A Taste of Southeast Asia – What to Eat During Your Tours in Asia

29-Jan-2023
What better way to experience a country and its culture than by sampling its local delicacies and culinary traditions? The best food tours in Asia offer you a chance to explore the culture, history, and flavors of the region.
Food tours in Asia are generally not a weekend getaway, but an experience that you can do on your own. Food tours in this part of the world mean eating at local food stalls, street and seafood markets, sit-down restaurants, and even resorts. Food tours are especially popular in Vietnam and Thailand where the costs are lower than in any other country in Asia. You can also find many year-round attractions around Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Bangkok, but these cities have much more to offer than food.

There are many great culinary opportunities in Southeast Asia, but here are some of the top options that you should try…and then compare to how different they are at restaurants in your home country:
1. Vietnam
Vietnamese cuisine is known for its balance of salty, sweet, sour, and spicy flavors. It is also characterized by its use of fresh herbs and vegetables, and its emphasis on light and healthy dishes. Some of the most popular dishes in Vietnam include:
- Pho noodle soup: A popular street food dish, Pho is a hearty soup made with rice noodles, meat (usually beef or chicken), and a variety of herbs and spices.
- Banh Mi sandwiches: This French-Vietnamese fusion dish is a popular street food consisting of a baguette filled with various meats, pickled vegetables, and herbs.
- Bun Cha grilled pork and rice noodles: This dish is made with grilled pork, rice noodles, and a variety of herbs and vegetables. It is often served with a sweet and sour dipping sauce.
- Goi cuon fresh spring rolls: These are light and healthy rolls filled with shrimp, pork, and a variety of herbs and vegetables. They are often served with a peanut dipping sauce.
- Ca kho to caramelized fish: This dish is a popular in the south of Vietnam, it’s a slow-cooked fish in a clay pot with caramelized sauce.
- Banh Xeo: A crispy savory pancake, filled with shrimp, pork, and bean sprouts, eaten wrapped in lettuce or herbs with a dipping sauce.
- Com tam: Broken rice dish, usually served with grilled pork, egg and various vegetables.
- Banh cuon: Rice rolls with a variety of fillings, usually including ground pork and mushrooms.
Vietnamese cuisine also features a variety of seafood dishes, particularly in the coastal regions of the country. Additionally, there’s a strong tradition of vegetarian cuisine in Vietnam, often associated with Buddhism and influenced by Chinese cuisine.
Vietnamese food is generally considered healthy, as it is low in fat and high in fresh herbs and vegetables. Many traditional dishes are also gluten-free and suitable for people with dietary restrictions.

2. Thailand
Thai cuisine is known for its bold and complex flavors, with a balance of sweet, sour, spicy, and salty tastes. The cuisine is heavily influenced by Chinese, Indian and Malay cooking, and it’s famous for its use of herbs and spices. Some of the most popular dishes in Thailand include:
- Tom Yum soup: A popular Thai soup that is known for its spicy and sour flavor, it is made with a variety of ingredients such as lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, fish sauce, and chili paste.
- Pad Thai: A popular street food dish, Pad Thai is a stir-fry made with rice noodles, vegetables, and a variety of meats or seafood. It is often served with a sweet and tangy sauce.
- Green Papaya Salad (Som Tam): A spicy salad made with shredded unripe papaya, tomatoes, peanuts, and chili.
- Massaman Curry: A mild curry made with coconut milk, peanuts, and a variety of spices, including cinnamon and cardamom.
- Gaeng Keow Wan Gai (Green Curry): A spicy curry made with coconut milk, green chili paste, and a variety of vegetables.
- Khao Pad (Fried Rice): A simple dish made with jasmine rice, egg, and a variety of meats or seafood.
- Tom Kha Gai: A spicy and sour soup made with coconut milk, galangal, lemongrass, and kaffir lime leaves.
- Mango Sticky Rice: A popular dessert made

3. Malaysia
Malaysian cuisine is a melting pot of flavors and influences from various ethnic groups, such as Chinese, Indian, and Malay. It is known for its diverse and flavorful dishes, with a balance of sweet, sour, spicy, and savory tastes. Some of the most popular dishes in Malaysia include:
- Nasi Lemak: A traditional Malay dish, Nasi Lemak is a fragrant rice dish cooked in coconut milk and pandan leaves, served with a variety of toppings such as fried anchovies, peanuts, and egg.
- Satay: Skewers of grilled meat, usually chicken or beef, served with a spicy peanut sauce.
- Laksa: A popular noodle soup dish, Laksa is made with rice noodles and a variety of ingredients such as seafood, chicken, and tofu in a spicy coconut milk based broth.
- Mee Goreng: A popular street food dish, Mee Goreng is a stir-fry made with yellow noodles, vegetables, and a variety of meats or seafood.
- Roti Canai: A popular Indian-influenced dish, Roti Canai is a type of flatbread that is usually served with a variety of dips such as curry or dal.
- Char Kway Teow: A popular Chinese-influenced dish, Char Kway Teow is a stir-fry made with flat rice noodles, vegetables, and a variety of meats or seafood.
- Curry Laksa: is a variation of the traditional Laksa, this version has a thicker gravy and it is a flavorful and spicy dish made with a rich and creamy coconut milk-based curry broth, noodles, and a variety of ingredients such as shrimp, chicken, tofu, and bean sprouts. The soup is flavored with a blend of spices and herbs, including lemongrass, chili paste, and tamarind, and is typically garnished with fresh herbs such as mint and cilantro.

