I was telling a friend about the bánh tráng nướng in District 4 that I wrote about recently.
"Did you like it?", she said.
"Yes," I said.
"I know a place that does great bánh tráng nướng," she said.
"Really?", I said.
"Yes," she said.
"Where is it?," I said.
"On Cao Thắng," she said.
"Where’s that?", I said.
"In District 1, near Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai," she said.
"Can you take me there?", I said.
"Of course," she said.
"Great," I said.
"When can we go?", I said.
"When you stop with this she-said-I-said nonsense," she said.
And so it was.
We headed to Cao Thắng on a Saturday evening around 8 o’clock. The sidewalk at number 57 was a sea of red and blue tables and chairs, most of which were being frequented by a mix of teenagers and families with young mouths to feed.
The menu lists a simple selection of bánh tráng nướng with various toppings – meats, cheese, seafood. Don’t be expecting anything too healthy or nutritious. These are cheap snacks, quick and easy to scoff down in an authentic Saigonese manner – roadside amongst a crowd of locals as the evening traffic relentlessly streams past.
The snacks are served pizza-style with a pair of scissors with which to do the honours and slice up the bánh for your fellow diners. Bottles of cheap ketchup and chilli sauce are on hand for the condiment fans.
Unfortunately, the bánh are great with beer. I say unfortunately because beer’s not served here, so you’ll have to make do with the usual soft drink offerings. However, with your stomach lined with some fresh tasty street food, you’re perfectly set to wander off into the night in search of some post-meal beers.
Open: 5ish to 11ish.
Price: 10,000 to 20,000vnd per piece
Location: 57 Cao Thắng, District 3 (between NTMK and Dien Bien Phu)
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