Dry Vermicelli - Bun Kho
Vermicelli, or bun, refers to the thin and round white rice noodle. It differs from pho noodle in shape, and especially, texture.
*Some restaurants serve thicker vermicelli in certain dishes.
Grilled Beef Vermicelli - Bun Thit Nuong
Bun Thit Nuong literally translates into Grilled Meat Noodles - a staple for all Vietnamese restaurants. This healthy dish primarily consists of savoury, marinated grilled beef, (or for variation, pork, chicken and/or shrimp), on a bed of vermicelli noodles, freshly chopped lettuce, cucumber and bean sprouts. Pickled carrots and daikon, as well as crushed toasted peanuts are additionally sprinkled on top. Another popular ingredient is cha gio. Lastly but not leastly, a light, diluted, sweet fish sauce is poured over the dish for a great finish.
Variations of This Dish: Grilled Chicken, Grilled Pork, Spring Roll, Grilled Shrimp/Prawn
Grilled Meatball Vermicelli - Bun Nem Nuong
Vietnamese grilled meatballs are made from minced pork marinated with garlic, ground pepper, cinnamon, sugar, and cornstarch. The raw mixture is left refridgerated overnight to achieve a consistent flavour throughout. The pork is then shaped into meat balls and skewered before cooking. The result is a dish of meatballs that are golden brown and crispy on the outside, and soft and juicy on the inside. Nem nuong is usually served with dry vermicelli to form the dish grilled meatball vermicelli.
Angel Hair Rice Mats with BBQ Pork - Banh Hoi Thit Nuong
Banh hoi are extremely thin rice noodles that are woven into mats, brushed with scallion oil and served with sweetened barbequed pork. Of course, what's a Vietnamese dish if it was not topped off with a bit of sweet fish sauce!
Another way of eating this dish is if you put a hold on the fish sauce, and instead lay the rice mats and pork onto softened rice paper, along with fresh cilantro and mint. All of this gets rolled up, and dipped into a sidebowl of... yes, fish sauce. All in all, a fun and delcious meal.
Grilled Beef in Betel Leaves, with Vermicelli - Bun Bo La Lot
The betel is a vinal leaf of the Piperaceae family and is believed to have mild stimulant and medicinal values. In preparation for this dish, ground beef is marinated with garlic, sauces, oils, sugar, and lemongrass. The beef combination is then rolled into palm sized balls and wrapped in the betel leaves. Skewers are used to hold the leaves in place, and then placed over a grill to cook.
Bo La Lot is often served with vermicelli noodles or as one of the 7 courses of Bo 7 Mon. Sometimes, grilled meatballs can be added to this dish.
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