Asia is considered to have the best street food in the world, with its roadside plastic chairs, fiery woks, and aromas filling the streets. "A trip to these culinary paradises means you'll never go hungry," wrote the UK-based Time Out magazine.
Affordability, accessibility, and deliciousness were the criteria the magazine's reporters and food experts used to select the cities with outstanding street food in Asia.
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Locals and tourists enjoy bun cha in Hang Quat alley. Photo: Xuan Phuong |
Locals and tourists enjoy bun cha in Hang Quat alley. Photo: Xuan Phuong
Hanoi ranks second, described as a culinary treasure trove with delicacies hidden in deep alleys, small rooms accessible by narrow staircases, or bustling street corners.
"Queue up outside Banh Mi 25 in the old quarter for grilled pork banh mi, seek out a steaming bowl of authentic northern pho down a dark corridor and up a spiral staircase at Co Minh Pho in Hang Trong street, or grab a stool at Banh Cuon Ba Loc for the steamed rice rolls filled with minced pork, wood ear mushrooms, and shiitake mushrooms," Time Out described.
The magazine advises that if you only have time for one dish, don't miss bun cha, considered an iconic Hanoi dish. A bowl of sweet and sour dipping sauce, grilled pork patties and slices, served with fresh vermicelli noodles and herbs, is the perfect choice. The bun cha stall in a small alley at 74 Hang Quat street, Hoan Kiem district, is recommended by the experts.
Other cities on the list include Penang (Malaysia), Singapore, Mumbai (India), Chiang Mai (Thailand), Tainan (Taiwan), Osaka (Japan), Bangkok (Thailand), Phnom Penh (Cambodia), and Chengdu (China).
The cuisine of Penang, the top-ranked city, is described as a blend of Malaysian, Chinese, and Indian cultures. Each local will suggest different dishes, giving visitors an experience they won't exhaust in just a few visits. The recommended dishes include char kuey teow (stir-fried noodles), assam laksa (sour laksa), roti canai (Indian flatbread), and hokkien mee (prawn noodle soup).
Tam Anh (according to Time Out)
