I know, I know, I know…. when you travel, you’re supposed to go out and experience the local culture and cuisine. But when you’ve been traveling for so long, you’re essentially living abroad. At some point, you’re going to miss the taste of home. Even if you’re on a short trip, there are times when you just want to take a break from all the rice and just munch on a juicy burger.

Fortunately, finding international food is no problem in Saigon. With the recent economic explosion bringing in so many new restaurants, the daunting part is to sift through all of the options. So I’ve gone out, been my uncultured American self, and located all the simple foods that I found similar to home. So those of you with the American fat-fueled, salt-loaded, and overly large portioned food palette, read on!

 

Simple Place – Mexican

84 Quốc Hương, Thảo Điền, Quận 2, Hồ Chí Minh

Let’s start with the hardest to find food outside of the Americas: Mexican food. Turns out, Mexicans never really made it across the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean. Even during my trip in Europe, I could always find Vietnamese food or Asian grocers, but finding quality Mexican food was the real challenge.

Without a doubt, Simple Place is the best Tex-Mex styled food I have had overseas. I know that’s not the highest praise, but this place will satisfy any burrito cravings while you’re here. Just don’t expect it to be as good as your local tienda back at home.

Honorable Mention: District Federal

This newly opened restaurant also makes fantastic Mexican food, but it falls just short to Simple Place. The main reason is that their dishes sell for the standard international food price of 200,000 – 250,000 VND ($8.72 – $10.90) a plate. Simple Place has the same quality for well less than half the price.

Mmmmm, fourth meal

 

4P Pizza – Italian

8 Thủ Khoa Huân, Phường Bến Thành, Hồ Chí Minh

This small Saigonese pizza chain is founded by two Japanese businessmen. Yes, Japanese operating a pizza chain in Vietnam. I’m fully aware of the oddity of that statement, but damned if I say it, this pizza place is amazing. I’ve eaten at half a dozen high quality pizza restaurants back in my home town, and I haven’t found one that compares to 4P Pizza. I would go as far as to say that it’s one of the best pizza joints I have eaten outside of Italy.

Throw in some great interior decoration and great pricing make this restaurant truly shine. This high class pizza goes for 200,000 – 250,000 VND ($8.72 – $10.90) each. Each of these pizzas will easily feed one starving individual with some leftovers. This price is expensive relative to Vietnam, but it’s a great deal for how good it is.

America should wage another war in Vietnam just for that burrata

 

Fanny’s Ice Cream – Ice Cream

6A Đường Trần Hưng Đạo, Phường Phạm Ngũ Lão, Quận 1, Hồ Chí Minh 700000

For how hot it is in Vietnam and how much of a sweet tooth the locals have, it’s very disappointing to see that ice cream is such an uncommon snack. Fanny’s (great name right?) is looking to change that. They create scrumptious ice cream that’s extremely flavorful (and overly sweet). All the same, it’s the best place in Saigon to get your local ice cream fix.

Protip: try the yogurt ice cream. Best item there.

Fanny… hehehe

 

Quán ăn Hàn quốc dành cho người Việt – Korean

11 Phạm Ngọc Thạch, Phường 6, Quận 3, Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam

I know this isn’t the idea of comfort food to everyone, but I personally love a bibimbap with a side of kimchi. The hard part about finding good Korean in Vietnam is that the locals absolutely adore Korean barbeque. Korean barbeque may be everywhere, but finding standard Korean dishes is much harder.

Well Quán ăn Hàn quốc dành cho người Việt is the one that decided to buck that trend. And if you’re wondering what that ridiculously long restaurant name is, it means “The Korean Restaurant for the Vietnamese Person.” Despite this odd title, I found the food here to be very authentic and doesn’t really have any Vietnamese influence. At least I think it’s authentic. It’s identical as the tasty Korean food I’ve had back in the States.

One plate and the complimentary banchan goes for 120,000 VND ($5.23).

The kimchi soup wasn’t bad but the bibimap was much better

 

Kebab Saigon – Kebab

8-13 Nguyễn Thượng Hiền, Quận 3 Quận 3 Hồ Chí Minh Vietnam, Phường 5, Quận 3, Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam

Just by looking at this place, you would not expect there to be some scrumptious kebabs on this tiny street. The fact that there’s a kebab store located here is surprising enough. If it wasn’t for the rotisserie chicken in the window, it’d look like any typical Vietnamese restaurant.

The owner has lived in Berlin for quite a few years, which is essentially a certificate of quality. For a low price of 30,000 VND ($1.31) or 35,000 VND ($1.53) for extra meat, it’s a fantastic deal for a kebab that good. It’s a bit small, but if you double up and get two portions, it’s still a great price for normally expensive foreign food.

I promise that this dingy little place is amazing

 

Phat Cat – Burgers

812 Trường Sa, Phường 14, Quận 3, Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam

There’s been numerous burger joints popping up all around Saigon, but I like this small, out of the way restaurant. This Canadian owned joint has burgers, fantastic fries, barbequed ribs and some local microbrews. For the quality and the manageable price around 150,000 VND ($6.54) a plate, it’s certainly worth a stop.

Their Texas-styled barbeque is also worth a try too. It’s pretty good considering that you’re eating barbeque in Vietnam. Vietnam is the lone star country after all.

‘Murica’s best contribution to the world

 

 

Until next time.