Chỉ cần 120.000 đồng, du khách Tây vẫn có thể no căng bụng khi thưởng thức ẩm thực TP.HCM

Since 2021, Ellis, a tourist from the Northwest region of England, has been traveling full-time with his girlfriend. Starting from their hometown, the two travelers have visited many countries in Latin America and Eastern Europe. Their next destination is Southeast Asia.

During their journey in each region, they record videos documenting the local life experiences at each place they visit.

In Vietnam, the first place where Ellis stopped was the capital city of Hanoi. Spending several days wandering through the old quarter and around Hoan Kiem Lake, the two travelers also enjoyed many delicious dishes that Western tourists particularly love such as chicken pho, egg coffee, banh mi, and Trang Tien ice cream.

“When we arrived in Hanoi, it rained all day, but it was amazing here. The locals are friendly and warmly welcome guests,” he said.

Leaving Hanoi, both continued their journey to explore Ho Chi Minh City, one of the most vibrant and bustling cities in the country.

“The streets here are unusually beautiful, full of delicious street food. Vietnam is one of the most affordable countries in the world, so tourists can eat and drink to their heart’s content,” Ellis noted.

The British guest also appeared eager to experience many delicious dishes at affordable prices. He challenged himself to only carry 120,000 Vietnamese Dong (about 5 USD) to see what he could eat here.

Starting a new day, Ellis began at a sidewalk drink stall. The stall offers a variety of drinks at affordable prices, including sugarcane juice, soy milk, persimmon tea, iced coffee for 10,000 Dong, milk coffee for 12,000 Dong, and squeezed orange juice for 15,000 Dong. The British guest chose a refreshing iced milk coffee.

“It’s hard to find a cup of coffee with good price and quality like in Vietnam. These budget shops often serve free iced tea,” he said.

Next, he and his girlfriend went for breakfast. They found a banh cuon stall at an affordable price starting from 25,000 Dong. A portion includes minced pork stuffed rolled cake with hot fried tofu and sausage, topped with fresh herbs and crispy fried shallots. The stall also offers fried shrimp cake for added crunchy texture.

“Dipping in a bowl of sweet and salty fish sauce, adding some spicy chili, it’s very appetizing. Starting a new day with a plate of rolled cake and a cup of coffee, there’s nothing more attractive,” Ellis shared.

After strolling around various streets, it was lunchtime. Initially, the couple planned to try broken rice. However, when they turned into a large alley, the smell of grilled meat wafting through the air made them unable to resist. They decided to have lunch at a roadside shop specializing in grilled pork noodles.

Ellis ordered a normal meal priced at 25,000 Dong, including thinly sliced grilled meat, fried spring rolls, vegetables, noodles, and pickles. Diners just need to pour a bowl of sweet, spicy, and salty fish sauce and mix well to enjoy.

“The marinated grilled meat is delicious, and the crispy spring rolls are not greasy. The papaya and carrot pickles combined with fresh herbs make the dish more flavorful,” the British guest commented.

Like many foreigners, Ellis and his partner came to Vietnam to drink sugarcane juice and “crush it all.” He was very surprised when a large cup of sugarcane juice was priced at only 10,000 Dong.

With the remaining money, the British man bought a fishcake sandwich for 20,000 Dong, a full savory sticky rice set with side dishes for 20,000 Dong, and a grilled sausage roll for 10,000 Dong.

“If you only have 5 USD in your pocket, it seems very difficult to spend, but in Vietnam, with 120,000 Dong in hand, you can eat quite a lot,” he concluded.