Bánh bèo, bánh lọc, bánh nậm: why do people in Central Vietnam make such small cakes?

A tray of Central Vietnamese cakes presented often surprises people from other regions: every single one is small. Banh beo is served in tiny bowls about the size of a palm, banh loc is wrapped in leaves and only as big as a finger, and banh nam is flat and thin.

There is a common explanation often mentioned: Central Vietnam has narrow land and ingredients are not abundant, so instead of making large portions, they make small but refined ones, and a variety of types. A tray of ten small bowls of bánh bèo is still more enjoyable than one large plate of cake — the joy lies in being able to taste many different things.

Bánh bèo: steamed rice flour in small bowls, topped with crushed dried shrimp and fried shallots, drizzled with sweet fish sauce. Eat using a small spoon, scraping close to the bottom of the bowl.

Bánh lọc: translucent tapioca starch, shrimp and pork filling, wrapped in banana leaves and steamed. Peeling the leaf reveals it's still hot and slightly sticky. There is also a type not wrapped in leaves, just blanched — called "bánh lọc trần", which is chewier.

Bánh nậm: thin rice flour spread on leaves, filled with shrimp and pork, steamed until flat like a leaf. It is the softest of the three types.

A little tip for eating:

• Try ordering a little bit of everything instead of a large portion of just one type — every restaurant is used to this way of ordering. • Fish sauce is the deciding factor. A good restaurant will have well-balanced fish sauce that isn't too sweet. • Eat while hot. Bánh lọc becomes hard when cold, and bánh bèo becomes mushy if it cools down. • This is an afternoon snack (around 2–5 PM); many shops do not sell it in the morning.

A platter with three varieties for two people usually costs only about 50,000–80,000 VND. This remains the cheapest yet most enjoyable way to eat in Central Vietnam.