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Recently, famous YouTuber Max McFarlin revealed in his food culture journey series some familiar drinks with unique preparation methods in Ho Chi Minh City, saying they can only be found in Vietnam. Join Asia King Travel to "name" 5 Vietnam's unique drinks, only available in Vietnam, and see how unique they are.
YouTuber Max McFarlin revealed 5 special drinks that are only available in Vietnam (Cre: Mac Oi channel )
Max McFarlin (from the USA) is a well-known blogger in the global travel community and has a YouTube channel with hundreds of thousands of followers. Max has been in Vietnam for more than 4 years and now lives and works mainly in Ho Chi Minh City.
On his personal channel, the American blogger often shares videos about street food in cities and tourist places across Vietnam that he has visited. In one of his impressive videos, he gave an interesting look at 5 unique Vietnamese drinks that not everyone knows about.
Address suggested in the video: Co Dang Green Jelly and Coconut - Opposite Saigon Centre (Pasteur Street front), Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.
The first place Max shared is a green jelly and coconut street-side stall in the center of Ho Chi Minh City, across from Saigon Centre.
Although it is a common drink at local markets, the version with water coconut that Max McFarlin recommended has a special taste. With its fresh flavor and many toppings, this simple, cooling drink has been loved by Saigon locals and tourists for many years.
Green Jelly and Coconut (Suong Sam Dua Nuoc) (Cre: Shoppee Food)
A full cup includes water coconut, grass jelly, dried longan, basil seeds… and many other toppings. Max said that the green jelly and coconut here is not too sweet, has a fresh taste, is easy to drink, and makes the body feel good - especially on hot summer days.
The big cup with soft jelly and natural sweetness surprised him. “It cools down my whole body!” the American guy said with joy. The price of a cup ranges from 15,000 to 20,000 VND. The stall can sell about 600 cups a day and is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
If you come to Vietnam, you can visit and enjoy Green Jelly and Coconut (Suong Sam Dua Nuoc) at many roadside shops, which will leave you with unforgettable impressions of this drink.
You can visit and enjoy Green Jelly and Coconut at many roadside shops (Cre: Bao Thanh Nien)
Address suggested in the video: Tra Tac Co Thien - 226 Thanh Thai Street, Ward 14, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City.
The second unique Vietnamese drink to mention is kumquat tea. Kumquat tea (Vietnamese called Tra tac, Tra quat) is a popular and familiar drink in many places in Vietnam because it is tasty and cheap. This drink is made from simple ingredients: tea mixed with sugar and squeezed kumquat. The tea is sweet, a little sour, and has a nice smell from the kumquat peel. You can easily find it anywhere in Vietnam, from coffee shops to street-side stalls.
At the place where the YouTuber drank this kumquat tea, because he is a regular customer and the lady owner is very friendly, she made him a special cup with extra toppings, including sweet pickled kumquat.
He said: “Not only is the drink tasty, but it’s also as lovely as the shop owner.” The mix of sweet and sour flavors with the strong taste of tea makes this drink perfect for hot weather. Max said that Ms.Thien’s kumquat tea is one of the best he has ever tried.
Kumquat tea is a popular and familiar drink in many places in Vietnam (Cre: Bao Thanh Nien)
Address suggested in the video: Dua Tac Chu Nam - 451 To Hien Thanh Street, Ward 14, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City
Coconut kumquat drink (Dua Tac) is a very popular drink in the southern provinces of Vietnam, especially in Saigon. Normally, people only know about coconut water, but in Vietnam, it is mixed with kumquat to create a new and tasty refreshing drink.
Coconut kumquat drink (Dua Tac) is a very popular drink in the southern provinces of Vietnam (Cre: Bao Thanh Nien)
To make a cup of coconut kumquat drink, the seller uses coconut water, adds some sugar, squeezes kumquat, and then adds shredded coconut meat. According to Max’s experience, Uncle Nam’s shop is where he felt the original taste of Dua Tac. “Uncle cuts the coconut right there, adds coconut water, kumquat, and a bit of sugar. This is truly a pure flavor I’ve never tried before,” he said.
Coconut kumquat drink is not just a beverage - it also carries a story behind it, from Uncle Nam and his special life situation.
According to Max’s experience, Uncle Nam’s shop is where he felt the original taste of Dua Tac (Cre: Tri Thuc Tre)
Address suggested in the video: Co Nam Sua Dau Nanh - 81 Hoa Hung Street, Ward 12, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City
Soy milk can be found in many places around the world, but in Vietnam, it is also made with other ingredients to create very tasty drinks. Here, soy milk is made from mung beans, peanuts, and pennywort, creating a rich and delicious flavor.
Max continued his journey at a small shop that he described as "famous on TikTok." Even though soy milk is a common drink, the version at Ms. Nam’s shop has a special taste. He chose to try the soy milk with egg yolk and cocoa: the egg yolk is whipped with condensed milk, then hot soy milk and cocoa are added.
He tried the drink and felt a clear difference, saying the soy milk was made in a special way. It was not just a normal soy milk, but a mix of natural ingredients blended together.
Soy milk can be found in many places around the world, but in Vietnam (Cre: didau)
Address suggested in the video: 291 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street, Ward 14, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City
Vietnamese coffee is very famous and loved by many foreign visitors because of its strong taste and special way of making. Besides the famous egg coffee, sock-brewed coffee – a traditional way of making coffee using a cloth strainer or "sock" filter – is also interesting and special.
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Sock-brewed coffee – a traditional way of making coffee using a cloth strainer or "sock" filter (Cre: didau)
Max was drawn to the way the coffee is made by hand using a cloth strainer and charcoal stove, creating a strong cup of coffee with a special, unforgettable taste. He shared that this way of making sock-brewed coffee is very interesting and makes a cup of coffee that is both delicious and “has something very Saigon” in it.
Vietnamese coffee is very famous and loved by many foreign visitors (Cre: Dien May Thien Hoa)
Unique Vietnam's drinks that YouTuber Max McFarlin chose to show are all simple, cheap, and very popular in Saigon. They also have very special flavors. He shared his hope that people can try them when they come to Vietnam to feel these unique tastes.
The videos posted by Max also got a lot of attention from travelers who were curious about these one-of-a-kind drinks found only in Vietnam. Many comments promised to visit Vietnam to enjoy them in the future. We hope these special Vietnamese drinks will bring great experiences to visitors. Asia King Travel looks forward to sharing more posts about Vietnam’s unique food and promises to bring you amazing travel journeys here.
Read more: Egg coffee in Vietnam: A special taste for travellers
