Cao Lau - Hoi An Noodles

Why Hoi An Food Tour? Enjoy Authentic Cuisine of Old Town

20 February, 2017
Vietnamese Food Culture

Hoian Food Tour is for those who are craving for the authentic dishes in the Hoian Old Town – the UNESCO World Heritage since 1999. Besides the adjectives of “peaceful, gorgeous, and ancient” to say about the charm of the Old Town, some foodies also use “exquisite” to describe the experience in Hoian Food Tour.

About Hoian and Hoian Cuisine

Hoian is amongst the most antique and tranquil towns in Vietnam that the travelers come mainly to enjoy the back-in-time journey. Thanks to the unique, old charm, Hoi An was inscribed as the UNESCO World Heritage site in 1999 and since then, it became the magnet in Quang Nam Province. Hoi An is just around 30km from Da Nang City. Travel to Hoian leaves the valuable experience in culture, cuisine, history, and peace. Obviously, Hoi An owns the age-old houses, the traditional narrow alleys, and the long-lasting shops and villages that can take people back in time for sightseeing and nostalgic experience, as expected.

Within Hoian Cuisine, the pretty little town preserves some of the proudest dishes in Vietnam, such as “Cao Lau,” steamed rice pancake, white rose dish, Hoi An chicken rice, etc. Holding the vital role in establishing the fame of Vietnam Central cuisine, Hoian is the land of history and tradition; the food here is the result of generation-from-generation preservation and development. There are dozens of great dishes at the quite low prices, from the appetizers to the main courses and the desserts, for you all to fulfill the stomachs. The famous Vietnam street food in Hoi An can be easily found in the roadside carts or little eateries.

5 Foods to Taste in Hoian Street Food Tour

#1: Cao Lau

This is a signature food in Hoian that you should not miss by all means. The appetizing dish includes the dark pork broth served with the yellow noodles, the sliced pork, bean sprouts, vegetables, slices of the crispy croutons. One special point of “Cao Lau” is that the fat yellow noodles must be cooked with the water taken from the guarded ancient Cham wells; these wells might be hidden throughout Hoi An. The taste of “Cao Lau” is incomparable!

Cao Lau - Hoi An noodles
Cao Lau – Hoi An noodles

#2: Com Ga Hoian (Hoian Chicken Rice)

This is another symbol of Hoi An cuisine. The Chicken Rice includes the fluffy rice cooked with the chicken ingredient and a bit of turmeric for color. The complex is put in a wok and then served with the boiled, shredded chicken. Some small pieces of the torn chicken would be mixed with the crushed onions, the Vietnamese coriander, and spices. The delicacy of the dish lies in the mixing process. Often, people enjoy Hoi An chicken rice with the very spicy chili sauce and pepper. There also use the peppermint, papaya or salted onions for decoration. The whole dish is scrumptious and attractive.

Com Ga Hoi An - Hoi An rice with chicken
Com Ga Hoi An – Hoi An rice with chicken

#3: Hoian White Rose Appetizer

As its name stated, the White Rose appetizer is in the shape of the white rose if made properly. This delicious appetizer is a kind of shrimp dumpling cooked from the translucent white dough which should be folded up to be similar to a rose. The ingredients for this specialties might be shrimp and pork that would be put on top of the folded dough. Also, there uses the crispy shallot as the topping. After all, this appetizer is dipped into a unique sauce made from shrimp broth, hot chili, lemon, and sugar. The airy dough must be formed by the “magic” water! That said, the water must be taken from the old Ba Le Well, then filtered and purified 15-20 times before being blended with the rice paste.

Hoi An White Rose Appetizer
Hoi An White Rose Appetizer

#4: Quang Noodle

It is obvious to find the renowned Quang Noodle in Hoian. The dish includes the yellow/white noodle mixed with shrimp, pork, vegetables, and various spices. Often, people enjoy Quang Noodle with the grilled rice paper. To say about this famous noodle, both texture and flavor are excellent. While some gourmets appreciate the yellow turmeric noodles, the roasted peanuts, and the succulent broth, the others enjoy the fresh herbs and the delicious pork or shrimp or even the grilled rice paper. That is all flavorful!

Quang Noodles in Hoi An
Quang Noodles in Hoi An

#5: Banh Beo Hoian (Hoian steamed rice cake)

In compared with the steamed rice cake of Hue, the dish of Hoi An is bigger and thicker. The topping sauce here should be brick red made from tomato juice mixed with shrimp and pork. With some variations, the cookers in Hoi An even add some sugar to the mixture that creates the fairly sweet steamed rice cake. Right in Hoi An, the dish becomes special as it might taste fatty once topped with the slices of the fried shallot and the deep-fried “Cao Lau” noodles.

Banh Beo Hoi An (Hoi An steamed rice cake)
Banh Beo Hoi An (Hoi An steamed rice cake)

Cooking Classes in Hoian

During Hoian street food tour, the foodies have chances to join the well-prepared cooking seasons to get the hands-on experience in buying the ingredients in the local markets and practicing Hoi An favorite dishes.

First, Morning Glory Street Food Class is managed by a popular female chef that is ranked highly in the forums about Hoi An cooking topic. In fact, the Morning Glory Class does give the perfect lessons on the healthy cooking ingredients and techniques. It emphasizes the learners’ capacity to cook the Hoi An famous dishes at the end of the cooking courses.

Second, Red Bridge Cooking Class encourages the foreign foodies to have a happy journey to the local markets, and then herb gardens. What makes the Red Bridge sounds “luxurious” lies on the expensive wine list upon request! Otherwise, the affordable tuition lets you meet the excellent chefs in Hoi An.

Third, Green Bamboo Class is the homelike address that many foodies like to settle for hours of learning and cooking. In the cozy atmosphere, the chef teaches you how to cook in a friendly manner, in her own kitchen. For those who go with kids, you can let them play in the Tra Que Vegetable Garden. For adults, it’s also truly relaxing to try the herbal foot massage service.

Fourth, Taste of Hoi An offers the real tastes of Hoi An street food. Know that this class doesn’t require you to put hands in the chore of cooking; rather, you just enjoy a fantastic journey along Hoi An street to try the street food, and note down the explanations about each food for the later study (if wanted).

Conclusion

So why Hoian food tour ? The Hoian Culinary Tour will never disappoint the food lovers as you get numerous opportunities to enjoy the centuries-old attractions of Hoian Old Town, taste various great dishes, and then obtain the hands-on cooking experience. The short visit to the local market gives a real feel for how the friendly locals live and work, the sales of Vietnamese cooking ingredients. Once you find the fresh ingredients, you feel confident to cook greatly! During the Food Tour, there might include a talk about Vietnamese Culinary Art to give knowledge about the Vietnamese cooking arts via the use of spices and herbs, decorations, etc. After all, for the best food tour in Hoi An, you should begin at 3:00 PM, when the streets are free to pedestrians and filled with street vendors (as motorbikes are restricted at that time). Remember to taste the 5 most-suggested dishes in Hoian.

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