Guide to Pairing Wine with Vietnamese Cuisine
Vietnamese cuisine is cooked with low fat, gluten-free, with a lot of vegetables packed with vitamins in minerals, making this cuisine one of the world's healthiest food. It is also one of the crowd's favourites in terms of dine-in and take-out and is a perfect dish for a homey date night.
Get ready to jot down notes as we dive into this diverse and loved South-East Asian dish. Here’s a list of flavourful Vietnamese food with the best wine to pair it with:
Bun Bo Xao (Beef Noodle Salad)
This dish is said to have the cooking style of the former royal court, and originated from Huế, a city in central Vietnam.
A noodle salad packed with flavourful beef, fresh herbs, and zesty lime fish sauce dressing, Bun Bo Xao is best paired with a bright and crispy flavour note of a Rosé.
Pork Bao (Steamed Bun)
Bánh bao (dumplings) is a Vietnamese bun based on the Cantonese da bao (big bun) brought to Vietnam by Cantonese immigrants.
Like a beautifully wrapped present on your palate, this warm and fluffy white steamed bun with a delicious, sweet-savoury stuffing is best paired with a glass or two of this light and fruity Pinot Noir.
Pho (Noodle Soup)
This modern dish first appeared in Vietnam in the 20th century. A now considered a national dish, Pho originated near Hanoi.
An aromatic Vietnamese soup, a bowl of Pho is made with clear broth, slices of savoury chicken, pork or beef, soft slippery noodles, basil, ginger, and bean sprouts is best enjoyed with the crispiness and floral notes of Riesling.
Pork & Prawn Banh Xeo (Vietnamese Pancakes)
Banh Xeo or sizzling pancake originated in South Central Vietnam.
This Asian-style turmeric-flavoured rice pancake with savoury and crispy batter is filled with sliced pork, prawns, bean sprouts, and mung beans. Vietnamese pancakes are mostly eaten during winter and are best enjoyed with intensely fruity and herbal Grenache.
Tofu Goi (Vietnames Salad)
Vietnam is a vegetarian’s dreamland. Famous for their fresh vegetables, Vietnamese cuisines boast a wide array of salad options.
A bowl of Vietnamese Gỏi salad is filled with unique flavours, colourful, crunchy, sweet, and sour. With pomelo, tofu, prawns(a non-vegetarian option), and a handful of fresh herbs drizzled with nuoc cham dressing will be great to go with a Pinot Grigio, it will enhance the zest of the salad with its own fresh, fruity flavours.
When pairing Vietnamese food with wine, it’s best to remember to choose wines that is citrusy and has spices with similar flavour notes. Watch out for more tips on food and wine pairings here and we’ll surely help you make those date nights interesting.
