5 Delicious Street Foods To Try In Asia

Thinking about planning a sneaky trip to Asia? Wondering where and how you might find the best food on offer here? Look no further than on the street!

Asia is an exciting and eye-opening place! Sizzling woks and aromatic broths being conjured up by talented locals on every corner!

In short, street food in Asia is what food dreams are made of! So go on and treat your taste buds to a holiday of their own.

Our number one tip in finding these culinary magicians at work is to find the cart/stall serving street foods in Asia with the longest line of locals waiting for their lunch or dinner. In other words, the longer the line, the better the meal will be. Trust us, we’ve waited in many queues for an amazing meal and we don’t regret a minute of it.

# Thailand – Spicy stir-fried pork with Chili & Thai holy basil (Pad Krapow Moo)

Locals often eat this meal at breakfast time. Fluffy steamed white rice is served topped with fresh stir-fried pork. Deliciously seasoned and mixed with a heap of chilli, garlic and holy basil.

However, the best bit is the deep fried egg with the crispy edges served on top of the whole dish. The fried egg goes fantastic with this dish as it takes some heat off the chilli. And it seems to create the perfect balance of flavours in your mouth. This is a great dish to start the day.

# Indonesia – Satay Chicken Skewers

Apparently, the secret to a delicious satay chicken skewer is on the bbq grill. In short, these skewers are constructed using pieces of chicken thigh meat threaded onto a skewer, delicately marinated and slowly cooked over coals, and turned regularly. Definitely one of the best street foods in Asia to try.

But our favourite is the chicken bits that were charcoaled just a little too much. The sugars from the marinade caramelize and give a delicious crunch to the outer bits. Once cooked, a homemade satay dipping sauce is often served to accompany the skewers. Bliss!

# Vietnam – Beef noodles (Phở bò)

This is probably the most popular Street Food dish in Vietnam. In fact, it would be the most commonly known Vietnamese dish outside Vietnam too. And with good reason. It is simply delicious!

We’ve heard tales of the soup broths for this dish bubble away on the hob for days until the balance of flavours is just perfect.

The best Pho is served in a big bowl filled with fresh noodles covered in soup. Thinly sliced pieces of beef are layered just on top so the heat of the broth instantly cooks it to perfection.

The dish is commonly served with a plate of fresh Vietnamese mint, fresh cut limes, chilli and crisp bean shoots. As a result, it is a winner at any time of the day!

# Malaysia – Beef Rendang

A sure way to enjoy a satisfying meal is this reliable little number from Malaysia. Sold from street carts and side stalls, you cannot mistake the aroma of this amazing dish when little ladies lift the lids off their pots of goodness ticking away. One of our personal favourites on this list of the best street foods in Asia.

Created using chunky cuts of beef, mixed with a thick gravy of fresh spices and coconut, it’s our idea of food heaven. Beef Rendang is often served with a side of peanuts, dried anchovies, a fried egg, crunchy cucumber pieces and fresh sambal.

Order a freshly cooked Roti bread and use it to soak up this delicious gravy!

# Thailand – Chicken Noodle Soup

We stay at the same boutique guesthouse, Samsen Sam each time we visit Bangkok, and the thing that excites me the most about returning to Bangkok is getting to visit my ‘chicken soup lady’ located down the road from our guesthouse.

She is there every day without fail between the hours of 0700-1200. If it’s been a really busy day she serves until she runs out of food. She changes it up occasionally by using chicken, pork and sometimes fish balls but the elements of her dish are always the same. The soup or broth is consistently delicious.

The noodles are always freshly rolled in a perfectly sized portion, still lightly coated in the flour used to hand-make them that morning before she quickly blanches them in boiling water for an order. She adds the same amount of carefully chopped spring onions and crunchy bean shoots to the bowl and you are free to add extra sauces, seasonings, fresh herbs and chilli flakes to match your taste.