A culinary writer in Australia commented that the vermicelli dish is rich and contains “a whole world of flavors and ingredients” in one bowl.
Editor Ben Groundwater in Australia wrote an article at the end of March praising the popular Vietnamese noodle dish. Groundwater is a writer and journalist with 20 years of experience, currently the main travel writer for the Sydney Morning Herald.
In the first lines introducing the dish, Ben describes vermicelli noodles as having a rich, slightly spicy taste, mixed with square pieces of blood. He was “surprised” when vermicelli noodles contained all kinds of flavors but fit into one bowl.
The dish has broth made from simmered pork bones, tomatoes and crab paste. The vermicelli used is thin, with a variety of toppings such as tomatoes, crab cakes, blood, pork trotters, and tofu. The indispensable side dish is vegetables including grated morning glory, chopped banana flowers, bean sprouts, perilla, and basil. Ben said some local diners often add spices such as vinegar, shrimp paste, lemon, and chili. This dish can be eaten at every meal of the day from breakfast, to lunch or dinner, providing enough energy and nutrients.
The culinary writer also learned about the origin of vermicelli noodles. Most of the locals he interviewed said the dish originated in the northern Red River Delta provinces, then became popular in many places and each place has a variation.
When learning about Vietnamese cuisine, Ben realized that Northern-style vermicelli noodles often have simple ingredients including crab noodles, tofu, cartilage ribs, and snails. Some northern localities also have crab vermicelli served with pork lolot rolls. The Southern-style noodle dish has a variety of toppings, including pork, pig’s feet, blood, crab cakes, and dried shrimp paste.
Ben Groundwater said that in Australia there are also some vermicelli shops owned by Vietnamese people. The writer suggests that diners can try this dish at Pho Song Huong restaurant in Bankstown, Sydney. In Melbourne, the recommended restaurant is Bun Cha Co Dao in Footscray.
Ben said he once enjoyed the Southern version of vermicelli noodles in Ho Chi Minh City. He suggests that tourists can visit the noodle shop on Nguyen Canh Chan Street, Cau Kho Ward, District 1.
Vietnamese vermicelli noodles have many times won the hearts of international diners. In July 2023, American food blogger Max McFarlin, whose YouTube channel has nearly 700,000 followers, posted a video expressing his surprise about the taste of shrimp noodle soup in Saigon. Max commented that the bowl of vermicelli had clear water and a light taste, different from the broth of vermicelli vermicelli he tried when he came to Hanoi. The vermicelli bowl smells delicious from dried shrimp.