Vietnamese dishes explained
Bun bo Hue: the spicy beef noodle soup from central Vietnam
Bun bo Hue is a spicy beef noodle soup from central Vietnam. The lemongrass and shrimp paste broth, thick noodles, toppings and how it differs from pho.
Guides
Guides linked to Lai Rai
Plain-English guides on Vietnamese dishes, snacks and sweets, the Vietnamese pantry, coffee and kitchen tools, and visiting Lai Rai, written alongside this independent guide.
Latest guides
Vietnamese dishes explained
Pho: Vietnam's noodle soup explained
Pho is a Vietnamese noodle soup of spiced broth, flat rice noodles and beef or chicken. What goes in, Hanoi vs Saigon style, how to say it and how to eat it.
Visiting Lai Rai
What to order at Lai Rai: the snacks and ice creams
The Lai Rai menu as press describes it: three bar snacks and seven ice creams and sorbets. What each item is, why the list changes, and why no prices appear.
Vietnamese dishes explained
Vietnamese food: the dishes and flavors to know
Vietnamese food balances fresh herbs, fish sauce, lime, chili and sugar. The main dishes, the three regional styles and how a shared meal works, explained plainly.