Thai Mango Salad - Saturday, May 10, 2014

Dish of the day: Thai Mango Salad

Where it’s found: In the NowZone food court’s Thai restaurant (235 Nguyễn Văn Cừ, Nguyễn Cư Trinh, Quận 1, Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam)

Breaking it down: Thinly-sliced mango, green onions, shrimp, thinly-sliced pork, red chilies, peanuts and side nuoc mam (fish oil and chilis sauce)

In the mood for Thai food? Because I was today! I finally tried a Thai Mango Salad.  Inside were lots of thinly-sliced mango, green onions, shrimp, thinly-sliced pork and red chilies.  It was topped with peanuts and came with chili oil on the side, but it was so flavourful it didn’t even need it.

NowZone is unlike any other Asian food court I’ve seen.  You get a NowZone card that you load up and then the only way to purchase food there is with the card.  It’s quite an easy system because you don’t have to deal with cash, only occasionally, when you want to re-load it!

Mi Tom Thit Bo (chien) - Friday, May 9, 2014

Dish of the day: Mi Tom Thit Bo

Where it’s found: The 11^th floor cafe of Aston 1 (Language School).

Breaking it down: Stir-fried ramen noodles with thin beef slices, green beans, carrots, cabbage, bean sprouts and onions; served with soy sauce and spicy chili sauce on the side

I don’t often go to Aston 1, as I always work at Aston 3, however I went there today for a meeting.  Hungry for lunch before going in, another employee recommended the 11^th floor cafe. Up there, you can get a nice view of the surrounds streets and enjoy the fresh air.  Although my order took a good 20 minutes for them to prepare it for me, it was freshly made, full of veggies and beef and quite tasty (and N.B.... it made me come back a second time!) For about 25,000 ($1.25), how can I not love it? 

Futo Maki - Thursday, May 8, 2014

Dish of the day: Futo Maki

Where it’s found: Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D1, near the corner where Tous Les Jours is.  Sushi can be found throughout Ho Chi Minh City – Japanese food is definitely not lacking.

Breaking it down: Seaweed (nori) and sushi rice rolled with various ingredients inside, often vegetarian.  I.e. daikon radish, carrot, cucumber, imitation crab, mushroom and egg.  As with all sushi, it is served with wasabi, soy sauce and ginger.

It was a pool day – our third time going to the swimming pool and tourist village/park at Go Cap Van! Complete with a tasty Banh Mi (baguette sandwich) and sliced guava fruit for a poolside picnic, it ended up being a nice relaxing afternoon! Too bad I had to leave early to get to work for 4pm!

Fresh Japanese futo maki, with the standard wasabi, soy sauce and ginger on the side made for a tasty, quick nice dinner tonight before my evening private class. Futo Maki is larger than typical maki, often requiring you to eat it in more than just 1 bite! Mine had cucumber, crab, mushroom, carrot, egg and daikon radish inside.   

Bo Bia - Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Dish of the day: Bo Bia

Where it’s found: Various street food vendors along An Duong Vuong Street, District 5, HCMC (especially by the University of Science and Saigon University and near NowZone).  

Breaking it down: Circular thin rice paper wrapped around chinese sausage, julienned jicama and carrot, herbs (such as thai basil), thin strips of egg and dried shrimp. It is served with a hoisin-based sauce, often with peanuts inside.

 My on-the-go dish of the day is Bo Bia, which is a type of roll, not to be confused with a spring roll and not to be assumed that they contain bo (beef, in Vietnamese)! Inside the circular thin rice paper is Chinese sausage (a dry, cooked sausage), julienned jicama, carrot, herbs (such as thai basil), thin strips of egg and dried shrimp. It is served with a hoisin-based sauce, often with peanuts for dipping, too! Some versions use bean sprouts, shrimp or other vegetables, but I don’t usually see them around here. Bo Bia is said to come from a Chinese dish called “Popiah”, hence the similarly pronounced name. They are very cheap (often 3,000-6,000VND each, around $0.25), so ordering a couple for a snack and a plate full for a meal isn’t a bad idea. 

I bought my bo bia “to go” near Saigon University, which is an area full of students who crave cheap, tasty and quick foods – and hence, bo bia, noodle and rice dishes, banh trang chon, banh mi and other street food crowd the sidewalks! There’ll always be something to munch on there.

