Discover authentic vietnamese cuisine with our vermicelli bowls

Vermicelli Bowls: A Taste of Saigon

Ever found yourself wondering: Is it vermicelli? Vermecelli? Vermacci? Vermicelli bolw? Wrong! It’s vermicelli (ver-mih-CHELL-ee). Spelling aside, what really matters is how delicious this dish is!

Do you miss Saigon?

If you’ve ever eaten in Saigon, you know there’s nothing quite like its street food. Vermicelli bowls are the perfect balance of sweet, salty, tangy, and fresh flavours in every bite.

And if you haven’t been? Well, let’s fix that. Our vermicelli bowls bring those bold, authentic flavours straight to you—no plane ticket needed.

A bowl with history

Vermicelli bowls, or bun in Vietnamese, are a staple of southern Vietnamese cuisine, especially in Saigon, where street vendors and family-run shops have perfected the art of balancing flavours and textures of this dish to enjoy in Vietnam’s hot, humid climate.

Where did it originate from? East Asia

What is it? Vietnamese vermicelli are long, thin noodles made from rice. These noodles are a key ingredient in iconic dishes like pho.

At Grain of Rice, our lemongrass vermicelli bowls feature grilled pork for that classic charred flavour, while our beef and chicken are wok-tossed in lemongrass. However you choose to enjoy it, each bowl is made fresh.

What’s in a Vermicelli Bowl?

• Vermicelli rice noodle bowls have become a popular street food in the streets of Saigon. These bowls include vermicelli noodles, fresh herbs, fresh vegetables, and nuoc cham (fish sauce), combined all in one.

• Rice vermicelli noodles.

• Lemongrass proteins – Choose from pork, chicken, beef, or tofu (you can mix these proteins in one bowl, but we like to keep it to a maximum of two—any more, and the flavours start to clash.)

• Fresh vegetables – Lettuce, cucumber, and pickled carrots.

• Crushed roasted peanuts — Let us know if you’ve got a nut allergy, we won’t include them in your bowl.

• Crispy chicken spring rolls – Our spring rolls are filled with chicken breast, taro, carrots, and onions. Psst, if you’re gluten-free, go for the pork option without the spring rolls (yes, we give you extra pork if you’re opting for the gluten-free option).

• Nuoc cham (fish sauce) – (water, sugar, and fish sauce) tangy and slightly sweet Vietnamese fish sauce dressing. There are chili peppers in there, but let us know if you rather have it mild!

For vegetarians, we recommend ordering our tofu option. Our tofu is deep-fried and wok-tossed in our signature spicy lemongrass sauce. Vegan? Let your server know that you would like to opt out of our fish sauce.

To keep our bowls simple, we do not include fresh herbs or beansprouts, though they’re traditionally served with vermicelli bowls.

Gluten-free?

Vermicelli noodles are made from rice, they’re naturally gluten-free. If you are avoiding gluten but still want something tasty, be sure to order a pork vermicelli bowl without the spring rolls to keep it completely gluten-free.

A Bowl of Tradition, A Taste of Vietnam

In southern Vietnam, vermicelli bowls (bún) are more than just a meal—they’re a way of life. Whether you’re wandering through the bustling streets of Saigon, grabbing a quick bite from a street vendor, or sitting down for a family meal, bún thịt nướng (grilled pork vermicelli) is a go-to dish. It’s fresh, flavorful, and incredibly convenient, making it a favorite for families looking for a quick and satisfying meal.

At Grain of Rice, our signature wok-tossed lemongrass vermicelli bowl was born out of a need for something just as flavorful, but more practical for our customers. Back at our first restaurant, Treasury Restaurant, we noticed that office workers loved coming in for a quick, refreshing vermicelli bowl. The only problem? Fish sauce. As delicious as nước chấm is, it wasn’t exactly office-friendly, and many customers hesitated to order it before heading back to work.

That challenge led us to reinvent the vermicelli bowl. Instead of the traditional grilled meats paired with fish sauce, we created a wok-tossed lemongrass protein that’s just as saucy and flavorful—without the fish sauce. It became a hit, and we’ve been perfecting it ever since. We take pride in offering Edmonton’s only wok-tossed lemongrass protein vermicelli bowl. While traditional vermicelli bowls are often served with grilled meats and nước chấm (Vietnamese fish sauce dressing), we know that fish sauce isn’t for everyone.

So whether you're missing the vibrant street food of Saigon or simply looking for an easy, light but delicious meal, our signature vermicelli bowls bring you the best of Vietnamese flavors—convenient, fresh, and made with love.

Ready to dig in?

Maybe you’ve never been to Vietnam, but do you want a taste of the real deal? Either way, we’ve got you covered.