Vietnamese Food

Vietnamese Food

Header product — groups all Vietnamese dishes. Log sales here for quick entry or against a specific dish for finer tracking.

Pho bo (beef pho)

Slow-cooked beef bone broth with rice noodles, thinly sliced beef, and fresh herbs. The national dish of Vietnam. Contains fish sauce — fish allergen.

Pho ga (chicken pho)

Clear chicken broth with rice noodles, poached chicken, and fresh herbs. Lighter than beef pho. Contains fish sauce.

Bun bo Hue

Spicy lemongrass and shrimp paste beef noodle soup from Hue. More complex and spicier than pho. Contains fish and crustacean allergens.

Com tam (broken rice plate)

Broken rice with grilled pork chop (suon nuong), shredded pork skin (bi), steamed pork cake (cha trung), and pickled vegetables. Contains egg.

Goi cuon (fresh spring rolls)

Fresh rice paper rolls filled with prawns, pork, rice vermicelli, lettuce, and fresh herbs. Served with peanut dipping sauce. Contains crustacean and peanut allergens.

Banh xeo (sizzling crepe)

Crispy turmeric rice flour crepe filled with prawns, pork, bean sprouts, and spring onion. Wrapped in lettuce and dipped in nuoc cham. Contains crustacean allergen.

Bun thit nuong (grilled pork vermicelli)

Rice vermicelli with grilled lemongrass pork, fresh herbs, pickled vegetables, crushed peanuts, and nuoc cham. Contains fish and peanut allergens.

Che ba mau (three colour dessert)

Layered dessert of mung beans, red beans, and pandan jelly in coconut cream and shaved ice. Vegan. Contains coconut.

Nuoc mia (sugarcane juice)

Freshly pressed sugarcane juice with kumquat. Naturally vegan and refreshing.

Ca phe sua da (Vietnamese iced coffee)

Strong drip coffee with sweetened condensed milk over ice. Contains dairy.

Beef bones (for pho broth)

Knuckle, marrow, and oxtail — roast before simmering.

Beef brisket and eye round (for pho)

Brisket for slow cooking in broth, eye round thinly sliced raw for serving.

Whole chicken (for pho ga broth)

Poach gently — do not boil.

Chicken thigh fillets (for pho ga)

Pork bones (for bun bo Hue broth)

Pork chop (for com tam suon nuong)

Marinate in lemongrass, fish sauce, and sugar.

Pork belly (for bun thit nuong and banh xeo)

Slice thin for grilling.

Pork mince (for cha trung steamed pork cake)

Mixed with egg and glass noodles.

Prawns (peeled and deveined)

For goi cuon and banh xeo — crustacean allergen.

Shredded pork skin (bi)

For com tam — buy from Vietnamese butcher.

Eggs (for cha trung)

Egg allergen.

Pho rice noodles (flat, fresh or dried)

Gluten-free. Fresh preferred.

Rice vermicelli (bun)

Gluten-free. For goi cuon, bun bo Hue, and bun thit nuong.

Broken rice (com tam)

Shorter, broken grains — distinct texture from regular rice.

Rice paper wrappers (for goi cuon)

Gluten-free.

Rice flour (for banh xeo batter)

Gluten-free.

Coconut milk (for banh xeo batter and che)

Coconut tree nut allergen.

Glass noodles (for cha trung filling)

Star anise

Essential for pho — toast before use.

Cinnamon sticks

For pho broth.

Cloves

For pho broth.

Cardamom pods (black)

For pho broth.

Coriander seeds

For pho broth.

Fresh ginger (charred)

Char over flame before adding to pho broth.

Onion (charred)

Char over flame — essential for pho.

Lemongrass (large quantities)

Essential for bun bo Hue.

Shrimp paste (mam ruoc)

Crustacean allergen — essential for bun bo Hue.

Dried chilli and chilli oil

For bun bo Hue heat.

Annatto seeds (for red colour in bun bo Hue)

Fish sauce (nuoc mam)

Fish allergen — used throughout Vietnamese cooking. Must declare on all affected products.

Hoisin sauce

Contains gluten and soy — must declare. Used in pho condiment and peanut dipping sauce.

Peanut butter (for dipping sauce)

Peanut allergen — must declare on all goi cuon and bun thit nuong.

Roasted peanuts (crushed)

Peanut allergen — for bun thit nuong and some salads.

Soy sauce

Contains gluten.

Oyster sauce

Contains gluten and molluscs.

Nuoc cham dipping sauce

Fish sauce, lime, sugar, garlic, and chilli — fish allergen. Essential condiment.

Sriracha sauce

For pho condiment tray.

Sweetened condensed milk (for ca phe sua da)

Dairy allergen.

Garlic

Shallots

Spring onions

Fresh coriander (cilantro)

For pho and garnish.

Fresh Thai basil

For pho — cannot substitute with Italian basil.

Bean sprouts

For pho and banh xeo.

Fresh mint

For goi cuon and bun thit nuong.

Perilla leaves (tia to)

For goi cuon and bun dishes.

Cos or butter lettuce leaves

For goi cuon wrapping and banh xeo.

Limes (large quantities)

For pho and nuoc cham.

Bird eye chillies (fresh and sliced)

For pho condiment tray and nuoc cham.

Lemongrass

For marinades and bun bo Hue.

