Vietnam has seen remarkable development in recent years. Many Vietnamese people work in Nagoya, and the number of Vietnamese restaurants, which used to be only a few, is increasing one after another.

In addition, Vietnamese cuisine is mainly composed of rice-flour dishes such as pho and spring rolls. This is one of the main characteristics of Vietnamese cuisine, which makes it easy for the Japanese palate to enjoy!

In this issue, we asked a Vietnamese resident of Nagoya to tell us about "really good Vietnamese restaurants"! We will also introduce the history and culture of Vietnam.

What kind of country is Vietnam?

For those who know and those who don't, let's review Vietnam again!

Vietnam is a country in Southeast Asia that occupies the eastern rim of the Indochina Peninsula, between India and China. Its official name is the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, and its official language is Vietnamese.

It is a very long and narrow socialist republic with a land area of approximately 1,600 km from the northern to the southern tip and a width from east to west that narrows to 50 km at its narrowest point.

The capital is Hanoi, although many people are mistaken because they often hear the name Ho Chi Minh City. The northern part is Hanoi, the capital and political center, the central part is Da Nang, known as a resort area, and the southern part is the commercial city of Ho Chi Minh City. The northern part is the capital, Hanoi; the central part, Da Nang, is known as a resort city; and the southern part, Ho Chi Minh City, is the commercial center of the country.

A restaurant where you can enjoy classic to deep Vietnamese cuisine
"PHO NGON"

This time, we will be taught by Mr. Ngok and Ms. Han, a couple who have been living in Japan for 5 years! They both work as web marketers at Alive Inc. of which Life Designs is a part of.

The two of them are very gourmet, so we asked them about the delicious Vietnamese restaurant. They said, "It's in Osu, so let's go!"

PHO NGON is located on Higashi Nio Dori, Osu Shopping Arcade. It is about a 5 minute walk from Kamimaezu Station. There is a shop when you go up the 2nd floor of the multi-tenant building. There is a signboard so you can easily find it!

This time I visited the Osu store, but there is also a store in Sakae.

Inside the store where you can enjoy the feeling of traveling to Vietnam

When you go inside, you will find a stylish store with an Asian taste that is coordinated mainly with Vietnamese miscellaneous goods. Bamboo is used for the ceiling and pillars, so you will feel like you have visited the site.

The lanterns hanging here and there are also very cute. It reminds me of the Lantern Festival in Hoi An, a World Heritage city.

On the day we visited the shop, it was full of 100% Vietnamese people except us! It can be seen that it is gaining support from Vietnamese living in Nagoya.

A staple of Vietnamese cuisine, fresh spring rolls
New Year's hospitality dish?

I left the order to Mr. Ngoc and Ms. Han!

Ms. Han: "First, let's order fresh spring rolls, which Japanese people love. Even if you've never eaten Vietnamese food, you should know it."

2 fresh spring rolls from 550 yen

- Do you often eat fresh spring rolls in Vietnam?

Mr. Ngoc:"Actually, in Vietnam, we don’t eat it very often on a daily basis. Especially at home, they are made as a hospitality dish during the Lunar New Year, called Tet. Fried spring rolls are more commonly eaten than fresh spring rolls."

What a surprise! This was very unexpected. The stereotype of Vietnamese food as a staple = spring rolls was suddenly shattered.

Still, fresh spring rolls are delicious and I love them very much. PHO NGON 's fresh spring rolls are packed with fillings. The homemade sauce is also excellent.

Breakfast loved in Vietnam

Ms. Han:"Next, I'll introduce Vietnamese breakfast! Xoi xeo and Vietnamese pork ham called Gio Lua are staples for breakfast. It's very nostalgic! I used to eat it often when I lived in Vietnam. ”

Xoi xeo 600 yen

This is a yellow rice cake called Xoi xeo. In Vietnam, it is sold on the roadside in the morning. Mung beans and fried onions are placed on top of very chewy glutinous rice.

At first glance, the amount may seem small, but since it is sticky rice, this amount is enough to fill you up. When you put it in your mouth, the fragrant fried onion and glutinous rice are a perfect match. This is delicious!

Gio Lua 500 yen

Mr. Ngoc:"Have you ever eaten Vietnamese ham? This is also very delicious. I think it's probably completely different from Japanese ham. Besides, Vietnamese ham is an essential ingredient for cooking Vietnamese dishes. I often use it for banh mi and pho."

It was also very delicious! It has a firm texture and is seasoned with just the right amount of salt. There is no peculiarity at all.

Ms. Han: "When it comes to Vietnamese breakfast staples, you can't miss banh mi. Recently, the number of banh mi specialty stores has increased in Nagoya. I used to buy banh mi every day when I was a student. In Vietnam, one stick. It's around 50-100 yen, so it's easy on your wallet."

Banh Mi 550 yen

PHO NGON 's Banh Mi is a crunchy, fragrant French bread with plenty of coriander. In addition, the ham and pate are a perfect match. I also love banh mi, so I'm jealous of Vietnamese people who can eat banh mi every morning...

Actually the most popular number one? !
Bun Bo Hue, a specialty noodle dish from the central city of Hue

Ms. Han:"Next is our favorite food, Bun Bo Hue. There aren't many places in Nagoya where you can eat Bun Bo Hue, so please try it! ”

Bun Bo Hue 900 yen

-What kind of dish is Bun Bo Hue?

Ms. Han: "Bung Bo Hue is a specialty noodle dish from Hue, a city in central Vietnam. It is filled with rice flour noodles and beef, and is eaten with lemon juice.

It is one of the favorite dishes of Vietnamese people and is eaten not only in Hue but also in other cities. I love this dish too. ”

Speaking of Vietnamese noodle dishes, I thought that pho was the one, so I learned about the existence of Bun Bo Hue for the first time. The noodles are thick, so it feels like Japanese udon. The spiciness that comes slowly is irresistible.