Hoi An’s reputation for being one of the most touristy towns in Vietnam might put some people off a visit; and yes, the 460 tailors all squabbling for your business as you stroll through the old town can be a little relentless, and yes, $5 a night accommodation doesn’t exist. Some of the best dining, however, outside of the big cities of Hanoi and Saigon can be had here, from cheap street eats to fabulous five-star feasts. If you are looking to sample some of the finest fare Vietnam has to offer, Hoi An, danang vietnam makes for the ultimate gourmet getaway. And not only can you rampage your way through regional cuisine, you can learn to cook it too, quite often at the very place you tried it.
Bahn mi by the riverside at Mai Ca.
The latter is a sumptuous three-storey restaurant take on street food, where you can order and watch regional specialities cooked at individual “stalls” with choices including every day dishes, seafood barbecue and a brilliant section featuring the weird and wonderful – quite possibly the only place we’ve been brave enough to sample silk worms and jellyfish.
Commoners food!
The Tran family responsible for the famous Hoi An delicacy white rose have featured in many travel shows and then there’s the charming Duc, the famed chef responsible for the exceptional Mango Mango and Mango Room restaurants in town, where the food he serves tells the story of his culinary adventures through Malaysia and the Americas after fleeing vietnam as a refugee. His latest “coming home to mama’s cooking” restaurant Mai Ca opened its doors in 2012 with an affordable menu packed full of real Vietnamese family recipes; this is one of the only places in town where the seafood hotpot lives up to its price tag.
Fabulously fresh fish.
Hoi An’s speciality dishes cau lao, white rose, com ga and mi quang mi quang all originated in Quang Nam province, where most recipes were heavily influenced by the hordes of traders that lingered in town during Hoi An’s 17th century reign as the main marine silk road trading port.
The street food culture in Hoi An has actually been enriched by the impact of tourism to the town, drawing vendors from as far afield as hanoi and the backwaters of the meking detal to serve up their own specialities, which means that during a stay in Hoi An you get to sample all the best Vietnamese cuisine without the travel.
Sadly some of those vendors have become a little bit famous for their tourist pricing system, but you can avoid that with a visit to the cen tral market food hall which is filled with former street vendors all working to a fixed price system. As it’s surrounded by a bustling local market, it means you still get that local atmospheric eating experience.
Fresh market snacks.
As for international cuisine, it would take less time to list what Hoi An doesn’t have; what it does have however is some of the most outstandingly good options if you feel the need for some home comfort food, again due to the high numbers of tourists — with as many restaurants in town as tailor shops they don’t last long unless they serve consistently great food at good prices.
If we still haven’t persuaded you to mingle with the tourists in Hoi An, you could just pass through town in low season, when you’ll find no crowds, great food, lower-priced accommodation and great weather.