Central Vietnam

The legendary Vietnamese poet Hàn Mạc Tử once wrote these famous lines:
“Sao anh khong về chơi thôn Vĩ ?
Nhìn nắng hàng cau nắng mới lên.
Vườn ai mướt quá xanh như ngọc
Lá trúc che ngang mặt chữ điền…“

This excerpt from Đây Thôn Vĩ Dạ, illustrates the beauty of Central Vietnam. The first line is an invitation, asking the reader why he does not visit a little Central Vietnamese hamlet, so he can witness the dawn’s early rays hitting the lush vines of the the betel leaves growing in the jade-green garden, while the swaying bamboo leaves shade the eyes, the face… Hàn Mạc Tử is something of the Vietnamese Tennyson with his beautiful and romantic verses. He hailed from Central Viet Nam, and on my trip home in 2007, I was lucky enough to experience first-hand the beautiful landscapes of Miền Trung, or Central Viet Nam. Even luckier, I got to EAT all the foods of Central Viet Nam.

Lotus blossom on the banks of Song Huong.

Geographically speaking, Central Viet Nam is the worst place to habitat – the lowlands are prone to annual flooding, and as a result, the soil is constantly stripped of nutrients. In many regions, the climate tends to be harsh, veering on the side of hot and arid, and the lack of trees and other foliage really don’t help things. Even so, I find this part of Viet Nam stunning. So much of Viet Nam’s 5,000 year history occurred here, and remnants of those times are still present today. Grand tombs, elaborate temples, and majestic palaces abound. In particular, vestiges of Viet Nam’s last dynasty (1802-1945 about) are well preserved, and ever-popular for the sight-seer. Central Viet Nam’s largest city and ancient capital is Hue – where Kinh Do, or the Imperial City is located. Right through this large city runs Song Huong, or the Perfume River, which meanders through the Valley of Emperors, en route to all the Nguyen emperor tombs (Lang Minh Mang, Gia Long, Tu Duc, Khai Dinh, etc). More like small palaces for the dead.

Entrance to an emperor’s tomb.

Garden with pond at some emperor’s tomb.

In addition to its rich history, Hue is known for its distinct food. In a region not naturally blessed with abounding resources like Southern Viet Nam, the people of Miền Trung have learned to coax the land and make the best out of it – and it IS the best! Traditional Hue food includes rice-flour and tapioca-flour based dumplings and cakes. Banh it tran and banh it ram are good examples, filled with salted meats and mung bean, basic ingredients that are affordable and highly accessible. If they aren’t found in these dumpling forms, you can also find banh beo from any of the street vendors and restaurants lining the streets of Hue. Banh beo is a similar rice flour cake that is topped (rather than stuffed) with a thinly shredded shrimp topping, and like all Vietnamese foods, eaten with nuoc mam (fish sauce).

Banh It Ram.

Banh Beo topped with Shredded Shrimp and Fried Pork Rind.

Central Viet Nam is also home to (at least) two well-favored noodle dishes – Bun Bo Hue and Mi Quang, which you can read more about on the respective links.

In addition to these lighter options, Central Viet Nam is home of the famous Banh Khoai – a fragrant (from the tumeric) rice batter deep fried until crispy and delicious. Think of it as a… crunchy pancake filled with bean sprouts, onions, and various meats. Typically eaten wrapped in a lettuce leaf, this is another companion for nuoc mam. Don’t mind the fat – just TRY it, and you will forgive the copious amounts of oil this is fried in. My mouth and tummy were soo happy to eat this that afterwards, I begged the staff to let me have a try of making it as well. Yes, I am quite a spectacle, but they are very friendly in Hue, so don’t be afraid to ask questions and well… be a tourist.

Frying Banh Khoai.

My attempt to make it.

It’s been a little over a year since this trip, and the details are starting to blur a little. This entry stemmed from a weird hankering, of not being able to put this trip behind me. I all too often catch myself longing for the foods and the people, particularly in Hue. Call me crazy. The image that Han Mac Tu painted is beautiful (above), but at the same time haunting, as it forces that memory to linger within me. But I hope this short overview of Central Viet Nam whet your appetite and awakened the adventurer in you, and perhaps our paths will cross on the Perfume River, or at the Thien Mu Pagoda. Until soon, foodies and travelers!

