There are many kinds of cakes in Vietnam’s cuisine, from the meat version to the vegan one. But today, we want to share with you the Banh Xeo crepes in this article. “Food is the heart of culture”. Do you know food can “talk”? To discover the culture of any country, it’s the shortest way. Thus, in near future, you are considering traveling to Vietnam or if you’ve arrived in this gorgeous city, this article may help you to reach the Vietnamese soul then.
Thanks to tropical and natural conditions, Vietnam is known as an agricultural country. So Vietnamese cuisine also specializes in this local tradition.
Besides Banh Mi (Vietnamese baguette Sandwich), Pho (Vietnamese soup), Com Tam (Broken Rice), Xoi (Sticky rice), Bun Bo Hue (Hue style beef noodles), Bun Dau Mam Tom (Noodles with tofu and fermented shrimp paste) … one of the best Vietnam specialties is Vietnamese Banh Xeo Crepes. That’s a dish that should be enjoyed when you arrive in Vietnam.
And exactly it’s Banh Xeo Vietnamese crepes if you are looking for a perfect made-from-rice meal.
Traditionally, Banh Xeo was cooked by Vietnamese at traditional family events or on weekends. The happiest thing is sitting next to the stove and waiting for the first Banh Xeo on cold and rainy days for Vietnamese children.
Vietnamese Banh Xeo crepe
First, what is the Vietnamese Banh Xeo crepe?
Banh Xeo Vietnamese crepe also known by other names as Banh Xeo is a favorite and very popular dish in Vietnam.
It is a crepe made of rice flour, commonly stuffed with whole shrimp, bean sprouts, and thinly sliced pork; and can be folded into a half-circle shape or pan-fried into a circle shape.
In Vietnamese, actually, “Banh” means cake, and “xeo” means sizzling. When people pour the flour mixture into a hot pan, it will make a sizzling sound. That’s the origin of the name “Banh Xeo”.
You can wrap it with a rice paper roll filled with different types of raw vegetables or just eat only Banh Xeo. And Banh Xeo is eaten with the dish with mixed fish sauce.
Some foreign customers said that Banh Xeo looks like a “salad roll” with messy ingredients but its tastes delicious. “Weird” raw vegetables made some others enjoy. Although even fish sauce is a bit kind of smelly, others still love mixed fish sauce as a favorite sauce in their country.
Let’s try Banh Xeo in any area you’ll stop by if you have a chance to travel throughout Vietnam. Believe me, they will make you surprised and leave a strong impression on your mind. Banh Xeo has many different versions with a variety of ways to eat but still delicious and special then.
Due to different regions in Vietnam, how different Banh Xeo crepe is?
Although they are still being called “Banh Xeo” this dish is varied by region.
As far as you know, Vietnam that a beautiful country that is divided into 3 main parts: North Side, Middle (Central) Side, and South Side. And people vary their cooking styles, and spices because of the geographical differences. So let’s try Vietnamese Banh Xeo crepes! It can have many different tastes and recipes.
In the South Side of Vietnam, especially the Mekong Delta area and Ho Chi Minh City, Banh Xeo is bigger than anywhere in Vietnam.
Banh Xeo is fried in a very big cast iron fan by the cook. For that reason, Banh Xeo has a size as big as a large dish and is yellow. Adding a little turmeric powder to the rice flour is the secret to creating perfect yellow color.
Moreover, not only egg but also coconut milk is added to the rice flour to make it super delicious. The main ingredients are mung beans, bean sprouts, pork, and shrimp.
The fish sauce is a bit sour and sweet. Also, a dish of mixed vegetables is provided as an accompaniment.
In the Central side of Vietnam, we make a smaller size crepe so Banh Xeo is cooked on clay molds.
Banh Xeo in there is a little bit different from those in South Side about the ingredients. In the flour mixture, there isn’t turmeric powder. Sometimes people just add eggs to that mixture. Therefore, sometimes Banh Xeo has a yellow (with an egg base) or white color.
Additionally, locals in some provinces in the Middle side usually use moistened rice paper instead of wrapping Banh Xeo with vegetables. You can try to feel the taste of soft moistened rice paper and crispy Banh Xeo in just one bite.
You will be surprised. Eating Banh Xeo and rice paper will be an unforgettable experience for the first time.
During the family party and reunion at weekends or on rainy days, people in the North of Vietnam also prepare Banh Xeo for their family. But the cake lasts crispy much longer if they don’t add coconut milk.
In their areas, served vegetables are chosen from the popular vegetables. Well, Banh Xeo in Vietnam is the best dish that can be combined with any kind of vegetables in Vietnam.
