Bánh tráng nướng (grilled rice paper), often referred to as a ‘Vietnamese Pizza’, is one of Vietnam’s most popular, quick street-snacks. It’s a simple dish: a piece of rice paper is buttered, thrown on a grill and covered in spring onion, mini dried shrimp, mincemeat, corn and egg. It’s spun around until it starts to brown, topped with mayo and chilli sauce and then folded in half.
Every evening, on the side of Đường Nguyễn Gia Trí a small crowd huddles round a roadside grill as a lady and her son hurriedly turn rice paper above 2 smoking grills. Customers stand staring, cross-armed, wearing impatient frowns that seem to say ‘Surely, I must be next’.
From start to finish each ‘pizza’ takes no more than a few minutes to cook, yet punters will regularly wait over an hour here for one or two pieces of grilled rice paper. This is the best bánh tráng nướng around, a secret that seemingly hasn’t been very well guarded.
There’s no doubt, the taste is amazing. The flavours are well-balanced, the rice paper has that perfect crunch and it’s filled to the brim with pork. It offers everything you would want from a hearty, late-night snack. The price is modest too: 15K VND is all one piece will set you back.
For me, this stall is a reminder of what’s great about Vietnam’s street-food culture. Fine dining here is not just for the wealthy: the best dishes are eaten on tiny plastic stools, not in Michelin star restaurants. You may have 1$ in your pocket or 100$ – you’re still gonna be waiting an hour.
So, is it worth the wait? Definitely. But you sure as hell won’t see me here 7 days a week.
You won’t find this spot on google so check out our map below for the location. If you’re as impatient as me, try coming when it’s raining. Open times roughly 8pm until sold out (around 12pm).
To view the location, click in the top right and search for ‘Bánh Tráng Nướng’.