Turmeric powder

For banh xeo batter.

Sugar (palm sugar or white)

Vegetable oil

Pickled daikon and carrot (do chua)

Sweet and sour pickle — essential with com tam.

Cucumber (sliced)

Tomatoes (sliced)

Split mung beans (for che)

Cook until soft.

Red kidney beans or adzuki beans (for che)

Pandan jelly (for che)

Green jelly made with pandan extract.

Coconut cream (for che topping)

Coconut tree nut allergen.

Shaved ice (for che)

For che ba mau.

Rock sugar (for che sweetening)

Fresh sugarcane (whole stalks)

Source from Asian grocer or Vietnamese market supplier.

Kumquats (for nuoc mia)

Vietnamese coffee grounds (Trung Nguyen or Highlands brand)

Dark roast — coarser grind than espresso.

Phin drip filters (Vietnamese coffee drippers)

One per serve — slow drip method.

Large stock pots (2x 40L+)

For pho bone broth — minimum 8 hour simmer. One for beef, one for chicken.

High-output LPG burner

For pho broth and wok cooking.

LPG bottles and regulator

Commercial wok and burner

For banh xeo, stir frying, and grilling.

Flat top grill or griddle

For com tam pork chop and bun thit nuong grilling.

Banh xeo pan (large flat-based pan)

For sizzling crepes — must get very hot.

Bain-marie / food warmer (multiple bays)

For pho broth, com tam components, and sauces above 60°C.

Rice cooker (large commercial)

For broken rice and steamed rice.

Shaved ice machine

For che ba mau.

Sugarcane juicer (electric)

For nuoc mia — significant equipment investment.

Phin drip filters (set of 10+)

For Vietnamese iced coffee service.

Ladle set (for pho portioning)

Pho bowls (large, 1L+)

Pho is served in generous portions.

Mesh strainer (for pho broth)

Prep table and cutting boards

Colour-coded — dedicated board for raw beef.

Small bar fridge

For proteins, dairy, and fresh herbs below 5°C.

Food thermometer

Trestle tables / serving counter

Gazebo/marquee

Generator

If no mains power — significant electrical load.

Cash float/till

Vietnamese food stall

Pho bowls with lids (large, 1L+)

Must hold broth, noodles, and toppings — leak-proof essential.

Com tam plate boxes with lids

Compartmented preferred — keeps components separate.

Goi cuon plates or trays

Fresh spring rolls served immediately.

Banh xeo plates or trays

Serve immediately — banh xeo loses crispiness fast.

Bun bowls with lids

For bun bo Hue and bun thit nuong.

Che cups (large)

For che ba mau.

Nuoc mia cups with lids and straws

Ca phe sua da cups with lids and straws

Small herb plates

Fresh herbs served separately alongside pho.

Dipping sauce cups with lids

For nuoc cham and peanut sauce.

Wooden chopsticks and forks

Asian soup spoons

Napkins

Takeaway bags

Allergen information card

Fish sauce throughout, peanuts in dipping sauces, crustaceans in goi cuon and banh xeo, gluten in hoisin and soy sauce, dairy in iced coffee, coconut in che — display clearly.

Food Business Registration

Food Supervisor Certificate

At least one person on site — pho broth management requires food safety competency.

Food Handler Certificate

Every person handling food.

Public Liability Insurance

LPG/gas safety compliance

Multiple high-output burners — cylinders secured, regulator checked.

Temperature control compliance

Pho broth above 60°C at all times, raw beef below 5°C, fresh herbs stored correctly.

Pho broth management

Pho broth must be brought to full boil, then maintained above 60°C. Never partially cool and reheat at markets — bring fresh batches.

Fish allergen declaration

Fish sauce used throughout — must declare on every product containing fish sauce.

Crustacean allergen declaration

Prawns in goi cuon and banh xeo, shrimp paste in bun bo Hue — must declare.

Peanut allergen declaration

Peanut butter and roasted peanuts in dipping sauces — must declare prominently.

Gluten allergen declaration

Hoisin sauce, soy sauce, and oyster sauce contain gluten — must declare.

Dairy allergen declaration

Condensed milk in Vietnamese iced coffee — must declare.

Egg allergen declaration

Eggs in cha trung steamed pork cake — must declare.

Coconut tree nut allergen declaration

Coconut milk in banh xeo batter and coconut cream in che — must declare.

Allergen labelling compliance

Fish, crustaceans, peanuts, gluten, dairy, egg, and coconut all present across menu.

Electrical safety compliance

Generator required for sugarcane juicer, shaved ice machine, and rice cooker.

Market stall fee

Fuel — travel

LPG/gas

Multiple high-output burners for pho broth.

Generator fuel

If no mains power.

Beef bones

Large volume — establish account with Vietnamese butcher.

Fresh pho herbs (Thai basil, perilla, coriander)

Highly perishable — source daily or every two days.

Fish sauce

Buy in bulk — Phu Quoc or Viet Huong brands preferred.

Fresh sugarcane

Source from Vietnamese grocer or wholesale fruit supplier.

Rice paper wrappers

Buy in bulk packs.

Phin coffee filters

Reusable — buy set of 10–20.

Ice

For che and iced coffee — high volume.

Vietnamese specialty ingredients

Broken rice, pork skin, annatto seeds, pandan jelly — source from Vietnamese grocer.