What it is
Vietnamese coffee is robusta, ground coarse and dripped through a small metal filter called a phin directly into the cup, usually onto a layer of sweetened condensed milk and then poured over ice. It takes about four minutes and cannot be rushed, which is why good shops make every cup to order and have somewhere to sit.
What makes a good one
It should be dark, thick and bitter enough that the condensed milk reads as balance rather than dessert. A cup that tastes thin was either under-dosed or brewed with arabica, which is a different drink. It should arrive unstirred, with the milk sitting at the bottom, so you can see the layers before you fold them together.
Regional variation
Cà phê sữa đá is the iced milk coffee everyone knows. Cà phê đen đá is black over ice. Cà phê trứng, from Hanoi, tops the coffee with whipped egg yolk and condensed milk and is eaten as much as drunk. Bạc xỉu is the milk-heavy version, traditionally what you order for someone who does not drink coffee.
Common questions
- Does it travel?
- Well. Ice is packed separately on delivery so the drink is not watered down by the time it reaches you.
- Can I get it less sweet?
- Yes, and it is a real option rather than a grudging one — sweetness is a separate control on every coffee, including unsweetened.