Chicken Casserole - Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Dish of the day: Chicken Casserole

Where it’s found: Decibel (79/2/5 Phan Kê Bính, Ph. Da Kao, Q.1 HCMC)

http://www.decibel.vn/

Breaking it down: Chicken breast, carrots, green beans, peppers, onions, and garlic in a tomato sauce, served with mashed potatoes

Since I eat Vietnamese food everyday and often I go back to my tried and true favourites, I’m going to feature another western dish today.  Today’s dish, Chicken Casserole with mashed potatoes on the side was free – free with the purchase of a drink! Paired with my guava juice, it turned out to be a great, filling meal. In fact, every Tuesday night, Decibel, a bar-restaurant-lounge popular among foreigners, holds a free food event. Simply buy a drink and you get some free food, which changes each week.  It gives amateur chefs the opportunity to try out their new dishes on a large crowd, so it’s win-win! The first time I went, they served shrimp pesto pasta and I’ve heard recently they served tacos one night.  It’s definitely worth the visit! Go early on Tuesday (by 8pm, when they serve the food) to get a good seat, especially if you go with a group!

British Fish n' Chips - Monday, May 5, 2014

Tonight’s dinner-tainment was provided by Bookworm’s Coffee, a small little nook near the corner of Bui Vien and Do Quang Dau Street in the Backpacker’s area of Ho Chi Minh City.  Patrick and I played Trivia Pursuit over a delicious British-style meal of Steak Pie (for him) and Fish n’ chips with mushy peas (pour moi).  Although my trivia pursuit knowledge was highly lacking, the food’s taste wasn’t! I finally satisfied my craving for fish n’ chips, a nice change from typical Vietnamese fish dishes that require you to pick through many thread-thin fish bones.

Dish of the day: British Fish n’ Chips

Where it’s found: Bookworm’s Coffee (4 Do Quang Dau street, Pham Ngu Lao Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam)

Breaking it down: Fried battered fish, thick home cut fried, tartar sauce, mushy peas and lime (and of course, they have the malt vinegar, don’t you worry!) 

And of course Patrick gets THIS question when we're IN Vietnam. "In what country is pho a local dish?" Hmm that's a toughie!

Xôi chả lụa thịt heo - Sunday, May 4, 2014

Xôi chả lụa thịt heo is my dish of the day.  It made a tasty lunch on the go as I ventured from my language school to a cafe where I had an afternoon private class. 

Steamed and roasted pork slices (thịt heo), some dried pork skins, sticky/glutinous rice (xôi) with boiled waxy maize and fried shallots (lua) and a pickled, slightly vinegary carrot-cucumber-daikon radish salad. I also added a small pork-veggie roll (in a rice wrapper) on the side to round out the lunch.

Xôi mặn (see the wiki here) is the basic word for this dish, which basically means savory glutinous rice.  Then they add various toppings with the rice to make a variety of dishes.  Xôi ngọt refers to sweet glutinous rice, which is a popular snack in Vietnam. 

Below are two Vietnamese sites that show popular little restaurants where I often go to enjoy xoi as well as che (sweet Vietnamese drink/dessert)! The first is near my house on Le Thi Rieng and is hard to miss with its bright green sign and walls:

Dish of the day: Xôi chả lụa thịt heo

Where it’s found: Xoi restaurants, local eateries (quans) and at many street vendors. Below are two good xoi quans:

Bùi Thị Xuân, Quận 1, HCMC:http://afamily.vn/doi-song/thuong-thuc-xoi-ga-tuyet-ngon-gia-binh-dan-2013081412422305.chn

Xoi Express (Yên Thế, phường 2, quận Tân Bình – gần sân bay Tân Sơn Nhất, HCMC): http://kenh14.vn/xem-an-choi/xoi-express-ven-nguyen-vi-bac-giua-sai-thanh-20140411020151534.chn

Breaking it down: Sticky/glutinous rice, dried pork skins, boiled maize, fried shallots, roasted pork slices, pickled carrot, cucumber and daikon radish salad

LOVE-ly Pink Guava Smoothie - Saturday, May 3, 2014

The dish of the day is actually a homemade guava smoothie that I concocted for Patrick and I.  Guava is not commonly found or eaten back home in Canada, so I feel like I need to take advantage of it while I’m here in Vietnam!

I was feeling creative and was excited that I had finally found pink guava, not the ones that are just white inside.  Mixed with a bit of vanilla yogurt and milk, ice, a hint of orange juice, plenty of guava and of course topped with a LOVE-ly piece of heart-shaped guava, it turned out to be a perfectly refreshing and filling late morning drink.  I brought mine up to the rooftop with me to keep me cool while I tanned a bit.  Let’s just say it didn’t take long for me to finish mine off!

