5 things you should know about Vietnamese food

1 HOW DO YOU SAY ‘PHO’? Pho, pictured below, is the national noodle soup of Vietnam. It was most likely a derivative of pot au feu, that hearty beef stew which the French occupiers brought to Vietnam in the 19th century. Hence the name. Say “fur” and you’ll be fine.

2 THE MOVABLE FEAST Street-food vendors will focus on their speciality such as pho or springrolls. Find out who does the best of each dish you want to try — either by asking (see point 3) or watching what everybody else does — and eat accordingly.

3 DON’T BE SHY TO ASK Say you’ve ordered Bánh Xèo, the traditional pancake, and the waitress has brought you a huge bowl of fresh herbs, sheets of rice paper, sauce in a dish and pancakes … what to do? Ask the staff to show you how to eat it all.

4 HOW MUCH IS THAT DOGGY IN THE WINDOW? Dogmeat is still regarded as a delicacy — with certain medicinal powers — by some people. It is also expensive, I am told, and you are thus unlikely to eat it unless you actively go looking for it.

5 DRINK THE ‘CAPHE’ Vietnam is the world’s second-largest coffee producer after Brazil. You’ll find it served hot or cold, usually with lashings of condensed milk. For a sweet treat, have a glass of “egg coffee” (ca phe trung )—a dark coffee topped with egg yolk combined with condensed milk and beaten into a froth.