Street food in Southeast Asia
I typically avoid street food in third world countries, even though a lot of it looks delicious. If I do eat it, avoid the raw vegetables. The internet is full of contradictory advice. What do you do?
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As mentioned, stand back and watch - which carts are busy and which carts are clean. In a way you actually see the kitchen. (I recall walking out one restaurant in China ... we walked past the kitchen, I looked inside and left immediately.)
The only problem we had was eating items with more "heat" than my tender tummy is used to .
We travel with sani-wipes and use them regularly
Enjoy.
Obviously, don't eat raw veggies in India or Nepal, but you should make a case by case decision for other countries.
cauldron of pho is likely OK. Naomi Duguid (Hot Sour Salty Sweet, etc.) also pointed out that eating on the street actually makes more sense than in a hotel or restaurant because the vendors are cooking right in front of you.
As long as it is cooked, you should be fine. Remember, tourists are a small percentage of their business and they would not have many repeat local customers if they were making people sick.