4. Indonesia
Indonesian cuisine is a diverse and flavorful mixture of various cultural influences such as Chinese, Indian, and Malay. It is known for its use of spices and herbs, and for its balance of sweet, sour, spicy, and savory flavors. Some of the most popular dishes in Indonesia include:
- Nasi Goreng: A popular dish, Nasi Goreng is a fried rice dish that is usually made with a variety of ingredients such as meat, seafood, and vegetables.
- Gado-gado: A popular salad dish, Gado-gado is made with a variety of boiled vegetables, such as beans, potatoes, and cabbage, and served with a peanut sauce.
- Sate: Skewers of grilled meat, usually chicken or beef, served with a spicy peanut sauce.
- Bakso: A popular street food dish, Bakso is a meatball soup that is usually made with beef or chicken and served with a variety of noodles.
- Rendang: A popular curry dish, Rendang is made with a variety of meats, such as beef or chicken, and cooked in a thick coconut milk-based sauce.
- Nasi Padang: A popular dish, Nasi Padang is a plate of steamed rice that is usually served with a variety of side dishes such as meat, fish, and vegetables.
- Martabak: a popular street food dish, it’s a savory or sweet stuffed pan-fried or deep-fried pancake, filled with meats, vegetables, or chocolate and cheese.
- Sop Buntut: A popular soup dish, Sop Buntut is made with oxtail and served with a variety of vegetables.
Indonesian cuisine also features a variety of seafood dishes, particularly in the coastal regions of the country, such as fish, squid, and shrimp. Additionally, it’s a common practice to have a side of sambal, a chili paste, to enhance the flavors and add heat to the dishes.

5. Singapore
Singaporean cuisine is a melting pot of flavors and influences from various ethnic groups, such as Chinese, Malay, and Indian. It is known for its diverse and flavorful dishes, with a balance of sweet, sour, spicy, and savory tastes. Some of the most popular dishes in Singapore include:
- Hainanese Chicken Rice: A popular dish, Hainanese chicken rice is made with poached chicken and served with fragrant rice cooked in chicken stock and pandan leaves.
- Laksa: A popular noodle soup dish, Laksa is made with rice noodles and a variety of ingredients such as seafood, chicken, and tofu in a spicy coconut milk-based broth.
- Satay: Skewers of grilled meat, usually chicken or beef, served with a spicy peanut sauce.
- Char Kway Teow: A popular Chinese-influenced dish, Char Kway Teow is a stir-fry made with flat rice noodles, vegetables, and a variety of meats or seafood.
- Nasi Lemak: A traditional Malay dish, Nasi Lemak is a fragrant rice dish cooked in coconut milk and pandan leaves, served with a variety of toppings such as fried anchovies, peanuts, and egg.
- Roti Prata: A popular Indian-influenced dish, Roti Prata is a type of flatbread that is usually served with a variety of dips such as curry or dal.
- Chilli crab: a popular seafood dish, the crab is stir-fried in a spicy tomato-based sauce.
- Bak Kut Teh: A popular Chinese-influenced dish, Bak Kut Teh is a pork rib soup that is usually served with a variety of side dishes such as tofu and mushrooms.
- Wanton Mee: A popular Chinese-influenced dish, Wanton Mee is a noodle dish that is usually served with wanton dumplings and various toppings.
- Fish Head Curry: A popular Indian-influenced dish, Fish Head Curry is a fish head cooked in a spicy curry sauce with a variety of vegetables.
- Sambal Stingray: Barbecued Stingray smothered in a spicy sambal sauce.
- Roti John: A popular Malay-influenced dish, Roti John is a sandwich made with a fried omelette and a variety of ingredients such as minced meat, onions, and chili sauce on a baguette-like bread.

It’s worth noting that these are just a few examples and there are many other dishes and cuisines available in Asia that offer unique and delicious experiences. Sometimes a food tour with a guide is the best way to experience and understand when and how to eat these different dishes.

The best dishes in Asia will change your idea of what food can taste like, and how you prepare it. It will ignite your passion for cooking. You’ll be introduced to some of the best cuisines in the world.
