In Vietnam, how do I ask for my meal to be vegetarian with no fish, chicken or meat in the soup or sauce?

Question

And no eggs.

My sister will be traveling with me in Vietnam. She is 100% strict vegetarian (vegan). Last time we traveled she only ate rice and banana for 3 weeks because she was afraid of any food which may have even one little drop of fish sauce in it.

I want her to eat lots of good food so she has energy to have adventures with me! :)

Please tell me how to ask for her meals.

Because of the Buddhist culture, will most Vietnamese understand 100% vegetarian?

Answer 1

You can learn a few Vietnamese words from here. It is a free trial version. http://www.byki.com/fls/viet/vietnamese

Cheers.

Answer 2

go to vegetarian restaurant (very rare). You can hire people cook veggie for you. It is easy.

Answer 3

My friend been there and its not good to eat at the restraunt a lot over there. They are not very clean and its totally unhealthy. Its better to make your own food. just go to the market beside restraunt.  I know how to say it but i'm just very bad at spelling it out. people usually eat vegetarian on the new year

Answer 4

Awww, you poor things. I cracked at those people answers...

Okay, you want to know how to say those line and I hope you're able to read it out in Vietnamese. All you have to ask  is "đồ ăn chay" (vegetarian food) or you can say "tôi ăn chay" (I'm a vegetarian). They will AUTOMATICLY know what to get for you, honey.

Their food are safe. Just don't eat at those rest. by the alleys or streets if you don't wanna get diarrhea.  I don't think they will trick you in this case. Check out their vegetarian section in the supermaket. It's so yummy and yes, it always best to cook your own food 2 :)

Good luck and have fun on your trip.

:)

Answer 5

...your sister might have a problem unless she eats only "rice".   "they" cook up "everything"...even the cat... and it's very impolite to tell "mammasan" what to cook... just eat it up and enjoy...( po'g di, ocki doi )...ummm, good (not vegan)

Answer 6

Oh honey.. have you ever heard the saying.. WHEN IN ROME DO AS TEH ROMANS.

Meaning, dont just visit, live like you would if you actually lived there and not just visiting, immerse yourself in the culture.

Answer 7

All you need is write down the Vietnamese letters in a piece of paper and show it whenever you come to a restaurant in Vietnam. Just like the girl who told you, it's " tôi ăn chay" means  " I'm vegetarian ". Anywhere in Vietnam, they can understand those Vietnamese letters.And ask them to make the food for your sister. Or you simply come to the vegetarian restaurants, they have some in Ho Chi Minh city, especially in the Pham Ngu Lao area. Other provinces, it's hard to find.  I also took a friend from England to a vegetarian restaurant in Pham Ngu Lao area, and she liked it.

When ordering vegetarian food, should ask for tofu in the food as tofu is very good for health. It's the main food in every pagoda in Vietnam.

Vegetarian restaurants in Ho Chi Minh city may provide some  vegetarian food which sometimes taste like meat or something else, and the sauce may taste like fish sauce (salty). But don't worry, They are 100% not from fish or meat, just only from tofu. And the sauce, they just make it from water, salt, lime juice...to make it taste nice. And you should try the black sauce, very nice to eat with rice :)

Other not-vegetarian restaurants, you have to be careful the food as well as the sauce.