Egg coffee (Cà Phê Trứng)

A favorite activity of the trip for Anya and me has been finding great coffee in each city we visit. Nearly every day starts with us venturing out to have a little alone time while searching for a yummy cup or two (or three). While we’re adventurous in trying a lot of different establishments, our orders rarely vary: a latte with 1.5-2 sugars for Anya and a sugarless flat white for me (or a cappuccino if they don’t serve flat whites).  In Vietnam, we came across a novelty drink that I was excited to try, and got my first taste in Saigon.  Egg coffee (Cà Phê Trứng) is more of a specialty in North Vietnam, but I had a delicious cup one afternoon in Saigon at a place called Day Saigon. I hadn’t researched it at all before we happened upon this place, so I wasn’t sure if it would be chunky with eggs or really what to expect at all. It was so delicious and creamy! Definitely not something I would have on a daily basis, but I loved it for an every-once-in-a-while sort of dessert drink. I think there are a number of ways egg coffee can be prepared, but way I had it, which I think is the traditional way, is to beat egg yolks with condensed milk and sugar (or vanilla extract) until the substance is really frothy, and then pour that on top of a layer of coffee/espresso, with a little more coffee/espresso drizzled on top to finish it off. It’s served in a glass that is partially submerged in a bowl of boiled water to keep it nice and hot. The barista told me to try a little of the egg mixture by itself and then stir the whole thing together.

It may sound weird, but it’s so good! I’m really excited to find good egg coffee throughout Vietnam. Apparently, this style of coffee preparation was developed & perfected when a substitute was needed for milk during shortages either during WWII or the Vietnam War. Whatever the origin, I think they’ve found themselves a winner! We’re adding this to our growing list of things we need to make once we get home!