Egg coffee (Photo credit: ALAMY STOCK)

Jane Richards said the egg coffee provides an instant caffeine hit, its bitterness offset by a supremely creamy – yet surprisingly non-sickly – sweetness.

Previously, Jane Richards sampled another unique Vietnamese delicacy, banh cuon. She watched as a rice flour batter is ladled onto a searing round pan in a shopfront, covered for a few seconds, then skillfully half-rolled into a long oblong shape with a wooden stick. It’s then moved to another flat pan where it’s filled with spices, onion and either pork or shrimp or mushrooms, rolled again, and adorned with lime wedges and served alongside dipping sauces.

Banh cuon,  similar to – but not at all like –  a savoury pancake (Photo credit: ISTOCK)

In Jane Richards’s next food date, she was in line for the sweet and sour delights of bun cha.

Jane visited in June, so it was hot during the day, but cool at night, thus she decided to try chicken pho. The bowl brims with juicy chicken breast and punchy broth that made her alert and wanting to continue to explore the city’s night life.

Another of Jane’s favorites included green sticky rice ice-cream with shaved coconut, and also the ubiquitous banh mi (a baguette sandwich) and iced lemon water.