MojaveDan
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I'm in Saigon right now, and I changed my choice for my favorite seafood restaurant in Vietnam just about every night since I've been here. I've traveled most of Vietnam already, and found just a handful of restaurants that I didn't like. I also believe that I have yet to taste the best that Vietnam has to offer. I haven't eaten there yet, but I already know where I am going to enjoy Vietnamese seafood even better than I've had so far.
A staple at the Ben Thanh night market in Saigon are the dozens of street restaurants that surround Cho Ben Thanh. These are not the typical street restaurants found throughout Vietnam, but very plush environments that will have you forget your dining on a street. Because it is a street restaurant, you can see everything that's going on - including the cooking. I have never seen so much detail go into cooking Vietnamese food as I had seen there last night. The aroma from the seafood and other foods being cooked was so heavenly wonderful. I kicked myself in the butt for already eating at what I thought was a pretty good seafood restaurant before I arrived at Cho Ben Thanh. Be assured that I’m dining at Ben Thanh tonight.
UPDATE: I just went to eat at the Ben Thanh night market, and my prediction was accurate. The food there was absolutely incredible (not to mention cheap). I had the best oysters that I ever had in my life. Every Vietnamese cuisine was represented there from seafood to pork, beef or chicken.
The place to go is Ben Thanh Market in Saigon after 6:00 PM on any night. |
DTD
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Fancy restaurants, I don't like many in Vietnam. I've tried many, and were disappointed most times. Most of these restaurants were more about the high prices and being able to speak/have menu in English, that they don't offer the more specialty items. Quite frankly, I find the Vietnamese restaurants in Seattle, WA, better.
I LOVE the streets restaurants, extremely cheap, and specialized to only 1 or 2 dishes that they do best, so are wonderful. Nice restaurants, though, there are a couple that I like in Ho Chi Minh. Quan An Ngon in district 1, a big place that pulled together many of the owner's favorite street vendors in the city. You'll see the original vendors-now restaurant employees, with their foods, and can see what they look like before ordering. Prices were reasonable last I was there, with a very extensive menu to choose from. Wasn't looking for seafood specifically, but I'm sure they have it.
And there was Huong Cau in Ho Chi Minh, also. Great, great food, especially got introduced to goi ngo dua, a heart of palms salad with shrimp and pork, that I just couldn't get enough of.
If you REALLY want a good dose of seafood, travel to the islands or shore cities, and eat where the locals eat. You'll have entire villages that live off of the sea, so plenty of seafood for you, there. Phu Quoc is a good island for the more resort-y, but still very undeveloped around the resorts. Hue is really good for clams and the like, I heard. |
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