Guava is such a mild fruit and has a texture unlike any other because of the yellowish tiny seed-like bits inside. I was inspired to buy guava because last week I was walking down the street and 2 kind Vietnamese men (security guards outside of a store) were enjoying cut up guava and shared some with me! It’s those small moments that make me really understand how much food brings people together.  Food is a universal language, isn’t it? Mmm.  

Dish of the day: Guava smoothie

Where it’s found: The guava is from the market across from Zen Plaza (District 1, HCMC, Vietnam), but it can be found in many Vietnamese markets and stores

Breaking it down: Makes 2 servings: Blended ice, 1 vanilla yogurt (100g), a dash each of milk and of orange juice (for liquid, to help it blend) and a whole pink guava fruit.

Ostrich Soup - Friday, May 2

Today’s dish features Ostrich soup! From a small local eatery in the coastal area of Mui Ne, this soup is made from diced ostrich meat, rice, carrots, corn, green onion, fresh basil and cilantro. If you’re wondering how ostrich tastes, it tastes slightly chewy and gamey, but not overpoweringly so. 

The next day I saw a tourist attraction near the white sand dunes where you could ride ostriches! I felt so bad for eating ostrich the day before, so there was no way I could ride one!

Dish of the day: Ostrich Soup

Where it’s found: Mui Ne, Vietnam

Breaking it down: Diced ostrich meat, rice, carrots, corn, green onion, fresh basil and cilantro

Day 3 f our trip to Mui Ne involved waking up for a big buffet breakfast at our resort’s outdoor terrace, followed by a half hour morning drive on our rental motorbike to the huge white sand dunes.  Despite almost completely running out of gas, almost getting a flat tire on the bumpy dirt roads and almost sliding out of control on the sandy parts, we finally found the beautiful dunes.  We knew straight away we had reached them once we saw them – they were gorgeous white hills of desert in the backdrop of a green oasis, nestled beside a crystal blue lake.  Many people rode 4-wheelers and jeeps on them to avoid walking in the heat.  It was definitely a good leg workout (and was incredibly hot, even by 9 in the morning).  We climbed up to one of the highest dunes for the view, taking it all in!  Although we didn’t go see it because we needed to get back to the resort in time to return our motorbike, there is a quaint fairy stream nearby that is apparently worth the visit, too. 

Snake Wine - Thursday, May 1

Dish of the day: Snake Wine

Where it’s found: Mui Ne, Vietnam (and throughout Vietnam!) Some tourist places might have the cheaper, less tasty snake wines though, so I recommend that you try it in a restaurant if you can!

Breaking it down: A whole cobra (or baby cobra), rice wine

Our second day in Mui Ne was full of sailing, swimming, driving around on our rented motorbike, eating interesting foods, visiting the red sand dunes and sledding on them, drinking cheap Vietnamese rum and beer and playing cards at the beach while watching a lightning storm over the water. 

We went sailing at a quaint, relaxing beach – Manta is not a fancy and pretentious nor touristy and crowded sailing company.  It’s owned by a sweet and chill woman who was incredibly welcoming and made us feel like we were at home in her little surf cabin-like house. It felt like an escape, away from the world.  After a morning swim there, we set sail for an hour, which cost only about $50 ($25 each, and included a skipper on board.  Without a skipper, it is $40 I believe).  Patrick used to be in sailing races when he was a kid, so it came back slowly to him, whereas it was all new to me.  Something about bobbing up and down and gliding on the ocean, in the sun, feeling the refreshing splash of the salty waves and looking out at the red sand dunes in the distance was such a unique and zen-ful experience.  Our skipper, a young Vietnamese man, guided us and taught us a thing or two, making sure we yelled out “Coming around!” so we wouldn’t get hit with the boom and teaching us how to change directions and feel the waves. 

Around sunset, we visited the red sand dunes, which are expansive dunes that have formed in Mui Ne and seem to continue on forever.  How such a wet country formed these pockets of desert, I have yet to find out, but it is definitely worth the trip.  Hoarded by children selling sleds and vendors with water and ice cream, we finally parked our rented motorbike and paid a couple of dollars to borrow a plastic board to sled on.  Although it was cloudy and the sunset reflecting off of the red sand wasn’t as majestic as it usually is there, it was still a stunning sight to behold.  Despite getting covered in red sand (in my eyes, mouth, nails, clothes...), eventually we figured out how to get better speed and conquered our fear of the largest, steepest dunes!

