Top 5 Chè - Sweet Soups must try in Saigon

Desserts in Vietnam are generally different than most western desserts. Granted, there is the occasional baked item taken from the French and made into a Vietnamese version. However, there is one set of desserts that is inherently Vietnamese and that is Chè. South Vietnam travel

No, it’s not the rather famous beret clad revolutionary whose face is plastered on shirts all over Pham Ngu Lao. In fact, it’s a family of desserts. It may be served hot or cold in bowls, glasses, or over ice, and contain a range of ingredients ranging from a wide range of beans to tapioca, jellies, glutinous rice, and fruit. The options are nearly endless and it is almost impossible to produce a complete list. But we took a poll around the City Pass Guide offices and what we have is our top five Chè dishes.

TOP 5 CHÈ - SWEET SOUPS MUST TRY IN SAIGON
CHÈ BA MÀU

Top 5 Chè - Sweet Soups must try in Saigon

Literally translated as Dessert three colours, the main variant of this dessert is served with three types of coloured green jelly in slightly sweet coconut juice. The ingredients are usually served in layers and then mixed up when eaten and makes for a light yet refreshing snack. AMALOTUS CRUISE

CHÈ ĐẬU ĐỎ BÁNH LỌT
dau do banh lot

Kind of like the smorgasbord of the Chè family, this one has it all. It’s usually served with beans, jelly, and/or tapioca.

SÂM BỔ LƯỢNG
San bo luong

More of a restorative than a dessert , this Chè can have dried red jujube, peanuts, taro, cassava, ginseng root, seaweed and/or water chesnuts. What also makes this dessert different is that there is no coconut milk in the syrup.Huong Hai Sealife

CHÈ THÁI
che thai

A version of Thailand’s tub tim grawb, the Vietnamese version is less sweet and uses a variety of fruits that can include jackfruit, longan, lychee, palm seed, and most importantly durian.

CHÈ TRÔI NƯỚC
che troi nuoc

My favourite of the five, this dessert is made with mung bean paste in a dumpling made of glutinous rice flour that has a texture similar to mochi. It is served in a thick clear or brown liquid made of water, sugar, and grated ginger root.

If you are interested in trying some of these desserts, you can check them out at these locations:

Chè Thái

Add: 380 Nguyen Tri Phuong, D. 10, HCMC. Tel: 09 3333 8128

Xôi Chè

Add: 111 Bui Thi Xuan, Pham Ngu Lao D. 1 HCMC. Tel: 08 38332748

Add: 33 Dinh Tien Hoang, Quan Binh Thanh HCMC. Tel: 08 3517 8333

Add: 160 Nguyen Oanh Quan Go Vap HCMC. Tel: 08 6675 3882