Bun cha is the quintessence of Vietnam street cuisine. Visitors can easily find bun cha in Hanoi and other big cities in Vietnam, from small street vendors to high-quality restaurants.

It is known as one of the signature dishes of Hanoi. However bun cha in Ho Chi Minh City with its distinctive taste also makes diners happy.

Bun cha is a a great combination of grilled pork, pork meatballs, fresh rice noodles, herbs, and a dish of broth with pickled vegetables that can be used as a dipping sauce. The people in the south changed the seasoning to match local tastes. 

A set of Bun cha in Saigon.

The pork is seasoned, marinated and grilled over smoldering coals, usually kept going using a simple hand fan, creating a special flavor. A hot dipping sauce decides the good or bad taste of the dish. The dipping sauce is made from fish sauce, sugar, vinegar, chopped chili and garlic but the taste depends on each restaurant and different localities.

After four months of social distancing, Ho Chi Minh City is recovering and the streets are getting busier. Enjoying Bun cha on every street or in a high-quality restaurant brings good feelings to a Sai Gon diner. 

By Nguyen Luan
Translated by Nguyen Tuoi