Small and crispy Central Vietnamese bánh xèo: How is it different from Saigon style?

People from Saigon are accustomed to bánh xèo the size of a plate, soft, eaten by cutting pieces and dipping them in sweet and sour fish sauce. Central Vietnam is the opposite: bánh xèo that are small, only the size of a hand, crispy, eaten whole. There's no large bowl of batter — each one is a separate batch, fried individually in a small earthenware pan.

Basic Da Nang Bánh Xèo filling: whole shrimp, thinly sliced pork belly, bean sprouts, and onions. The pastry shell is made from rice flour mixed with coconut milk and turmeric, poured thinly into a hot oil pan, and fried until the edges become crispy and curl up like shrimp. Served with a large plate of fresh raw vegetables (lettuce, spicy greens, mint, perilla) and fish sauce dip with chili and garlic—not seasoned fish sauce.

The right way to eat it: tear a piece of thin rice paper, place bánh xèo on it, add fresh vegetables, roll tightly, and dip in fish sauce. A serving of 6–8 pieces costs around 50,000–80,000 Vietnamese Dong. Best enjoyed in the Hoàng Diệu area and on Núi Thành Street.

🍽️ Famous Eatery: Bánh Xèo Bà Dưỡng · Bà Bảy · 🕐 Peak Hours: 5:00 PM–9:00 PM