Grilled pork vermicelli and grilled spring rolls: the two easiest dishes to eat for first-timers in Vietnam

There are Vietnamese dishes you need to get used to (mắm nêm fermented fish sauce, mắm ruốc shrimp paste, blood pudding, balut duck eggs). And there are dishes that almost no one dislikes the very first time. The two dishes below belong to that second group.

Bún thịt nướng is a mixed bowl with no broth: fresh vermicelli noodles at the base, fresh vegetables and thinly sliced cucumber, with charcoal-grilled pork on top, sprinkled with crushed roasted peanuts and crispy fried shallots. Drizzle with sweet and sour fish sauce and toss everything together.

Why it's easy to eat: there's no strong fish sauce smell, grilled meat is something everyone is used to, and the dipping fish sauce here leans sweet rather than harshly salty. The temperature is pleasant too — the dish is served cool, not something you have to slurp while hot.

Grilled nem takes it a step further: finely pounded pork paste, grilled on charcoal skewers, and eaten by rolling it yourself. The table will be set with thin rice paper, fresh herbs, cucumber, green banana, star fruit, and a bowl of thick orange-brown dipping sauce.

How to roll for beginners: spread out the rice paper, add the vegetables, lay in one or two spring rolls, add a slice of green banana or star fruit if you like it sour, roll it up snugly, then dip. Roll it too loosely and it falls apart, roll it too tightly and the paper tears — a few messed-up rolls at first are totally normal, nobody's going to notice.

Price: grilled pork vermicelli (bún thịt nướng) is 30–45 thousand VND per bowl; grilled nem (nem nướng) is usually priced by portion, 50–90 thousand VND for two people.

Restaurant pick: stand outside and if you smell charcoal grilling, go in. Charcoal-grilled meat has a completely different aroma than electric stove grilling, and that's the entire difference between an okay meal and a memorable one.