Vietnamese cuisine can be a lot of fun if you know what to order. It is a bit more exotic and can be more healthy then your usual Chinese fair.  I spent a year working in a Vietnamese restaurant learning about the food. Often Vietnamese menus can be a bit daunting, so here is your Vietnamese dictionary to help you sort it out. 

Bo = Beef

Ga = Chicken

Tom = Shrimp

Thit = Pork

Muc = Squid

Do Bien = Seafood

Thap Cam = Combination Seafood and meat

Dau Hu = Tofu

Pho = Traditional Vietnamese Soups

Bun = Bowls of rice vermicelli topped with thinly sliced Beef, chicken, pork, or topped with shrimp. Often they will have the word Nuong which means grilled. So a grilled beef vermicelli bowl would be called Bun Bo Nuong. (Bowl, Beef, Grilled) These are often served for lunch and accompanied by a fried eggroll and fish sauce.

Cha Gio = Fried Eggroll

Goi Cuon = Traditional spring roll usually made with shrimp and served at room temperature. Spring rolls are usually served with a peanut sauce.

Goi Cuon Chay= Chay is vegetable so this is a vegetable spring roll.  Often served hot.

Com Chien = fried rice

Com = If a dish says com in front of it then it is usually a plate served with rice

Rang Muoi = fried. Typically with black pepper, garlic, onion, and bell pepper. I love this stuff!  Often you see Shrimp, squid, chicken wings, or fish prepared this way. Soft shell crab is really good too!

Chua Ngot = Sweet and Sour.

Cari = Curry. Can very in flavor but often coconut curry with chicken.

Banh Xeo =  This is the Vietnamese version of a savory crepe. It is seared rice flour filled with Shrimp, Chicken or pork and assorted vegetables, usually served as an appetizer.

Tau Xi = different dishes such as pork or chicken with black bean sauce. Sounds strange, but tastes really good.

Bo Luc Lac  = Shaking beef, this is cubes of beef, at elite restaurants in the US it is sometimes filet. It is called shaking after the movement the chefs make with the beef in the wok. This is a very popular dish in the US.

Xa Ot = Dishes made with lemongrass             

So whether you eat muc rang muoi, bun bo nuong, Dau Hu Chua Ngot, or Ga Xa Cari, be adventurous and enjoy having a foodie experience. Sometimes you have to try exotic dishes to find your inner foodie!