Humbly off the beaten path,
AnhD

Review: Quan An Bau Truong

Quan An Bau Truong
70 John St
Cabramatta, NSW 2166, Australia
+61 2 9727 4492

After a long day cavorting about Sydney, it was an absolute relief to head out to the suburbs, our temporary home. But seeing how it was Winter in Australia, my friends and I needed something warm and satisfying before calling it a night. And of course, nothing beats good old Vietnamese comfort food – particularly something flavorful, hot and soupy for those cold winter nights. So, thank goodness that Australia is home to the second largest Vietnamese population outside of The Motherland.

Right off the Cabramatta CityRail station and just down the street, Quan An Bau Truong attracts a diverse crowd at all times of the day (and night). The locals love it (thank you Viet for the recommendation), and even a San Jose-Vietnamese spoiled resident like myself loved it. Walking into the restaurant, the setup is clean and uncluttered. There is a green aura surrounding the restaurant from the many plants and lighting. A constant buzz from the conversations and a slight breeze from the brisk waiters as they pass you by – essentially, a sign of a well-loved and customer-favored restaurant. Once seated, my friend, Annie, Nhi (baby sister) and I, dove into a thick menu highlighting the very best of Vietnamese dishes – pho, bun (vermicelli), mi (noodles), chao (rice congee) , com tam (broken rice), and just a plethora of other authentic dishes.

Anh’s Natural Postulate of Hunger: Empty Stomach + Huge, Delicious Menu = A PROBLEM. Too many dishes, which leads to indecision!!! Everything sounded sooo good! And unlike cows that have 4 stomachs, I only have one. So, what to do?! To make the most of the menu, the three of us each order a completely different item.

Annie’s Bun Rieu is a vermicelli noodle drowned in a delicious beef-based broth. The stock is usually made by simmering cow bones for hours, then throwing in tomatoes and the Vietnamese version of meatballs – a mixture of ground beef, crab meat, shrimp paste, and even dried shrimp. There are also typically pieces of tofu, and Bau Truong even included pieces of cha (the Vietnamese equivalent of ham) and cubes of coagulated pigs blood (huyet). This may sound disgusting, and Annie and Nhi had a hard time swallowing those, but the texture and taste are surprisingly pleasant – if you can get over the fact that you are eating blood. Being from San Jose, I have extraordinarily high standards for Vietnamese food, particularly Bun Rieu which is my favorite Vietnamese noodle dish. Bau Truong surpassed anything I have ever had before. Can you believe it?! The clear broth was perfectly savory and well-flavored – not too strong mam tom (shrimp paste), but still tasteful. There were piles of meatballs and tons of noodles. Presentation was beautiful, especially topped with fresh green scallion and cilantro.

Nhi ordered a dish called Bun Bo Hue, a dish that is quintessentially mien Trung, or from Central Vietnam. A beef based broth that is served with thick rice noodles, large oxtail bones and pork knuckles (with fat still in tact!), and sometimes even coagulated pig blood. Bau Truong’s take on this dish was also fantastic – traditional and so delicious! The broth was slightly spicy (as expected) and well-seasoned; the noodles tender but not soft; the pork chewy but fell right off the bone. Again, the shrimp paste did not overwhelm the palate, and I can’t appreciate that enough.

As much as I was pining for a soupy dish, I actually got something completely dry – bun thit nuong, or BBQ pork and vermicelli noodle. Vietnamese foods are high in flavor, and this is the epitome of flavor and texture fusion. Boiled vermicelli noodle is topped with hot off the grill BBQ meat that is dressed in mo hanh (cilantro/oil mixture) and topped with crunchy, toasted peanuts. In addition, the dish is eaten with an array of veggies and greens, and no Vietnamese dish is complete without a generous serving of nuoc mam (fish sauce) and pickled carrots/daikon (do chua). It’s honestly a party in your mouth – the tangy pickled veggies, the sweetness from the nuoc mam sauce, the crisp lettuce, the sweet-and-salty BBQ meat, and the pliant noodles. If you haven’t had this yet, you have to try it – even if you have to make it yourself. It’s that good and soo worth the effort. But like I said, thank goodness that Bau Truong could instantly gratify my tummy.

