5 Native Vietnamese Foods You Must Try in Vietnam - Savour the tastes of the charming Southeast Asian nation

It is literally impossible to go a couple of blocks in Vietnam's major destinations without coming across a hungry crowd slurping bowls of steaming pho at streetside makeshift food stalls. The widely popular Vietnamese noodle soup is more than just a local dish — it is a way of life. In its basic form, the favoured traditional classic is a lovely combination of broth, rice noodles, herbs, and meat — where chicken is the popular choice, but beef is also a common substitute. Residents of Vietnam's Nam Dinh city were the first to come up with the complex, unique, yet elegantly simple bowl of goodness that is pho. Fast forward to the present, the local noodle soup dish is relished throughout Vietnam and is served at street food shacks, cafes, restaurants and even in the most high-end hotels in the country.

A short, thin, crisp-crusted, and soft, airy textured bread split lengthwise and filled with savoury ingredients — Banh mi is Vietnam's version of baguettes, and supposedly an even more delightful variation to the original baguette by the French. Banh mi is a pretty versatile local delicacy in the Southeast Asian nation and varies from region to region. However, the basic forms of ingredients — vegetables, meat and herbs and spices — are almost always included in every regional variety.

Banh xeo — it is the sizzling sound you hear as the thin layer of rice batter is poured into the hot skillet when making the eponymous Vietnamese crispy, stuffed rice pancake, which could also be identified as a crepe. The main element of the dish — the pancake, or the thick yellow batter, to be precise — is a combination of rice flour, water, turmeric and coconut milk or coconut cream. The batter is then mixed with a slew of other ingredients, including scallions, bean sprouts, shrimp, and pork or beef.

Bun cha may have its roots deeply embedded in Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam, but it is a favoured dish enjoyed throughout the Southeast Asian nation. The traditional dish features a generous presentation — a bowl of grilled pork meatballs served in a cold broth, a plate of rice noodles, and an assortment of fresh greens, all sitting on a hand-woven traditional platter.

Start your morning in Vietnam with a lovely Vietnamese soup — Bun bo hue is a popular breakfast and staple in Vietnamese cuisine, relished alike by locals and tourists to the Southeast Asian nation. The flavourful dish could be found being served at cafes and even the best restaurants in Vietnam, offered by properties such as Avani Quy Nhon Resort.