From March to June, Vietnam was the seventh most searched destination and the only Southeast Asian country in the top 20, according to Google Destination Insights. A new visa policy implemented in August, increasing the validity of e-visas from 30 days to 90 days, is expected to increase the number of tourists .
Knott, who also visited Vietnam this summer, chose Hoi An as her destination. There, Knott attended Mimi Tran Thi My’s Red Bridge cooking class. After the market tour, she took a 20-minute boat ride along the Thu Bon River to the cooking school, which is set amid 8,000 square meters of fruit trees, herb gardens, and lush tropical flower beds.
Mimi said Hoi An's cuisine , with subtle influences from Japan, China and the West, motivated Knott to explore more of the ancient city's cuisine. Here is a list of dishes she believes foreign visitors should not miss when visiting Hoi An - the 'Culinary Capital of Vietnam'.
1. Rose buns
These small, translucent white dumplings filled with pork or shrimp, lightly steamed, are a Hoi An specialty. Served with fish sauce for dipping and topped with crispy fried onions, the dumplings are considered quite delicious, although a bit greasy.
2. Cao Lau
Cao Lau is arguably Hoi An’s most famous dish. It consists of noodles topped with slices of char siu, bean sprouts and fresh herbs. When it first appeared in the 17th century, Cao Lau was considered a dish for the rich. However, today it has become popular with all classes.
Additionally, cao lau is special because the noodles are made with calcium-rich water from the city's thousand-year-old Ba Le well, which is known to be extremely pure.
3. Quang noodles
Quang noodles have flat, chewy noodles, topped with pork, shrimp, quail eggs, garnished with peanuts and crackers, served with fresh passion fruit juice, a delicacy that Knott says should not be missed in Hoi An.
4. Chicken rice
Chicken rice is a popular dish in Hoi An brought to Hoi An by Chinese traders.
Served with shredded green papaya and carrots, and chicken broth, the dish features tender boiled chicken, rice balls, and a rich chili sauce.
5. Bread
Banh mi is sold all over Hoi An. The late chef Anthony Bourdain, who introduced the dish on his TV show No Deposits, called it “a symphony of sandwiches.” Hoi An banh mi has a crispy crust and a deliciously filling.
6. Crispy wontons
Another dish that appeared was the crispy wontons. The wontons were topped with fresh shrimp and sweet and sour mango salsa.
7. Coffee/Herbal water
Coffee served hot or cold, with or without condensed milk, and herbal lemongrass water are two of Hoi An’s most popular drinks. There are also plenty of stalls selling fresh fruit juices and smoothies.
8. Mango cake
Mango cake is a popular street snack in Hoi An consisting of: these cakes are named so because they are shaped like mango seeds. Inside are nuts, beans crushed with brown sugar.
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