Vietnam has 22 dishes among the 100 best soups in Southeast Asia

Vietnam is rated by Taste Atlas as a place with a diverse range of soups and broths, such as bún, phở, lẩu, and canh, spanning three regions and utilizing many distinct local spices.

According to the list of the 100 best soups in Southeast Asia published by Taste Atlas in September, Vietnam boasts 22 dishes, with phở ranking 6th, introduced as a traditional Vietnamese dish renowned on the world culinary map. The food website noted that phở is favored by Western diners thanks to its use of a variety of spices while maintaining a refined flavor.

Traditional phở uses broth made from beef or chicken, simmered for at least three hours. The broth also includes herbs and spices such as onion, cinnamon, and star anise. The food website highlights that nowadays, phở has many variations, including phở cuốn (rolled phở), phở trộn (mixed phở), phở xào (stir-fried phở), phở chay (vegetarian phở), and phở hải sản (seafood phở). The variations of phở are also ranked, with beef phở in 8th place, chicken phở at 24th, vegetarian phở at 26th, and seafood phở at 27th.

Traditional phở uses broth made from beef or chicken, simmered for at least three hours

The bún dishes from Vietnam's three regions featured in this list include bún bò Huế at 17th place. This dish is described as spicier than most other Vietnamese bún and phở dishes, with a rich and complex flavor thanks to shrimp paste. Huế is where this bún originated. A typical bowl of bún bò Huế includes beef shank, crab cakes, beef sausage, beef balls, pork hocks, and blood pudding, served with shrimp paste and various herbs. The broth is made from simmered beef and pork bones, with a strong aroma of shrimp paste and lemongrass.

Bún riêu cua is at 29th place, introduced as a dish with many regional variations. The most common style has a broth made from tomatoes and crab paste, giving it a sweet and slightly sour flavor. Toppings typically include crab meat, pork, tofu, tomatoes, blood pudding, and are served with herbs. The combination of sweet and sour flavors makes bún riêu one of the most beloved dishes in the country.

At 32nd place is bún măng vịt, which features duck and bamboo shoots as its main ingredients. This dish is usually served with ginger fish sauce for dipping the duck.

Bún mọc ranks at 50th place. This is a popular bún dish in the North, originating from Mọc village, now part of Nhân Chính ward, Thanh Xuân district, Hanoi. The main topping in this bún is mushroom meatballs made from ground pork and wood ear mushrooms. The broth is typically made from shiitake mushrooms and pork ribs, clear and subtly sweet.

Right after bún mọc is bún mắm at 51st place. This dish is popular in the Mekong Delta and originates from Sóc Trăng province. Bún mắm has key toppings of fish, shrimp, squid, fish cakes, and pork belly. The accompanying herbs are also distinct to the Mekong region, including bitter herbs, shredded water spinach, lotus flowers, banana blossoms, water lily, and bean sprouts. The unique flavor of this bún is due to the use of linh fish paste or sặc fish paste. Three other bún dishes in the list are bún chả cá (fish cake bún) at 59th, bún ốc (snail bún) at 62nd, and bún sứa (jellyfish bún) at 86th.

Vietnamese hot pot dishes are also highly regarded by experts and readers of Taste Atlas. Bắc herbal chicken hot pot ranks 77th, seafood hot pot is at 80th, and Châu Đốc fermented fish hot pot is at 97th. Taste Atlas notes that Bắc herbal chicken hot pot is popular in Sa Pa, often using black chicken for its firm, sweet, and fragrant meat.

Additionally, some Vietnamese dishes are appearing in the food website's list for the first time, such as Nam Vang hủ tiếu (39), chicken miến (42), sour tamarind soup (44), bánh canh (45), crab noodle cake (54), bóng bì soup (87), and seafood tràm mushroom soup (94).

22 Vietnamese dishes in the top 100 best soups in Southeast Asia:

Taste Atlas was established in 2015 and is headquartered in Zagreb, Croatia. It is known as a map of traditional dishes from around the world. The founder, Matija Babić, stated that the rankings of food and drinks are based on opinions and reviews from experts and food critics.

According to Bích Phương (VnExpress)