Xin chào again, fabulous foodies!
It’s Francesca, back on the blog with a report from what might just be one of my favourite days in Vietnam so far: a spinning boat ride + a Vietnamese cooking class = chaos + culinary triumph.
Let’s just say it was a day of twists, spice, laughter, and absolutely no hunger.
🌀 Coconut Boat Mayhem (Poor Dad)
We started the day in the blazing heat (again 😅), but spirits were high as we set off for our Vietnamese cooking class and coconut boat adventure.
Coconut boat first — thank goodness.
If you haven’t seen these before, they’re round bamboo boats that spin like teacups on steroids, and yes, we all got in one. And yes, Dad got spun to oblivion.
Ted and Lucia laughed their heads off.
Dad looked like he’d just stepped off a rollercoaster after eating 3 hot dogs.
I politely declined the spinning bit and focused on not throwing up from second-hand dizziness. 👍
🍴 Cooking Class: Future Masterchefs in Action
After Dad’s boat-induced wobble, we arrived at a lovely outdoor kitchen, ready to cook up a Vietnamese feast from scratch. The class was so cool — hands-on, a bit messy, and totally satisfying.
We made 4 dishes, plus all the key components like fish sauce dipping magic, rice milk, and microscopically chopped veggies (our knife skills = on point).
Here’s the menu:
🥢 1. Bánh Cuốn – Steamed Rice Rolls
We’d eaten these on our scooter food tour, so we knew what we were aiming for. But making the paper-thin rice pancakes ourselves was a total challenge!
- We poured, swirled, steamed, and peeled
- Stuffed them with delicious filling
- Then proudly ate them in about 5 seconds flat
They tasted way better because we made them ourselves. Obviously.
🥬 2. Bánh Xèo – Crispy Vietnamese Pancakes
Another food tour fave — and still 100% amazing.
- We fried them until crispy and golden
- Stuffed them full of herbs, egg and prawns
- Dunked them in our homemade spicy fish sauce
Ted tried to eat his weight in Bánh Xèo. I let him win. Just this once.
🍜 3. Beef Phở – The Soul of Vietnam
Okay. This one was a vibe.
- The broth had been simmering away for ages, and we grilled up ginger, cinnamon, and onion for extra depth
- We prepped our noodles and toppings and built our bowls
It was soupy, noodly, comforting deliciousness and honestly, I could eat it every day forever. Even Lucia liked it, despite her melting in the heat.
🥥 4. Mung Bean & Coconut Dahl – Sweet & Smooth
A new one for us, and a perfect finish.
- Creamy, coconutty, just a little sweet
- Kind of like a cross between a dessert and a palate cleanser
I wasn’t sure about it at first, but then I went back for seconds. Francesca-approved. Devoured before we could take a pic.
😎 Final Vibes: Full, Proud, Slightly Dizzy
We left the class feeling:
- Proud (we crushed it, let’s be real),
- Full (Bánh Xèo belly = happy belly),
- And with enough recipes and bragging rights to start our own restaurant.
Dad was still a little green from the boat ride, but thankfully the pool was waiting for us back at the resort. He flopped into it like a man reborn.
💬 Final Thoughts from Francesca
Today had everything I love:
- Weird boats
- Food I got to make and eat
- And the satisfaction of being officially more talented than Ted at rolling rice pancakes (sorry not sorry)
We’re definitely adding Bahn Xeo night to the family dinner menu when we get home. You just might want to hold the boat ride.
Ciao for now,
Francesca (plus Ted the Crispy Pancake King, and Dad the Dizzy Survivor) 🍳🍲🌀
P.S. Ted tried to take all the credit for the coconut Dahl. We all saw who spilled half the mung beans. Just saying.
Ted Tastes Francesca Feasts 
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