45 most criticized Vietnamese dishes, many people are surprised when reading the names

Bánh đậu xanh đứng đầu danh sách 45 món ăn Việt Nam nhận đánh giá thấp của TasteAtlas — Green bean cake tops TasteAtlas' list of 45 underrated Vietnamese dishes

Topping this list is Hai Duong green bean cake, a famous dish loved by many Vietnamese people.

“This traditional Vietnamese dessert originates from Hai Duong. It combines mung beans, vegetable oil or lard, sugar and flavorings to create a fudge-like consistency and smooth texture.

It is believed that this cake first appeared in the 1920s, and since then, this simple combination has become a local favorite and famous throughout the country,” TasteAtlas explains about Hai Duong green bean cake.

“Traditionally, mung bean cakes are eaten with a cup of green tea or lotus tea,” the site continued.

So why is Hai Duong green bean cake ranked first in the list of 45 most underrated Vietnamese dishes?

As TasteAtlas explains, TasteAtlas's food rankings are based on ratings from the site's readers.

Rankings are based on a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and ignore bots or country-biased ratings, while adding value to ratings from users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable.

The list of “45 lowest-rated Vietnamese dishes” as of March 16 recorded 4,427 reviews, of which 3,037 reviews were recognized by the system as valid.

However, TasteAtlas insists that the TasteAtlas rankings should not be considered the final global verdict on food.

The purpose of these boards is to promote local delicacies, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about foods you've never tried.

In contrast to the "champion" and "runner-up" positions on this list - blood pudding - it is not difficult to understand, because blood pudding is famous as a "scary" Vietnamese dish for many foreign tourists.

Tiết canh xếp thứ 2 danh sách 45 món ăn Việt Nam nhận đánh giá thấp của TasteAtlas — Blood pudding ranked 2nd in TasteAtlas' list of 45 Vietnamese dishes that received low ratings.

“This vibrant red Vietnamese dish is made from fresh animal blood mixed with fish sauce,” TasteAtlas introduces.

Coming in at number three on the list is banh troi, “a traditional Vietnamese dessert consisting of small, fragrant balls of sticky rice wrapped around a sweet filling.”

Jellied meat, a famous dish of the North, is also on this list.

Thịt đông xếp thứ 4 trong danh sách 45 món ăn Việt Nam nhận đánh giá thấp của TasteAtlas — Jellied meat ranked 4th in TasteAtlas' list of 45 Vietnamese dishes that received low ratings.

“Thit jelly is a Vietnamese version of aspic (a type of meat jelly popular in many countries). This dish is made by cooking meat, pig's trotters, pork skin… with carrots, mushrooms and spices. Once cooked, the mixture is left to stand until it reaches a characteristic jelly texture.”

Shrimp paste is also a challenging dish for many foreigners coming to Vietnam, so vermicelli with fermented shrimp paste is also on the list.

Bún đậu mắm tôm - Ảnh: NHÃ XUÂN — Bun Dau Mam Tom - Photo: NHA XUAN

“This traditional Vietnamese dish consists of rice noodles, fried tofu and shrimp paste. All the ingredients are served separately, along with fresh green vegetables. The dish is sometimes accompanied by boiled pork and before eating, the shrimp paste is squeezed with a few drops of lime or kumquat.

Bun dau mam tom is primarily associated with northern Vietnam and is especially popular in Hanoi. Although it is also served in restaurants, this unique dish is best known as a street food sold by street vendors.”

In addition to the above dishes, the list of 45 lowest rated Vietnamese dishes also includes vermicelli with fish sauce, porridge, banana sweet soup, sticky rice with gac fruit, moon cakes...

The list below may raise questions, or even objections, but it is only the perspective of a site with a small number of reviews.