South East Asia is a remarkable place that is at the top of most people’s bucket list! It’s known for its beaches, people, culture, activities and the topic today… food!
There’s so much to do here and you can never run out of things to see! But for a lot of people, food is so important. Having good meals can really change your experience and view about a country.
If you have ever been Italy for the pasta, Japan for the sushi, or Mexico for it’s tacos, then you will understand how important food is when visiting a country! Food from these places really improves your view on the country, but can also leave a sour taste in your mouth if you don’t enjoy it!
We would always recommend trying the local cuisine wherever you go. It’s the best way to meet locals, learn new cultures and really understand the country more. Even if the food isn’t necessarily one you would normally eat, it’s always worth a try as trying new things is the best way to grow and learn new things about yourself.
Trying a new food could lead to it being your favourite dish you have EVER tried! So what’s the harm?
You need to make sure you are eating at the right spots and also the local foods to get the best experience.
Turning up to a country and flicking through the menu is one way of trying new foods but sometimes its good to do your research and see what’s recommended so you can make the most out of your trip abroad!
So South East Asia… What are the best foods to try? Is it spicy? Where do I eat?
There’s a lot of questions people ask and it’s pretty difficult to figure this out when you have never been before.
As you may already guess, each country would provide different dishes, tastes and ingredients so knowing the most recommended dishes and what ingredients they are typically cooked with will give you a good indication whether you are likely to order them when out there!
Below, we have compiled the BEST FOODS we tried when visiting South East Asia! It is important to note that we we only travelled to 5 countries (Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam & Singapore) so any country we didn’t visit may not be included due to us not trying the food.
The first dish is one of Jack’s FAVOURITE dish and should be first as it’s the perfect way to start your day!
Top foods to try in Southeast Asia
Thai Omelette!
The Thai omelette can be eaten throughout the day but is usually consumed as a breakfast meal and the omelette typically consists of vegetables, chicken or pork. Jack’s choice would mostly be a vegetable Thai Omelette which comes standard with sticky rice and a side salad.
A Thai Omelette is totally different to what a usual omelette is in Europe. It is fried in oil and includes ingredients such as fish sauce and spring onions.
It’s served with crispy edges and a soft centre which goes perfectly with the rice and is filling so you won’t be left hungry.
This meal was my choice of breakfast throughout our 3 weeks in Thailand with some days it being ordered for lunch also. It’s quite a safe order as people are used to ordering Omelette’s at home but has a lovely twist which really enhances flavour for you!
It is also one of the cheapest dishes on any menu as it’s simple. This makes it a great budget option if you are looking to lower your costs but you can still get some amazing flavour! The lowest cost we say a Thai Omelette for was 50 Baht (roughly £1.40) and we know it’s cheaper at markets!!
We would rate this dish a 10/10 and one we cannot wait to try when going back to Thailand!
It would only cost around £1 ($1.25) which is a total bargain!
Halo Halo
This is a dish that we hadn’t heard of when visiting the Philippines, but after speaking with some locals, found it to be a traditional dessert that we had to try!
Even after eating it, it’s still hard to understand all the flavours or ingredients as it is full of colour and different foods!
A traditional Halo Halo is shaved ice with condensed and coconut milk with an ice-cream array of toppings. These usually include fruits (like jackfruit, banana and maybe mango!), beans, jelly and even sometimes crushed rice.
There is so much going on with this dish that it’s hard to know what it’s going to taste like… You just have to try it! Be mindful that with so many ingredients, the dessert will be full of different textures, both crunchy and soft, but also chewy. It’s such a weird mixture of textures and flavours, but is beautifully rich and refreshing with a lovely scoop of ice-cream on top!
When we enjoyed our first Halo Halo, it was after a long day at the beach and we were looking for something sweet to enjoy while relaxing and watching the waves.
It’s a very traditional dish, and one that we would recommend trying; but if we were to have it again, we would likely share this as it’s very filling and probably is best split between 2 people. If you have a major sweet tooth and still feeling hungry then you can definitely have one to yourself!
The Halo Halo is a decently priced dessert around £1 – £2 ($1.25 – $2.50)
Vietnamese Vegetable Spring Rolls
Now these were our absolute FAVOURITE! Again, this is not a dish I thought was overly popular in Vietnam nor is a must try for travellers. It’s funny as we stumbled upon the food when embarking on the Ha Giang loop.
