Reclaiming breakfast: noodles at dawn

If Bún chả isn’t worth getting out of bed for then what is? Photo courtesy of Andrew King (@an_kingphoto)

Alex Reeves - @afreeves23

I'm here to talk about food again. That’s the nod I got when Việt Nam News reassigned me from providing insights on the World Cup, and as someone whose moods often dictate his writing, I’m hungry and it's breakfast on the table today.

I’m no stranger to the lure of a bacon and egg sandwich before the football - thanks, Dad! Generally, though, I wasn’t a morning meal enthusiast. Those extra hours in bed? Golden. And there’s little better than waking on a Saturday to feel the crushing dread of work dissolve into the calming embrace of a weekend realisation.

I got over cereal aged ten and have always treated people who wake up with muesli or porridge on their mind with great suspicion. Surely there must be more to life? Then, as with so many things I thought I knew about myself, came Việt Nam.

With the cultural acceptability of napping and the best of breakfast being exclusive to the hours it was intended, the most important meal of the day is back on my menu. By no means am I a fully converted five-times-a-week noodles at dawn type guy, but breakfast is something I feel is too often missed, especially by the late-rising Western imported amongst us.

Bánh Cuốn is a morning revelation, Bún Chả asserts its dominance before 10am, and the best Phở spots run dry by nine. A Bánh Mì hits differently en route to work. The quality and craftsmanship poured into these dishes are too easily forgotten; fare that fetches a mere $3 here could easily masquerade as haute cuisine in Europe with just a dash of French in the description or a nod from your local hipster.

One of the most revitalising pieces of news I stumbled upon in recent years was a study on how changing our routine and doing new things on a regular basis can stretch our perception of time and make life feel as though it's not flying by so quickly. With that in mind, consider this a strong hint to buy yourselves thirty more morning minutes every now and then to enjoy dawn’s bounty.

Perhaps, as for me, it could reignite your love affair with the culinary scene of our vibrant hosts. This is a reminder to pull up a plastic stool, leave your worries aside, and immerse in the dishes that breathe life into the city each day. As always, here’s to enjoying the simple, savoury pleasures - one-morning meal at a time.