 | The joy of eating in Vietnam: fresh, healthy and tasty food | | | | | Riding a scooter through the streets of Hanoi in Vietnam is one of those things I’ve always wanted to do but was too afraid to attempt. Patrick Radden Keefe’s 2017 New Yorker profile of Anthony Bourdain described it thusly, “Bourdain told me that the only way to see Hanoi was on the back of a scooter: ‘To be anonymous, another helmeted figure in the middle of a million little dramas and comedies happening on a million bikes moving through this amazing city – every second is pure joy.’” And pure joy is how I would describe my recent conversation with Thanh Huynh, a Vietnamese travel and food expert who, along with his business partner Tuan Pham, has created a food-focused itinerary that celebrates Vietnam’s diverse cuisine and culture. The “Vietnam for Foodies” trip for Elsewhere, a travel planning company owned by Lonely Planet, concentrates on the sights, sounds and tastes of Vietnam, meeting farmers and cooks and local families along the way. Read on to learn more about Thanh's background and this one-of-a-kind trip. | | | | | Director, Newsletter Content | | | | | Eat, learn, repeat on this food-focused trip through Vietnam, created by local expert by Thanh Huynh – itinerary highlights below |  | Cruise less-touristed sections of Hạ Long Bay | | | | | | | Hop on a Vespa. On your first night in Saigon, you’ll climb on the back of a scooter and head into the city center to taste the diverse flavors of the market, like a Chinese roasted duck and a French baguette. | | | | | Go deep into the Mekong Delta. Enter Bến Tre Province and island-hop on a small-boat tour, which includes a stop at an artisan workshop and lunch with a local farmer family. | | | | | Take the slow train to Huế. This rail journey is among the most beautiful in Southeast Asia. Enjoy coastal and rural views and buy snacks from vendors who hop on along the way. | | | | | Spend the day (and night) on Hạ Long Bay. Cruise the glorious waters in the less-touristy area of Lan Ha Bay and take in stunning scenery. Kayak into a sea cave and sip cocktails while the sun sets. | | | | | Enjoy a meal with a Hanoi family. On your last night dine en famille and savor some chả cá, a freshwater fish marinated in a slew of fragrant spices that's a specialty of the city. | | | 9 delicious days in Vietnam | If you've been looking for a reason to visit Vietnam this winter, consider joining Thanh's expertly designed group adventure. | | Explore markets and taste specialities from local food vendors | | | | | Vietnam is long and narrow, stretching along the coast of the South China Sea. | | Fly into Saigon, out of Hanoi, train from Da Nang to Hué and a luxe overnight cruise | | Stay in small, family-owned boutique hotels with an emphasis on Vietnamese design | | Cycling through fruit orchards in Bến Tre, touring Há»™i An, fishing the Thu Bon River | | | This new book from Lonely Planet contains expert insights revealing the heart of Vietnam – the food, coffee and cafe culture, wildlife, nature, history and most importantly, the people. | | | Spend some time getting to know about Thanh Huynh, local expert and lifelong champion of Vietnam’s culture. | | | | Food, family and comfort are the essence of Vietnamese cuisine | | | | | When did you first get the travel bug? | I was born and raised in Vietnam. When I was 18, I just said to my family, “I’ll travel.” My family at that time was like, “What does that mean? Traveling?” And I said it means I put some of my clothes in a bag and I’m leaving. | | | Amazing! Where did you go? | That is when I traveled all over Vietnam. Then later I decided to move to France and started working in hospitality. The last hotel job I had there was being on the opening team of the Mandarin Oriental in Paris. I was totally convinced by the philosophy of the brand, the personalized service. | | | | | It’s smart to have some Vietnamese đồng on hand to pay food vendors you may encounter. | | | Then you moved back to Vietnam? | Yes. I thought the country had huge potential for tourism, especially in terms of food. You can travel 14 days from North to South Vietnam and not eat the same food every day. I’m very lucky being born into a foodie family, they cooked all the time. We recently hosted a home-cooked feast for 350 people. I was in charge of the sauces. This is our tradition. | | | Why do you think Vietnam is such a great foodie destination? | It’s family food, comfort food. My family is originally from the north, and when I go home I immediately go to the local place for a bowl of phở. This is the right time to talk about Vietnamese food. People [here] are totally foodies without knowing – it’s in our DNA. | | | | | “The simplicity of the ingredients in the North is very subtle, while in the South it’s a more complex combination of cuisines.” | | | What is specifically Vietnamese in terms of ingredients? | Like the French, we do have terroir in Vietnam. The rice from the Mekong Delta [for example], people will pay three times more to get that specific rice from a particular village. The same with teas from the north. It’s all very unique, but there hasn’t been good communication about this aspect of Vietnam. | | | How would you characterize the food? | It’s fusion. In Saigon, there’s a quintessential spring roll with jicama that was brought in from Mexico, Chinese sausage and sweet Thai basil. You can only find this dish in Saigon. There’s also Cantonese dim sum, but with fermented soy from the north of Vietnam instead of the usual soy sauce and vinegar. This is diversity. There is such a mix of cultures; it’s very blended. | | | Is it ever a little too much food? | When my friends come to visit, we eat a lot, but still get hungry. You’re not ever overly full because Vietnamese food is very light, very healthy. And always fresh. | | | This email was sent to you by: | Lonely Planet Publications Ltd. | 1101 Red Ventures Drive, Fort Mill, SC 29707 | | | |
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