Pho
Pho in Vietnamese cooking is a noodle soup usually served with thin cuts of beef and eaten topped with herbs like basil, mint, lime, and bean sprouts. When you hear people talk about ‘Vietnamese soup’, pho is almost always what they’re talking about. It is Toronto’s favourite Vietnamese meal.
Banh hoi
Banh hoi uses thin noodles woven into bundles and then topped with chopped scallions. This is usually served alongside a meat dish of some kind, complementing a serving of protein with quality carbs.
Banh canh
Thick noodles are used in this thick tapioca and rice soup, usually made from a simple broth. Oftentimes pork, crab, chicken, shrimp, spring onions, and fresh onions are mixed in, creating something truly extraordinary in a bowl.
When you browse Vietnamese cookbooks, recipes, or go to a Vietnamese restaurant, noodles usually are featured as the primary carb on the menu. Depending on what your diet is, this approach to carb eating in Vietnamese cuisine is worth noting. A lot of Vietnamese foods focus on vegetables, herbs, and broths, rather than the noodles themselves. The noodles are there however to help retain heat in a dish, add some carbs and filling, and to add to the warm, comforting nature of a lot of these dishes.
If you don’t know where to start in exploring Vietnamese food, we always say choose pho. With varieties galore, pho is Canada’s favourite dish from Vietnamese cuisine. There are near endless options when it comes to pho customizations, including keto, vegan, and vegetarian varieties. Other noodle dishes from Vietnamese cooking haven’t quite caught on unfortunately. Many restaurants have derived varieties of pho from other noodle dishes on this menu, amalgamating different recipes and broths to create some truly unique dinner possibilities.
Never tried Vietnamese before? Drop by TorontoPHO today to have your first experience. Authentically prepared Vietnamese-style noodles wrapped in delicious menu items like pho and more.
