A: Hello everyone and you’re tuned to VOV24/7’s Food Delight. Today, we are diving into the lively world of Mexican cuisine, a culture known for being incredibly flavorful, festive, and, above all, centered on sharing.
B: Thinking about Mexican food, what comes first into your mind?
A: Taco, definitely.
B: Me too. Today, we’re joined by Diep Pham, the kitchen manager at Naco Taco, an eatery in Hanoi’s West Lake area, which specializes in authentic Mexican flavors.
A: Let’s find out now. Diep, could you tell us what exactly defines a taco?
Diep: “In a taco, normally it would have a tortilla shell, which is made from masa, a corn flour kind of flat bread. So that it will wrap the cooked meat inside, and normally they use all the ingredients that are very, very familiar with Vietnamese as well, which are pork, beef, fish, and then of course chicken. Yes, so the way they cook their meats is really focused on the flavor of the meat itself. It comes with tortilla shell and the filling, it depends on the areas that they have their meats cooked with the seasoning, mainly comes with paprika and cumin. Yes, and they have a variety of chilies that can go with a lot of sauce, and of course in the cooking process of meats.”
B: There are so many taco versions across different regions of Mexico, the core remains masa shell and flavorful fillings.
A: And for Vietnamese who think Mexican food might be too "exotic," Diep pointed out that the ingredients are actually very familiar to the Vietnamese palate, using pork, beef, fish, and chicken.
B: Now comes the main part. Diep will share with us some easy-to-make recipes for tacos. She will start with one of the best-sellers at Naco Taco: the Baja Fish Taco.
Diep: "First we can start with having the tortilla shell sorted out. So if you cannot buy a store-bought full-made tortillas, you can purchase masa from the supermarket. You can have it with one part of water, one part of masa, and a pinch of salt, and you can just flatten it with a rolling pin. Normally, we would have it around 35 grams per tortillas. And after you grill it on your pan or any kind of flat cooking utensil you have on the stove, and then, you know, you wait for it, one minute each side and you get your tortilla ready.”
A: The tortilla is the first essential element of a Baja fish taco. As the name suggests, the key filling is fish. Chef Diep said that in Mexico, they traditionally use Baja fish, but here in Vietnam, if you can’t find it, fresh or frozen, you can simply choose any white fish you like. The key is to deep-fry it to get that perfect crispy texture. But before frying, we need to prepare the batter.
B: Right, because the batter is what makes that crunch so irresistible.
Diep: “And for the fish, I would suggest you find any kind of batter you like, but normally in Mexico, they use beer batter, which is one part of beer, one part of corn flour, and half a part of flour, normal flour, all-purpose flour, a pinch of salt, a pinch of garlic powder, and mix it all up. Then you have your Mexican batter with beer. But in Vietnam, if you don't like the flavor of beer in your Baja fish, you can just make it with sparkling water or just simple tap water would work with the batter for your Baja fish. You can fry it to the crispiness you like.”
B: Deep-frying again. It's so addictive, but I’m afraid I’m going to “pile on the pounds."
A: That’s a fair concern. But don’t worry, tacos aren’t just about fried food. There’s also a fresh, healthy side to balance everything out.
Diep: “We can move on to the salads that normally goes with Baja fish taco, which in Naco Taco, we use red cabbage. We can just use any kind of cabbage you like, it can be a white cabbage as well, as long as it's shredded thin so that it can stay crispy when you bite into the taco. But mainly it comes with cabbage, any kind, diced cucumber, diced tomatoes, a pinch of salt, a drizzle of your favorite oil, it can be cooking oil, we use olive oil in Naco Taco, and lime juice. As much as you like.”
B: That sounds delicious and surprisingly doable. Diep also mentioned that Mexican cooking often involves using every part of the animal, like their Carnitas, which includes everything from the head to the legs of the pig.
A: It really is a "no-waste" and "all-flavor" philosophy.
B: Balanced, and delicious. No wonder people in Mexico enjoy tacos every single day.
A: A big thank you to Chef Diep Pham for those fabulous recipes. Why not try flattening some masa and creating your very own Mexican feast?
B: Or… you don’t even have to wait that long. Because the Vietnam Taco Fest 2026 is happening this Saturday on April 18 right here in Hanoi, bringing the flavors of Mexican street food back to the capital.
A: That’s right. The event will take place at Naco 100 Garden on Au Co Street, Hanoi under the auspices of the Embassy of Mexico in Vietnam.
B: Organizers say the festival will feature a curated lineup of taco vendors, plus exciting community stage activities. And here’s the fun part, there’ll be awards, including one jury prize and three audience-voted prizes.
A: Sounds like a feast and a fiesta! So what are you waiting for?
B: We’ll see you there.
