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Iryna Yang first came to Vietnam six years ago as an exchange student at Hanoi University. After graduating in 2018, she decided to make Vietnam her permanent home. With a YouTube channel boasting over 300,000 subscribers, she regularly shares videos showcasing her travels and culinary adventures across the country.
In March, Iryna made her first trip to Phu Yen in central Vietnam, a journey that coincided with her 28th birthday. She started her day by visiting the Hon Yen fishing village, about 20 kilometers from Phu Yen's capital Tuy Hoa's center. Guided by recommendations from her Vietnamese friends, she planned to explore the local fish market at dawn.
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Iryna Yang (L) buying seafood at Hon Yen fishing village's market. Photo courtesy of YouTube/Iryna oi |
Arriving at the market around 5 a.m., Iryna found herself the center of attention as the only foreigner there. The locals greeted her as she walked around the market, searching for squid.
Despite her limited Vietnamese, she managed to communicate with the vendors and purchased a kilogram of fresh squid for VND100,000 ($4) without needing to haggle.
"The seller was kind enough to clean the squid for me right there," Iryna said.
By 7 a.m., she left the market and ventured into the village in search of a local breakfast spot. Wanting to compare the central region's version of banh xeo crispy pancakes to the southern style she was familiar with, she chose a small street-side stall.
Iryna ordered four pancakes, using some of the squid she had just bought as the filling. She noted that Phu Yen's version of banh xeo was quite different from the southern style. The pancakes were smaller, lacked the golden color, and featured seafood fillings like shrimp and squid, rather than the typical shrimp and pork belly used in the south.
The flavor and way of eating were also distinct. Phu Yen's banh xeo had a thicker, crispier crust, was softer inside, and was served with a fermented fish sauce instead of the usual sweet and sour fish sauce with garlic and chili. The dish was wrapped with herbs but not with rice paper as in other regions.
"It was a satisfying breakfast," Iryna said.
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Banh xeo pancakes are prepared over charcoal stoves at a street food stall in Phu Yen. Photo courtesy of YouTube/Iryna oi |
When she asked for the price to pay, the stall owner offered her the meal for free, but Iryna politely declined, explaining that the meal only cost VND7,000.
She paid VND20,000 instead and gifted the rest of her squid to the owner, moved by the kindness she experienced.
During her stay in Phu Yen, Iryna also visited Giai Son Market in Tuy An District, about 15 kilometers from Tuy Hoa Province. There, she sampled a variety of local dishes, including fish cake noodles, steamed rice cakes and pork intestine porridge.
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Iryna Yang prepares her bowl of fermented sauce to eat with banh xeo pancakes in Phu Yen. Photo by YouTube/Iryna oi |
Iryna was amazed by the affordability of the food, with prices ranging from VND10,000 to VND20,000 per dish. In total, she spent just VND50,000 for seven different dishes at Giai Son Market.
"I couldn't believe how cheap the food was," Iryna shared, praising not only the prices but also the hospitality of the market vendors. She found the dishes in Phu Yen to be spicier than those she had tried in Hanoi, and far more affordable.
With a love for Vietnamese culture and people, Iryna has set a goal to explore all 63 cities provinces of Vietnam, immersing herself in local life and cuisine at every stop.
