da lat street food

Around every corner in the hilly streets of Da Lat, smoke wafts from makeshift grills balanced on two buckets with a fire of hot coals underneath. Skewers of folded pieces of meat, rows of button mushrooms, husks of corn and chicken feet rest on top as the fire is expertly fanned. As we walk down the large staircase to the town center, sleep deprived and slightly hungover, we’re drawn to the sound of an egg cracking on rice paper. The local vendor works quickly, adding green onion and chillies to her egg scramble, which is being cooked by the coals beneath. A wedge of soft cheese is added to the mix, which is finished with red chili sauce (one of the condiments of choice in Vietnam) and folded in thirds before being wrapped in what appears to be a recycled multiple choice quiz from the local school. At home we cure hangovers with an egg scramble and a bloody mary. In Vietnam, we pour sweat as we demolish grilled rice paper with egg, or Banh Trang Nuong.