NguuMuu Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 Can anybody inform me of the cheese situation in Vietnam? Is there a good selection? Is it good a value? Is it easy to find? How does it compare to Thailand's poor status in this category? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simcity Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 Can anybody inform me of the cheese situation in Vietnam?Is there a good selection? Is it good a value? Is it easy to find? How does it compare to Thailand's poor status in this category? When i went there few year ago, i did find in supermarket, cheeses and wine import from france who where much cheaper as thailand ! the wine was soso, the cheeses was ok and commercial ! I will get some more next time if i go back! think about coffee bean if you go there, the price was about 15$ for a top quality, and 4$ for normal range, can be find in fresh food market Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilHarries Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 Depends where in the country you are talking about. In HCMC there is a good choice of European cheeses but the further north you go the more limited they become. There are exceptions at tourist places like Nha Trang and Da Nang where they have Metro stores that stock a wider range of western stuff. Be aware that you have to be a member to get in these places but all you need to get a card is your passport. I have no idea regarding value as everything is priced in Dong and it depends against what standard you judge that elusive quality "value". I'll have a look in the shop at the contrator's camp lunchtime and get some figures. Overall I wouldn't say Viet Nam is much different to Thailand, the good stuff is there to be found just be prepared to travel and search for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NguuMuu Posted January 17, 2008 Author Share Posted January 17, 2008 As for location, specifically interested in HCMC and Hanoi. In Thailand cheese is hard to find unless you go to a villa, foodland, mall, etc...but even then the selection is small and cost is high. I find the cost is usually around double what I would pay in the US. From what I've found in Bangkok, a basic 250 gram cheddar would be 150 baht (over US$5) and a small chunk of blue cheese would be about the same. I was hoping with the European influence and regularity of bread, that cheese would be more plentiful and cheaper in Vietnam. I want to grab 5 or 6 kilos while I'm there if it's worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gennisis Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 As for location, specifically interested in HCMC and Hanoi.In Thailand cheese is hard to find unless you go to a villa, foodland, mall, etc...but even then the selection is small and cost is high. I find the cost is usually around double what I would pay in the US. From what I've found in Bangkok, a basic 250 gram cheddar would be 150 baht (over US$5) and a small chunk of blue cheese would be about the same. I was hoping with the European influence and regularity of bread, that cheese would be more plentiful and cheaper in Vietnam. I want to grab 5 or 6 kilos while I'm there if it's worth it. I dont understand your complaints about the availability of good cheeses in Thailand.In Chiang Mai at Rimping I can get almost any cheese I can think of...English,Dutch,French ,Italian Anstralian,New Zealand etc.OK the price is maybe a bit higher than in UK but it has been transported half way arround the world!.I see you are from USA..well I wouldnt ,in my opinion,say that American Cheese is anything to miss Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilHarries Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 Well I checked out the shop and the choice was abysmal. Feta, 180gm (6 oz), 96,000VND (6 USD). Roquefort (Sp?), approx 90gm (3 oz), 87,000VND (5.4 USD). Some form of sliced, processed pap I wouldn't use for the mouse traps was in a similar price range. The roquefort packet didn't display the weight but I judged it to be approx half the feta. Note that the main contractor is French so you'd expect a decent array of cheeses, also I'm told that the prices in the shop are subsidised so this is only a guide. As far as I see it the French influence in central Viet Nam covers the bread and little else. You can get some decent French wines but they are not cheap and for a beer swiller like me the local Dalat wines are adequate and a fraction the cost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PattayaParent Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 Cheese is available in supermarkets in Ha Noi. About the same variety, or lack of, choice depending on your point of view, as Thailand. Can't remember the pricing as it was a few years ago but wouldn't think it would be much cheaper as they import it same same Thailand and it's not a staple of the VN diet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lawling Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 It's several years since I was in Vietnam but the last time I was there I was very much aware of the widespread availability of cheese, which was in marked contrast to the situation at that time in Thailand. I remember in particular La Vache Qui Rit boxes of cheese spread being widely advertised. I assume it was a throwback to the French connection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goodfarang Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 I have been here in VN for four years. There are several shops in both HCMC and Hanoi that have excellent cheese selections, including Danish, French, Aussie NZ and US brands. A kilo block of organic US cheddar from Oregon is $20. Wine is also a lot cheaper than in Thailand, much more similar to US prices. You can get good Aussie wine for $15 a bottle (Margaret river, pinot noir, Marlborough Sauvignon Blancs, etc). A bottle of Napa Cakebread is $75, about the same as in the states. PM me and I can give you addresses for shopping. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PattayaParent Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 I drink the Da Lat wine at $2 a bottle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greenmember Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 I think Vietnam has clear French influence and Thailand doesn't. Breads (baguettes) can be found everywhere in Vietnam even on the street in small towns. In Thailand I only see in shopping malls / supermarkets. Easy to see why cheese are cheaper in Vietnam. VinaMilk (a big milk company in Vietnam) also has a cheese brand which looks like those La Vache Qui Rit boxes of cheese spread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tutsiwarrior Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 where I useta do my weekly grocery shopping at the Saigon Coop supermarket on Nguyen Dinh Chieu in District 3 in HCMC (standard, non-foreigner oriented) there was a good range of cheeses including mature hard cheeses and the usual soft cheeses like camembert, etc. Always well stocked and must've been reasonably priced (never looked meself as the grocery bill was usually real cheap) as the place catered to your average VN person. Many cheeses under the 'President' brand. (the bakery department was right in front cranking out hot baguettes in what seemed like a never ending stream...mmm,mmm, gooood...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adjan jb Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 Classic Fine Food 9B Thi Sach St. District 1 Ho Chi Minh City Tel: 822-8485 www.classicfinefoods.com Meat and cheese. Products imported from France Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mogoso Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 I don't see that he was extolling the virtues of american cheeses, just that cheeses were less expensive there. I can buy cheeses from all around the world for really not much more than sold in their country of origin. Such is the wonder of competitive market forces in the US. The US tends to have inexpensive prices on food items. They are getting higher due to the dollars value, but so are US items due to the craze in growing corn for ethanol and not using land for other items. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrong Turn Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 Can anybody inform me of the cheese situation in Vietnam?Is there a good selection? Is it good a value? Is it easy to find? How does it compare to Thailand's poor status in this category? To answer your question, yes, there is good quality and a lot of variety of cheese in VN. Value, I'm not sure about. Yes, it's easy to find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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