Strange Food in Vietnam

Vietnamese are know world wide for there fresh interesting cuisine. With similar flavours as Thailand, Vietnam encompasses their own variety of dishes including the unusual game meats.

It must be known that Vietnam is the place to take your taste buds on an unusual gastronomic journey of unique flavours and delicacies.

Snake

You can find snake on a variety of menus throughout Vietnam. However for the brave you can go to specialized snake restaurants and order the king of all snakes, the Cobra.  You can select a size and type of snake you would like from the cages and then the snake is killed in front of you and the blood is drained into a glass along with the bile from the stomach.  The heart of the snake is then removed and also placed in a separate glass. The blood is to be consumed with rice vodka and the still beating heart of the snake to be swallowed whole still beating as it goes down your throat.

The snake is then made into a number of different dishes including soups, curries and spring rolls.

Not A cobra, but hey..a snakes a snake!

Dog

This is regarded as special meat and is usually consumed on special occasions or on the second half of the lunar month. There are a number of specialized restaurants in Hanoi that cater in all forms of Dog cuisine. Dog is regarded as a delicacy and is know for it warming feeling in the chest after eating.

Not for everyone, as you might not be able to get the image of your beloved ‘fluffy’ out of your head, but travellers we  met who tried it absolutely loved it.

Cat

Not as prevalent as dog in restaurants but still able to be acquired if you desire something different.

Monkey

Although very illegal, restaurants serve live monkey brains to customers for a high price. Monkey is readily available in many restaurants in many of the same dishes as snake.

Frogs Legs

Is delicious and similar in flavour to chicken. Frogs legs are eaten the world round. And there are a number of different ways of preparation throughout the world. Simply floured and fried in butter and onions with a side of chilli sauce was the best we had.

Although many or all of the above meats may not be your cup of tea, you must respect the culture of food in Vietnam however how far removed from your own food culture.  It is important to not judge people on what they eat as it is normal for them and a way of life.