If you arrive in Vietnam, believe me, you must give a try Banh Xeo that the best dish in Vietnam!
Places that sell the authentic Vietnamese Banh Xeo crepes in Ho Chi Minh City?
Ho Chi Minh City, which gathered many people from different areas in Vietnam, is the most special city. It’s an obvious fact.
Fortunately, each of the local people integrated into the new culture and brought their own culture. So, Ho Chi Minh City is the place that has all versions of Vietnamese Banh Xeo listed above.
To discover Vietnamese Banh Xeo, there are many ways. You can try all kinds of Banh Xeo by booking a Saigon Food Tour to travel around the city, just in one or two days. Or you can use the traditional way that even just rent a bike and enjoy traveling yourself or you gather in a group of friends and discover new things.
There are many ways to enjoy Banh Xeo, too. You can find it in many traditional markets or alleys. Also in some flea markets, you can try Banh Xeo.
Banh Xeo can be served all day, for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You can easily choose the time to try them.
However, some famous places sell Vietnamese Banh Xeo crepes you should try the first:
Banh Xeo 46A
Address: 46A Dinh Cong Trang S.t, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
The address number of the food stall is its name. Famous for one of the longest traditional Banh Xeo selling, Banh Xeo 46A is best known for the traditional taste of Banh Xeo.
Unfortunately, there is “Banh Xeo rush hour” and you may have to be in a line waiting for a long time. So, please be patient to wait and give it a try, it won’t let you down.
I find that it’s also a test of your patience. To try one of the best Banh Xeo in the world, who says that can’t wait for a “lifetime”?
Banh Xeo Muoi Xiem
Address 1: 204 Nguyen Trai Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Address 2: 213 Bis Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Not only in Vietnam but also in some other countries or USA area, Muoi Xiem is also a brand very famous of Banh Xeo. This brand has achieved many honor awards in many international and national food festivals.
Therefore, many Vietnamese customers and foreigners choose to enjoy Banh Xeo in this restaurant. The special feature of this restaurant is that in addition to enjoying the traditional Banh Xeo, you can make your pancakes according to your recipe with mushrooms. This is a perfect choice for vegetarians.
An La Ghien
Address 1: 74 Suong Nguyet Anh Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Address 2: 100 Cao Thang Street, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City
An La Ghien is also a perfect suggestion for foreign tourists who wanna try different Banh Xeo fillings, especially vegetarians. At a reasonable price, this restaurant offers diners more than 10 different types of fillings.
Banh Xeo Mien Tay
Address: 31/6 Hoang Hoa Tham Street, Tan Binh District, Ho Chi Minh City
A special version of Mekong Delta is Banh Xeo Mien Tay.
Let’s feel the smell of fresh vegetables when trying a beautiful yellow and big-size Banh Xeo stuffed with many different ingredients. It’s never too expensive to just be in Ho Chi Minh City and explore Mekong Delta culture but not have to move far away.
Banh Xeo Ba Hai
Address: 64 Nguyen Trong Tuyen Street, Phu Nhuan District, Ho Chi Minh City
With the accompanying vegetables, Banh Xeo Ba Hai is more special than other places. The restaurant uses raw vegetables – those collected directly from forests instead of using common vegetables as other places.
To serve vegetarian diners, the restaurant has 12 different types of Banh Xeo
Some advice on the way to discover Banh Xeo taste for you:
Firstly, you need to try as much as possible to feel how tasty they are because every version has its special taste.
Secondly, when they are hot, better to eat Banh Xeo.
Thirdly, imagine you are sitting in a cozy restaurant and watching the chef prepare hot Banh Xeo. How fascinating!
Lastly, it’s the fact that you can eat well with very little money in Vietnam. Most dishes and Banh Xeo in Vietnam have reasonable prices for you to enjoy. That’s why don’t worry about the price when choosing Banh Xeo restaurant here.
Final sayings,
Although different from fish sauce, ingredients or served vegetables, thousands of foreign visitors enjoy all Vietnamese Banh Xeo versions.
Do you know a secret? People love having meals in a cozy environment and both delicious dishes, Vietnamese people are no exception.
Let’s find a small food stall with friendly hosts if you want to taste a real Vietnamese environment.
You can have a fun time talking to, watching them, enjoy Banh Xeo while listening to their daily conversations. That’s the taste of Vietnamese cuisine and the sound of Vietnamese life.
Wish you have a nice trip and can discover all the delicious dishes in Vietnam! Do you want to enjoy the food in Vietnam but don’t have much time? Let’s check the award-winning food tour in Ho Chi Minh of the Ho Chi Minh Food Tour.