Upon starting the Ha Giang loop we set off into the mountains and had our days planned by our guides. After a long and tiring day of riding on the back of a motorbike we came to our place of stay for the night and were welcomed with a buffet for all. This buffet was extraordinary as there was unlimited food! Here, deep in the mountains of Ha Giang, in some small town we tasted the immense vegetable spring rolls!
They were super crispy and full of soft veggie’s when you crunched into them! But the flavour was something else. I spend most of my time posting these veggie spring rolls down one by one until I was completely full. We had to get extra plates as they were being finished so frequently.
That was the only time we had vegetable spring rolls but it’s the one thing I am most looking forward to when visiting back to Vietnam!!
We liked it so much that we have attempted (a few times) to recreate the spring rolls at home but it’s never reached the level of the one’s in Vietnam. This is the one thing we would recommend to try above all in Vietnam!
These were enjoyed as part of a buffet but would be a side costing between £1 – £3 ($1.50 – $4).
Pork Sisig
Pork Sisig was our favourite dish in the Philippines! It’s basically a pork belly dish served with vegetables on a hot plate with a side of rice. It’s served most places and each serving it a little different. Usually, the dish is served with a raw (yes a raw) egg on top which you will mix into the pork and it will sizzle on the hot plate.
The egg is somewhat a strange addition, especially being raw but it really does go with the rest of the dish.
It’s a dish packed with flavour and perfect for either lunch or dinner to fill you up. It’s got a salty taste from the pork with a sweetness from the vegetables and is a dish you will certainly look to order again!
This meal would cost anywhere between £2-£5 dependant on if you are eating at a local/traditional restaurant or not.
Panang Curry
The Panang Curry is a rich, coconutty curry usually served with a with a choice of meat or fish and rice. Although it is a coconut based curry, it is not heavily coconutty as we both don’t like coconut but do love this curry!
It does also usually includes peanut so anyone who is allergic, be sure to double check the ingredients before eating! The curry is usually rich in flavour and spices with a sweet taste.
We usually eat this with chicken as it soaks up the flavour of the sauce and goes really well with the spices.
As you may already know, there are a lot of different curries available in South East Asia that is worth trying.. most notably the Massaman Curry, Thai Red Curry and the Thai Green Curry. These all have a burst of flavour and well worth trying as people will have their preferences.
For us, this was the better of the curries but would definitely change between them depending on our preferences each night!
The Panang Curry is also known for working well with shrimp! The spices match perfectly with fresh shrimp leaving a beautiful taste.
As it’s eaten as a dinner it is more expensive than the other dishes on this list but still would only cost between £2-£4 ($3-$5).
Pad Thai
Pad Thai is a MUST TRY in Thailand! It’s such a staple in Thailand and something you can’t miss when visiting the country. The dish is so simple in making but surprisingly so flavourful and rich in spices. It’s so cleverly cooked and presented as usually you are provided with a small mountain of peanuts and a separate mountain of chilli on the side of your plate which you can choose to add if you wish with a squeeze of lemon when served.
The spices give good kick of heat and the peanuts help enhance the overall flavours of the dish and provide a slight nutty flavour which is very much welcomed. This is a dish that was ordered on many occasions due to the flavours and moreish nature of the dish.
It is definitely one of the cheaper items on the menu but definitely don’t look over it if you think it won’t come with good flavour! You can find local restaurants selling Pad Thai for as cheap as £1 ($1.25) and it’s always served with a generous portion.
Bahn Mi
This is quite popular dish and very different to the rest on this list. It’s pretty much a simple sandwich on first glance but Vietnam have added their own flavours and spices to enhance and change the flavours! Usually, it is served with thinly sliced pork or chicken as the main meat with a host of veggies and unusual ingredients.
The Bahn Mi includes a generous spread of Pate and includes coriander, green onion, chilli, carrot, cucumber, sometimes pickles and a strong drizzle of mayonnaise and Maggi sauce to finish.
A perfect lunchtime meal that you can grab on the go! In Thailand, you are able to get Bahn Mi for as cheap as £0.80 ($1) which is super cheap and affordable!
What are your thoughts?
There are many other dishes that we missed off this list which we wish we could include but these would be the main ones we would want to go back and try and could never get bored of! We would like to give a special mention to Pho as that is a beautiful dish that is versatile with flavours, meats and more!
When visiting South East Asia we would recommend you trying all these and would love to know your thoughts on our list of best foods to try in South East Asia!
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