Foodie Friday: Vietnamese Food Beyond Pho
Celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month 2024 with our calendar of live events, recommendations, and on-demand content!
Dive into Houston's bustling food scene and the many culinary traditions the Bayou City can boast! In our Foodie Fridays, Asia Society Texas' team shares favorite restaurants, traditions from diverse cultural backgrounds, and more — stay hungry!
Meet Phuong Ha
Phuong Ha is the Education and Outreach Program Manager at Asia Society Texas. In her free time, she enjoys binge-reading webcomics at home, finding a nice cafe to write in, and occasionally baking treats for loved ones. Though she enjoys baking from time to time, she prefers indulging in dishes cooked by others and trying out new restaurants.
Why I'm focusing on Vietnamese food
Growing up Vietnamese American, I was super fortunate to have not one but two talented cooks in the family. In her hometown of Kon Tum, Vietnam, my grandmother was a sought-after cook for all celebrations, including weddings and birthday parties. My mom was always interested in cooking and eventually learned from her mother and anyone who was willing to teach her. Once in the States, my mom worked many jobs — including, for a few years, taking over a Vietnamese restaurant serving homestyle meals. While she is no longer working in the restaurant industry, cooking has remained her passion, allowing me to continue devouring many wonderful dishes from Vietnam.
While Vietnamese food has definitely become more prominent here in Houston, I've found that many of my friends and colleagues have tried only phở or bánh mì. I want to give some love to other yummy dishes, and hope you'll give them a try!
What I'm currently enjoying
Cơm tấm, which translates to "broken rice," is a plate with a little bit of everything on it! The filling dish is typically made up of fractured rice grains, grilled pork, bì (thin strands of pork seasoned with rice powder), chả trứng (an omelet and meatloaf hybrid), scallion oil, and nước mắm pha (a tangy fish sauce mixture). This is a labor-intensive dish with many components, but the flavors combine beautifully. It's perfect for those who enjoy trying multiple things at once.
For the ambitious cook, check out the recipe above from Helen Le, a cookbook author and YouTube personality from Da Nang, Vietnam.
Try it at: Thuận Kiều Cơm Tấm
What I find myself returning to again and again
It’s delicious and light... it’s bánh cuốn! Bánh cuốn is a dish made up of bánh ướt (rice noodle sheets/rolls). Like a salad, this dish can be customized to your liking with your protein of choice, fresh herbs, fried shallot, and nước mắm pha.
Try it at: Thiên Thanh
Dishes I'm looking forward to trying
Reserved for more special occasions, bò bảy món is an extravagant seven-course beef meal that I have yet to try. Whenever I go out to eat with friends and family, I always love ordering different dishes and trying each other's food. Bò bảy món, which features beef cooked and served in seven different ways, guarantees that I'd get to sample many items in one sitting. I'm looking forward to trying it soon.
Here's what a typical bò bảy món menu looks like:
- Bò bít tết: Thinly sliced beefsteak served with a salad
- Bò nướng sa tê: Raw beef slices marinated in lemongrass to be cooked on grill
- Bò nhúng dấm: Raw slices of beef to be dipped in a vinegared broth
- Bò nướng mỡ chài: Broiled sausages made of ground beef wrapped in caul fat casing
- Bò lá lốt: Grilled ground beef wrapped in a lolot leaf
- Bò chả đùm: Steamed ground beef patties served with shrimp chips
- Cháo bò: Beef congee/soup
Try it at: Saigon Pagolac
A dish that excites me is
Viet-Cajun crawfish is something my loved ones and I look forward to every year. A product of Vietnamese folks living along the Gulf Coast, Viet-Cajun crawfish blends Cajun/Creole seasonings with Vietnamese herbs and spices makes this seafood dish so flavorful and addictive.
Aside from simply being delicious, what excites me about this dish is how it is now influencing chefs in Vietnam, who have started importing Cajun and Creole seasonings from the U.S. to cook prawns and other seafood for their own take on the tastes found in Viet-Cajun crawfish.
Try it at: Crawfish and Noodles
My wildcard recommendation is
I have to go with chè (a dessert beverage or soup) — specifically chè trôi nước/chè xôi nước!
There are dozens and dozens of types of chè thanks to the variety of ingredients such as beans, fruits, jellies, and more. Chè trôi nước/chè xôi nước is one of my favorites because it tastes like a warm hug. The name translates to "floating dessert in the water": it's made of glutinous rice filled with mung bean paste, and the water is actually a delicious ginger syrup. Folks can enjoy this hot dessert with coconut milk and sesame seeds on top. If you enjoy mochi and boba textures, you'll love this dessert!
Try it at: Đức Phương Thạch Chè
There's more!
Check out the full list of Foodie Friday recommendations:
About APAH Month at Asia Society Texas
Beginning in 2021, Asia Society Texas has celebrated Asian Pacific American Heritage Month with the Houston community and beyond through a curated calendar of events for 31 ways to celebrate over the 31 days of May. Spotlighting the traditions, talents, and contributions of Asians and Asian Americans, the calendar highlights the month's key Asia Society programming, providing a platform to showcase local artists, performers, educators, and leaders who contribute to the vibrant, multicultural tapestry of Houston while also featuring staff recommendations for our favorite music, books, movies, and more by Asian and Asian American creatives.
At Asia Society Texas, APAH Month is an opportunity to celebrate and honor Asians and Asian Americans and to uplift their stories to a broader audience as part of our goal to inspire our larger community to better understand one another through culture, conversation, and connection. For information about sponsoring APAH Month and other projects like this one, please contact Saleena Jafry at [email protected] or 713.496.9939.
Presenting Sponsor of APAH Month at Asia Society Texas
Sponsors of APAH Month
Comcast
Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP
Media Sponsor
APAH Month 2024 Calendar
Digital Calendar Interactive/Printable PDF
Past APAH Month Calendars
2023: Highlights | Details
2022: Highlights | Details
2021: Details
About Asia Society Texas
Asia Society Texas believes in the strength and beauty of diverse perspectives and people. As an educational institution, we advance cultural exchange by celebrating the vibrant diversity of Asia, inspiring empathy, and fostering a better understanding of our interconnected world. Spanning the fields of arts, business, culture, education, and policy, our programming is rooted in the educational and cultural development of our community — trusting in the power of art, dialogue, and ideas to combat bias and build a more inclusive society.
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