Banh goi
Asia's top tucker is more often than not found on the streets. Swish restaurants have a crack at dressing up gutter grub, but you can't take the street out of streetfood.
I picked me up some Banh goi in District 1 yesterday. This oriental take on a Cornish pasty - or is a Cornish pasty an anglo-saxon take on Banh goi... hmm? let's assume they both evolved independently - is lighter than its Cornish cousin. Banh goi is an ideal nibbling companion as you grouse around the swanky shops of Saigon.
You can find this anytime-of-day snack all over town. Mine came served in an ingenious little snack pocket made of crumpled up magazine advertisement pages with a bag of sweet chili dipping sauce. They cost around 5,000VD a throw (US$1 = 15,700VD). The centre is filled with lightly spiced minced pork and onions. The pastry is fried to a thin crisp giving a satisfying crunchy-munch.
Admittedly I have never seen this deep-fried delicacy in any fancy Vietnamese diners. Maybe posh chefs have a heart after all. I mean, how could you eat this off a shiny plate with a knife and fork and a chilled glass of Chardonnay in front of you? Yuk - No thank you. Keep street food where it and you belong, in the gutter.
Hmmm ..... why does this blog feels so familiar?? :oP
Posted by: FatMan Seoul | April 07, 2004 at 12:50 PM
Yup - and I did the same thing in Hanoi only in print. Glad to see someone of a like mind in my old stomping ground.
Get yerself down to Chonju... food capital of Korea
Posted by: pieman | April 07, 2004 at 06:20 PM
I got here from FatMan's blog:)Mmmmmm nice meat puff there..i love viet cuisine.
Linking you in my journal too if you don't mind:)
Posted by: Min | April 07, 2004 at 11:35 PM
no problem Min. keep scoffing.
Posted by: pieman | April 08, 2004 at 04:38 AM
just wanted to say: very nice blog you have here. (found you whilst following links). hope you don't mind me adding a link to you from my own blog.
hmm... these meat puffs look delish! a little like the South East Asian curry puff perhaps? (minus the curry spices of course) ; )
Posted by: Renee | April 09, 2004 at 07:58 PM
Thanks Renee. Never had a south east asian curry puff (althought I know one or two). Thanks for the link. Will check you out asap.
Posted by: pieman | April 10, 2004 at 05:06 AM
Can you give me this Banh Goi recipe? I try this recipe for a long time now, and finally find your site. Thank a lot.
Posted by: momlovetocook | July 06, 2006 at 05:26 PM
actually is banh' wai dat.
Posted by: judy | August 16, 2008 at 11:01 AM