Solo Travel Snapshots in Vietnam: Street Food in Nha Trang

This is my Solo Travel Snapshots in Vietnam Series.

I spent 33 days in Vietnam. Each day brought something different–a different experience or surprising thought or new challenge. I cannot possibly share them all, and even if I did, so much would fall short. Instead of sharing my day-to-day everyday, I want to capture the essence of my Vietnam experience in 10 vivid snapshots. This series will consist of those 10 solo travel snapshots that encapsulate many repeat experiences in Vietnam and throughout Southeast Asia.

This is #9.

Solo Travel Snapshots in Vietnam

1. The comedic feeling of yet another thing going wrong, plus needing to relinquish control
2. The bonds of travelers
3. The peace and serenity of a solo morning exploration
4. Remembering not to sweat the small stuff–or the sweaty stuff
5. Plastic toddler tables = the best food

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July 2, 2024

The smoke draws me first. And the crowds. Only after I get closer do I realize this is exactly the little restaurant I am seeking; the big red 51s on the plastic banner above the shop give it away. 

I cross the street and watch with awe as three ladies (wo)man the small, hot clay bowls. Fire burns beneath, small chunks of wood glow a scorching red and hot white ash coats the rest. The perfect bowls, the quick, assured movements, the adorable lids placed over the mixture… I’m entranced. And excited.

My prior research tells me that these delicious looking pancakes are called Banh Can. They are made of rice flour and water, with beaten egg slopped in. Then topped with your choice of quail egg, pork, beef, shrimp, or clams. And here, small squid. 

When I step forward to enter the space and see if there is room to sit, a Vietnamese man barks at me and waves me away. He chats with several groups on the sidewalk. I just want to ask “how do I get on the wait list?” but he keeps ignoring me. Finally, I motion towards the menus on the wall when he’s looking my way and he gives me one. I loiter on the sidewalk holding it, each moment growing more and more awkward. But it isn’t for another 3 or 4 minutes that a young woman my finally approaches and askes if I want take away or to eat here.

Here, of course. I want the full experience of being among the chaos. 

“Ten minutes,” she tells me. I wait as the crowds on the sidewalk are gradually seated. When about 2 other people remain standing, she comes back over and asks me what I want. 

“Pork,” I say. It’s cheaper than the shrimp by 3x. Before my experience in Hue, I would have gotten clams for 60k, but now I am afraid of clams. 

“And” she prompts. 

“That seems like enough,” I say. 

“Small.” She points to the pancakes, which look fairly enormous to me. You get 6 in an order. 

“You think I need more?” She nods. What a great saleswoman. So I order a set of quail eggs too. 

Then, my indecision seizes me. Usually I am so conscious of the price, which is somewhat ridiculous as the majority of my meals are less than 3USD. But when you eat out everyday for 2-3 meals a day, that adds up.

But when will I ever have this change again?

So I call her back over and change the quail egg set to shrimp, going from 25k to 160k. Then, she askes about the squid and says I can do half and half. Honestly, I’m a little freaked out by the small squid (which are pretty big when you consider eating them whole). But when in Vietnam…

Ok! Half squid.

She writes it all down a little piece of cardstock and gives it to me.

When a table opens up, she takes my card with my order and seats me at a plastic blue table on a plastic stool made for toddlers. My knees are higher than the table. And I wait and watch and wait and watch and know that I ordered way too much food! There’s no way I can eat 12 of these pancakes, especially with 3 of them chock full of squid bodies.

Update: 40 minutes after ordering, my masses of pancakes arrive. 

As well as two full-size plates with 6 pancakes each, I get a small plate with shredded green mango and a bowl with the dipping sauce and a pork meatball. The sauce is a little bit sweet, a little bit spicy, and very tangy. With the chopsticks, I add a bunch of shredded mango to the sauce, then drop the pancake in and attempt to pick up the pancake with pieces of shredded mango, then take a big bite.

Despite the massive mini squid (2 to a pancake), they’re very tender and a little bit chewy, but not tough, as I feared. In fact, it’s amazingly delicious and I do eat all twelve pancakes (though 9 would have been the perfect amount) as loud Vietnamese chatter sounds around and the hot, humid air blows back into the restaurant, smelling like smoke.