Bun Mam Saigon

Author : Efrain S.

All right guys! This time, I want to take you to a time and a place : A time and a place, no less, in which I tried bun mam, ( kind of sounds like some pervert saying, “buns, mame…let me see your buns”, hehe heheh hehe…just a crazy little way to remember it, I guess, though it has nothing to do with anything gross or perverted, so let’s get our heads back out of the gutter for just a bit, mwah hah ha hah ) and this is an amazing dish made in Saigon ( a region of Vietnam, a special city in which much of the heart and soul of true Viet culture lives still today, you should go there sometime as I have, maybe when COVID – 19 is back under control ) .

Bun mam is truly special, and it’s one of the many noodle soup bowls that they serve out there. What I like about it so darn much, first of all, is the fact that it gets perfectly fermented in fish sauce….yes, delicious flavor comes from it as a result. The only way I can really paint a picture of this for you is to take you out there with me on my next trip, blind – fold you and walk you into the restaurant, and then put a spoon or scoop carefully in your mouth….and then open your eyes and pull off the blind – fold, and SURPRISE! VOILA. You just tasted one of Saigon’s richest, most flavorful noodle soups and will likely want another when you are done with that first bowl ( I can promise you that, friend, 9 times out of 10, you will gain an appetite even if you are not all that hungry when I drag you in, he he he heh ) . And what else might you want to think about here? Saying, “Thanks, Efrain!” You are most welcome, buddy.

Now, then, the broth itself, in which the yummy noodles swim around in ( as if they were alive, he heh, just kidding ) is dark and murky. It’s got plenty of rich content and nutrition and has been given its proper time to cook up, of course. Like shallowy, murky waters, where you can not see too much of what is under – neath, or actually just have to trust in and step over ( or in this case, drink ) , you have to put your faith and trust in that it will be delicious, just as I have told you. And thousands of locals have already tried the soup and fallen in love, so take that first leap of faith. You can also rest assured knowing that rice vermicelli is the type of noodle that gets used for this, one of the most known out there and a true staple of all things Vietnam. If you have ever eaten pho or pho take – out, you’ve likely tried it already. Yum.