The level and the quality of education in Vietnam are rather high, but some students still prefer going to the USA or Europe to obtain an education. Obtaining a degree abroad always seems more prestigious for many people. It’s beneficial for both sides: the hosting country and students. The country enjoys the positive effects on its economy, whereas students get acquainted with a new culture, learn a language and get a chance to work in a prestigious company. It applies to students from all countries, not only Vietnam. But, at the same time, many tourists from around the world go to Vietnam to taste local food. You’ve probably heard about food tours, focusing on familiarizing people with national cuisine and visiting the best restaurants and cafes.
Some students consider it difficult to stop eating the food they like after relocation. Fortunately, there’s no need to do it due to multiculturalism: no matter what culture you belong to — you can always find a restaurant serving national food and live comfortably. Vietnam is known for its cuisine, so let’s find out what Vietnamese students like to eat when they are either at home or abroad. If you live in Vietnam and think of obtaining education abroad, do it. Difficulties will accompany you throughout the whole course of study, and it’s okay. You can always place an essay order online, and handle the heavy workload in college fast. Read the article till the end to see what other Vietnamese students eat when studying abroad and start getting ready for a new life.
1. Banh Mi (Baguette)
Stop thinking that a Baguette is a French food only. Vietnamese baguette is a short piece of bread with a crisp crust and soft inside. All street food restaurants serving Vietnamese foods have this baguette on the menu. We used to perceive it as a snack or something like that, whereas Vietnamese people use a baguette as a meal: they add some ingredients to it and use it as a meal. It’s up to each person to choose an ingredient. The baguette was introduced to Vietnam in the mid 19th century by the French. Local people transformed the recipe, and now the whole country can’t imagine its life without Banh Mi.
2. Noodle Soup
What can be better than a cup of warm soup after a hard day at college? Imagine that you’re a college student having completely no free time to cook food. All you manage to do in the morning is to pack your bags and drink a cup of tea. Listening to lectures and writing notes the whole day long is exhausting, so you go to the nearest Vietnamese restaurant and order a noodle soup. People in Vietnam adore noodles and can eat them several times a day. The noodles in soup are usually made of rice, although there are ones made of wheat and eggs. This soup is also known as Pho. Besides noodles, the soup may contain either chicken or beef meat.
3. Bun Cha
This traditional meal is made of noodles and fried pork. Experts think that it originates from Hanoi. These Vietnamese meatballs are very tasty and hearty. All food tours to Vietnam never forget to make tourists acquainted with Bun Cha. Meatballs and noodle salad are perfect ways to eat well. Students often start their meal with Pho and cook Bun Cha to forget about being hungry. If a person cooks Bun Cha at home, they’re free to add any vegetables they like and make a little difference.
4. Nem Nuong
If we try to translate this word combination from Vietnamese, we’ll see that it means grilled sausage. In reality, Nem Nuong is grilled pork covered in lemongrass skewers. To cook this dish, one needs to mince pork, create sausages from meat, add seasonings to one’s taste, and grill. It’s impossible to create an easier dish than this one. Another advantage of Nem Nuong is the opportunity to serve it differently. Some students prefer eating them separately as snacks, others create rolls and eat sausages with noodles.
5. Cao Lau
Cao Lau or pork on noodles originates from Hoi An, a city in the central province of Vietnam. Again, the main ingredients are rice noodles, greens, meat, beans, and some herbs. Rice noodles are the bed for other ingredients. The slices of pork, beans, and herbs are laid on top. Not all rice noodles are suitable for Cao Lau: you need to cook them according to the special methods to make this dish delicious. Cao Lau is a rather high-calorie meal, so no wonder why students like eating it every day. This dish was served only in Hoi An several years ago, but nowadays, it’s possible to enjoy it around Vietnam and even abroad. It’s considered one of the best Vietnamese culinary treasures, and any student will explain why.