Nothing can compare to the taste of snake wine, which is my “dish” of the day! Well ok, drink of the day. Drinks, dishes, d and d – both are allowed!  What would food be without drink?  Snake wine is essentially a whole baby cobra, venom, organs and all, that has fermented inside a rice wine or another type of liquor. The venom, which ferments and is no longer deadly, is said to increase virility!  The taste was strong and somewhat reptilian, however we tried it a second time in the Mekong Delta and it was better, without a reptilian taste, but with a sharp alcoholic kick.  It definitely wakes you up.

Pineapple Chicken and Vegetable Rice - Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Today, Patrick and I ventured to beautiful Mui Ne for a three-day trip.  Located on the coast, south-east of HCMC, it is known for its water sports and activities, it’s stunning, huge sand dunes that are fun to sled on, as well as it’s seafood.  Although the 200km journey on the sleeper bus took a whopping 9 hours (think: holiday traffic, a huge downpour, horrible bumpy roads, lots of construction and no direct highway to get there), we finally made it and enjoyed our short vacation away.  We stayed at a quaint hotel, called Blue Shell Resort, which is off the beaten track, away from the busier tourist spots.   

After a dip in the ocean and relaxing by the ocean while using seashells as betting chips in a game of poker, we took a walk and picked up some drinks for the night, including a bottle of snake wine.  It’s essentially a whole baby cobra, venom, organs and all, has fermented inside a rice wine or another type of liquor.  Another dish of the day will be dedicated to this, don’t worry!  

For dinner, we ate on the terrace of Blue Shell Resort.  So, my dinner/dish of the day? Pineapple Chicken and Vegetable Rice, served in a carved-out pineapple.  I scooped some of it in the lettuce leaves, making small lettuce wraps, too. Appetizing to the taste buds and the eye!

Dish of the day: Pineapple Chicken and Vegetable Rice

Where it’s found: Mui Ne, Vietnam (Blue Shell Resort Restaurant)

Breaking it down: Pineapple (cubed, as well as half a pineapple used as the bowl), broken rice, green onion/scallions, carrot, diced chicken, pineapple soy sauce, spicy chili, cilantro and lettuce leaves

 

Jackfruit (and Jelly) Summer Mocktail - Tuesday, April 29, 2014

The dish/drink of the day (it was quite filling so I call it both!) was a Jackfruit Summer Mocktail from M2C, where I went to teach one of my private students.  Inside was jackfruit, tapioca, jellied fruits, light fruit juice/tea and ice. 

M2C is a very cute cafe in District 1 with a relaxed, artsy vibe, bohemian even. The downstairs and upstairs have lots of comfortable armchairs and sofas, antiques, paintings and flowers.  Although somewhat pricier than other cafes, you pay for the atmosphere and the location, as it’s located in the nicer area of D1, near Reunification Palace, Notre Dame and Diamond Plaza.  They also have some nutrition drinks if you want a healthy dose of veggie-fruit juice with a touch of honey or ginger.

Dish of the day: Jackfruit Summer Mocktail        

Where it’s found: MC2, District 1, HCMC, Vietnam

Breaking it down: Freshly shredded jackfruit, black tapioca jelly, grass jelly, sweet jellied fruits, light mixed fruit juice and ice

Fajita - Monday, April 28, 2014

Monday features a Fajita from Elbow Room. 

Although the evening was a good time with good people and the restaurant had a comfortable and intimate vibe, I don’t particularly recommend their fajita. It was quite bland and not very “Mexican” in my opinion. However, once I added some hot sauce and asked them for more salsa and sour cream, it helped quite a bit.  Still not very authentic though.  The rest of their menu does look quite tasty though and I’ve seen some good reviews, so I’m not giving up on it yet!

Dish of the day: Fajita

Where it’s found: Elbow Room (District 1, HCMC, Vietnam)

Breaking it down: Fajita wrap, salsa, sour cream, chopped chicken, tomatoes, lettuce, grilled vegetables and onion, served with a simple salad and fries

Grilled Tuna and Veggie Melt Panini - Sunday, April 27, 2014

Dish of the day: Grilled Tuna and Veggie Melt Panini

Where it’s found: Mui Ne, Vietnam (Beachside surf restaurant)

Breaking it down: Heaps of chopped tuna, loads of melted, gooey mozzarella, grilled tomatoes and onion, and grilled Panini, served with a side of their surf fries