Bo bia
Bo bia is one of those street snacks that tends to be overlooked by the average travelling street muncher. Maybe it’s due to its similarity in appearance to goi cuon, the famous Vietnamese fresh spring rolls. However, once you’ve had a few –- and you can have a few at one go – you’ll see why bo bia is a different roll altogether.
.jpg)
Bo bia looks like a mini-version of goi cuon with its distinctive rice paper wrapper, but this is where Vietnam’s influence ends and China take over. Inside, the roll bears a close resemblance to popiah, a Fujian-style fresh spring roll. While goi cuon relies on herbs like mint and chives to give it a bit of heft in the taste department, bo bia uses each filling ingredient to give a distinct taste not usually found in Vietnamese cuisine: the roll is filled with thinly sliced jicama and carrots, egg omelette ribbons, xa xiu or Chinese sausage and dried shrimp. The sliced xa xiu is placed in the last layer of the rice paper wrapper to give the roll its distinctive look. It’s served with a peanut flavoured dipping sauce reminiscent of the sauce served with goi cuon in Nha Trang. Fried shallots and chopped chillies round out the sauce.
.jpg)
Bo bia is a medley of flavours and textures. The jicama and carrot give the roll its crunchy texture, counterbalancing the egg’s softness. The somewhat fatty xa xiu adds a richness to the roll lacking in goi cuon.
Most bo bia vendors can be found wandering the streets of Ho Chi Minh City on bicycles and you’ll probably hear them before you see them. These vendors only serve take-away portions, with everything placed in plastic bags. That is fine for the rolls, but it makes for a frustrating eating experience when trying to dip the bo bia into the sauce in the bag.
If you are looking for a red plastic stool experience, you can find a great bo bia stand at Ho Con Rua or Turtle Lake on Pham Ngoc Thach and Vo Van Tan, where you will get your dipping sauce in a proper cup. Since the rolls are the length of an index finger, most people order them in batches as just one doesn’t fill you up. Expect to pay 5,000 VND per roll.
See more
-
Tasty Grilled Abalone in Phu Quoc
In many types of seafood as crab, clam, snail, shellfish, oyster is the best nutrition seafood that you should try in Phu Quoc by the sweeter and fragrant taste of...
-
Banh Trang Cuon Thit Heo
Banh Trang Cuon Thit Heo is one of speciality in Danang . Its name has show the main material and the manner to eat it. One dish is simple but very tasty flavors,...
-
Hoi An chicken rice
Hoi An chicken rice is always in the must try food list of many tourists visiting Hoi An , including both domestic or international traveler. The towns Hoi An is the best...
-
Quai Vac cake
Quai Vac cake has been existed for a long time and is sold along the streets in Phan Thiet . It is a rustic dish and delicious tasty.
-
Enjoy Banh xeo Quang Hoa
Banh xeo Quang Hoa is one of the most famous specialties in Quang Binh . The vistiors should not miss to try this food when traveling to Quang Binh .
-
Tiet Canh Tom Hum (Lobster blood)
Vung Tau has a long coastline with 5 beaches so seafood is very diversified as shrimp, crab, snail, lobster, sand crab, fish, etc. One of the most famous food related to...
-
Halong Snails
Favored by the Mother Nature as an unbelievably beautiful coastal province, Halong is famous for its variety of fresh and delicious seafood specialties such as crabs, prawns,...
-
Grilled fish in Ba Be Lake
Ba Be lake is the largest fresh water in Vietnam so it provides a huge source of fresh fish. And grilled fish is the most famous dish and become a specialty of Ba Be...
Destinations
Most popular tours
-
Best of Vietnam
Price from: 1.455 US$
-
Saigon Street Food
Price from: 35 US$
-
Vietnam Highlight Tour
Price from: 500 US$
-
Northern Vietnam Delights
Price from: 1.460 US$
Business info
Vietnam Local Guide
- Address: 18th Floor, VTC Online Tower, 18 Tam Trinh Str.,Hai Ba Trung Dist., Hanoi, Vietnam
- Email: info@vietnamguider.com
- Phone: (+84) 0904989890
- Hotline: (+84) 0904989890