Being a vegan traveller in Vietnam

Being a vegan traveller in Vietnam
 

Travelling around Vietnam trying to eat vegan has not always been easy, especially after our wonderful experience in northern Thailand. Vietnam requires more planning. When we hit a new city we search out grocery stores for coconut milk, muesli and peanut butter and find a bakery that sells baguettes - hopefully rye. As a result of the French colonization of Vietnam, decent bread is pretty easy to find. We also stock up on local nuts and fruit. In Vietnam, nuts are quite expensive compared to other foods. A 1/2 kilogram of almonds is about $15. Peanuts are more affordable, about $5 for 1 kilogram. Watermelon, oranges, pineapple and bananas are our staples because they are in season and they have a peel.

A fair number of restaurants offer vegetarian options, but few are vegan. We deliberately seek those out and try to plan our day so we can hit them for a mid-afternoon lunch. In Hoi An and Hanoi we were able to find a few places. They usually offer Vietnamese and western food. The most common protein is tofu. Most of the time, the food is pretty good.

My favourite was the banana flower salad from The Veg - Organic Vego Cafe in Hanoi. The photo of the salad is this story’s cover shot. It was fresh and crunchy with a wonderful balance of sour and heat. 

My least favourite was the BBQ sweet potato and chickpea burger from Jalus Vegetarian Kitchen and Cafe in Hanoi. It was too thick and tasted like a garlic potato patty. The worst part was the sauce. I am pretty sure it was a store bought condiment.

Despite the few misses, I appreciate the fact locals are forging new ground in their country. It takes courage to break from the norm. Especially in a country where traditional foods are so important.

The gallery below showcases some of the vegan eats we found in Vietnam.

Stuffed tofu

Sautéed tofu stuffed with mushrooms, onions and turmeric, then grilled in a banana leaf from Minh Hein 2 Vegetarian Restaurant - Hoi An.

Vegetable curry

Vegetable curry and red rice at The Veg - Organic Vego and Tea - Hanoi.

Vegetarian Phở

Vegetarian Phở -pronounced "fuh" with plant-based protein "faux beef" from Minh Chay - Hanoi.

Vegetarian Phở

Vegetarian Phở from The Veg - Organic Vego and Tea - Hanoi.

Mushroom soup

Mushroom vegetable soup from Minh chay Vegan Restaurant - Hanoi.

Sweet potato and chickpea burger

BBQ sweet potato and chickpea burger from Jalus Vegetarian Kitchen and Cafe  - Hanoi.

Street vendors

Women sell every kind of fruit on the street for a reasonable price.

Bean bowl

Bean bowl with amaranth from Jalus Vegetarian Kitchen and Cafe  - Hanoi.

Rye baguette

Rye baguette with passion fruit, dragon fruit and citrus jam. It was part of our great breakfast at the Jade Hotel in Hoi An.

Traditional Vietnamese Soup

A clear vegetable broth with shredded cabbage and soft tofu from Vietnamese Chopsticks Restaurant - Hoi An.

Oyster mushrooms

Oyster mushrooms with garlic and lemongrass from Minh Hein 2 Vegetarian - Hoi An.

Passion fruit tofu

Passion fruit tofu - spicy and sweet from Minh Hein 2 Vegetarian in Hoi An.

Bánh mì - tofu and peanuts from Vietnamese Chopsticks Restaurant - Hoi An.

Traditional noodles and tofu

Traditional Vietnamese noodles with vegetables from Vietnamese Chopsticks Restaurant - Hoi An.

Vegetable curry

Curry vegetable stir fry from Minh Hein 2 Vegetarian Restaurant - Hoi An.