Sapa specialty earns global praise from TasteAtlas

Alongside well-known Vietnamese dishes like pho and morning glory, for the first time ever, Sa Pa’s specialty stir-fried cai meo with smoked pork has been honored by TasteAtlas, the world-renowned culinary platform.

Stir-fried morning glory.

In its recently released list of the best stir-fried dishes in Southeast Asia, TasteAtlas recognized six Vietnamese entries, a proud moment for the country’s cuisine.

Rated 4.3 out of 5 stars and ranking seventh, stir-fried morning glory with garlic was described as a traditional Vietnamese vegetarian-friendly dish. Despite using only simple ingredients like water spinach, garlic, fish sauce, salt, sugar, and oyster sauce, it delivers an aromatic, irresistibly delicious flavor.

“Morning glory is first blanched, then stir-fried with garlic, salt, and sugar, while fish sauce is added near the end to enhance the fragrance,” TasteAtlas noted. The dish is typically served hot and pairs perfectly with steamed white rice.

Vietnam’s stir-fried pho and stir-fried glass noodles with crab also made the list at ranks 13 and 39, respectively. Stir-fried chayote with garlic (rank 40) and stir-fried sweet snails (rank 41) were praised for their straightforward preparation yet bold, enticing flavors.

Stir-fried cai meo with smoked pork

Most notably, Sa Pa’s signature stir-fried cai meo with smoked pork made its debut at number 52, celebrated for its strong regional identity.

This dish combines savory smoked pork, blanched briefly before being stir-fried with cai meo - a leafy green with a robust, slightly bitter taste and a sweet aftertaste that makes it increasingly enjoyable with each bite.

Founded in 2015, TasteAtlas is known as a global culinary map, collecting traditional dishes from all over the world.

According to founder Matija Babic, the platform’s food and drink rankings are compiled based on evaluations from culinary experts and critics, ensuring the reliability of its awards.