Banh Xeo - Vietnamese pancake

Banh Xeo (Vietnamese Pancakes)

Banh Xeo is literally "sizzling cake"(a pancake) named for the loud sizzling sound it makes when the rice batter is poured into a hot skillet. This is a savory fried pancake made of rice flour, water, turmeric. Initially slivers of fatty pork, small prawns, squid and quail egg or chicken egg are placed in the skillet and quickly semi cooked and then the batter is placed on top with sometimes diced green onion and bean sprouts. This is cooked quickly with a little oil. Banh Xeo comes in two sizes and I find that the smaller ones can be a little oily for me. The larger Banh Xeo is cut into pieces and then you wrap in mustard leaf, lettuce leaves or rice paper wrappers, and stuff with mint leaves, basil, fish leaf and/or other herbs, and dipped in a sweet and sour diluted fish sauce. The sauce can sometimes have pineapple added to give the savory flavor. There is normally only a little chili added to the sauce.

We discovered this local place which I think is really delicious. 50 000vnd for two pancakes more than fed 3 of us. Watching the lady cook is lots of entertainment as well as watching the world go by on motorbikes. Address is 85 To Hien Thanh Street. Open only in the evenings.