Bac xiu

Bac Xiu is a Chinese expression used mostly by people living in Saigon. In its full length it goes like this: “Bạc Tảy Xỉu Phé” where Bạc means white/or silver, Tảy refers to an empty glass, Xỉu means “a little” and Phé stands for “coffee”. Put it all together and you get “a white glass with a little amount of coffee”.

Bac xiu is a version of Vietnamese Coffee with extra milk for those who are caffeine sensitive, while ca phe sua tuoi is made with fresh milk instead of condensed milk. Although it may sound similar to Western-style lattes or cappuccinos, these drinks are distinct in both appearance and flavor.