Vietnamese Food

Traditional Vietnamese cooking is known for its fresh ingredients, minimal use of oil, and reliance on fresh herbs, and is considered one of the healthiest cuisines worldwide. While traveling in Vietnam, I could not get enough of “Bun Thit Nuong”, rice vermicelli garnished with basil, mint, peanuts, grilled meat and spring rolls. With a splash of sauce (sweet and sour fish sauce), this dish makes for a filling and fresh meal. I have since found the recipe online and often try to replicate it at home. It’s not that hard to make, but I can’t seem to make it as yummy as the ones I ate in the country’s food stalls.

Bun Thit Nuong, my favourite dish

In our guide books and through general word of mouth, we were told that dog meat is commonly sold in Vietnam. I had made sure to learn the Vietnamese word for “dog” and looked out for it on menus (to avoid it – obviously!). In the little village of Bac Ha in northern Vietnam, I went to a tiny local place and tried to order from the strictly Vietnamese menu. I knew “bun” meant vermicelli noodles so I went for “bun cho” which I thought was noodles with beef.

When I received the dish, the dark, brown meat looked anything but appetizing. I was surrounded by hungry locals, devouring their soup bowls, so I tried not to make a scene. I put a couple of noodles in my mouth and quickly tried to swallow it. The taste was awful. After a few more attempts and after subtly throwing most of the meat to the street dogs wandering around, I quietly made my way to the waitress to pay her. I was trying not to be impolite and to hide the fact that I barely touched the meal. I left the restaurant, relieved, and slowly made my way back to my hotel. I kept repeating to myself “bun cho..., bun cho... I’m sure I’ve ordered this before, so why was it so disgusting?”. Suddenly, the truth glared down on me : it was “bun bo!” which I had eaten before... “bo” means beef but “cho” is for DOG!!! I ran up to my room to get my guide book and confirmed what I had feared – I had just ordered dog meat!!!!