As Da Lat enjoys a consistently mild and cool climate all year round, it is understandable that grilled dishes, including ‘banh trang nuong’ are always on top of the favourite lists for visitors to the city. People can have ‘banh trang nuong’ every meal of the day, from lunch, brunch, dinner to supper.
The snack can be found everywhere in Da Lat, near schools, residential areas, Da Lat night markets, or along Nguyen Van Troi street. Most of the ‘banh trang nuong’ stalks gather along Nguyen Van Troi street, of which the sellers are local women.
Nicknamed as “Vietnamese pizza”, the snack’s “crust” is thin rice paper, which is also used to make ‘nem’ (spring roll). The rice paper is first slathered with butter or cooking oil and then set atop a coal brazier.
The vendor adds some quail egg yolk and sliced green onions on the paper and sprinkles the sheet with various toppings, including dried beef, shredded pork floss, sausage, grated cheese, and shredded chicken. It takes around one minute to bind all the ingredients together and finish grilling.
The crunchy grilled rice paper can be sliced into pieces like a pizza or it can be rolled like a tube. The dish’s price range from VND12,000 to VND30,000 depending on customers’ choice of toppings.