The final verdict: The locals agree, I agree – Bau Truong for the win!!! If I am ever in Sydney again, I am determined to take the hour long rail ride, and brave the somewhat dodgy streets of Cabramatta by night again, just to get a taste of Bau Truong again. This entry is already bringing back the fragrant mint leaves, the steamy noodle soup, the salty broth. Ah, to Viet, Truc and Mary – I envy you for living so close to this place. There are some 13,000 miles between Bau Truong and I – but who knows – perhaps I’ll visit again.

But until then, g’day mate!
AnhD

Review: The Broadway Deli

The Broadway Deli
1457 3rd Street Promenade
Santa Monica, CA 90401

When in Santa Monica, do as the Santa Monicans do. Or don’t, as this place is crawling with tourists like myself… On one early, muggy Saturday morning, a close friend and I find ourselves strolling down the lovely Promenade of Santa Monica, wondering where best to fill our stomaches before heading off to a long day at the Getty. The cobblestone path is dotted with tall palm trees and cute animal shaped hedges. Stretches of colorful shops and bustling bistros give the Promenade a rather Parisian vibe, almost remnant of Champs-Élysées (minus the price tags) in my humble opinion.

After a late night showing of Wicked and a trip to USC that resulted in skipping dinner, we were absolutely famished come morning, but we were soo lucky that directly across from the parking structure at the corner of Broadway and 3rd – there it was – like a mirage in the desert – a restaurant boasting fresh, homemade bagels; a deli and patisserie well-stocked with all sorts of cheeses and tons of delicious pastries, including our pre-breakfast lemon meringue cake. The Broadway Deli saved us a trip down the Promenade of looking at menus (our usual custom), and we were just so enamored by the modern charm of the place and the hearty menu was definitely catering to our early morning stomach pangs.

Lemon Meringue Cake

Being hungry and self-proclaimed (and proud of it) pigs, we each ordered a plate off their combo special menu. I asked for the Smoked Salmon Scramble, which came with a side of hash browns and a delightfully toasted homemade bagel. Someoneiknow ordered the Crunchy French Toast Combo paired with 2 eggs (he asked for over easy) and 2 sausages. Now, I am not usually a fan of eggs. I think Piggy once told me there is enough cholesterol in an egg to last me like a month (or something like that). And these weren’t especially memorable either. The hash was typical, and not spectacular? Bland actually. But my lightly toasted, golden brown bagel was to die for! I have had quite a few bagels in my life time, but none are as good as the Broadway’s. The dough wasn’t too pliable or chewy or dense. It was just perfectly tender, while the outside crust was ever so slightly crunchy and textured. With a little cream cheese, oh, I feel like those angels on the Philadelphia Cream Cheese commercials!

And as for someoneiknow’s dish – I have a horrible sweet tooth, so of course French Toast is a winner. Crusted with almond slices and speckled with powdered sugar – the crunchy texture, the sweet pull of the bread, the fine grains of Confectioner’s sugar that flutter and fly all over your mouth – what a wonderful breakfast experience, wouldn’t you agree? And I am a big fan of aesthetic food. It needs to look good to convince me that it tastes good. I want a sensual experience when I eat, such that all my senses are awakened. And this dish does just that. Visual appeal, olfactory satisfaction – the works. But again, the eggs were ehh and the sausages weren’t anything to die for.

Now in addition to a decent breakfast menu, the Broadway Deli also boasts a bakery, coffee sop, International Market and fromagerie. I don’t personally like cheese, so I cannot say much other than that it has a wide selection of aged cheese, smoked meats, and wines. We were able to sample the bakery and quite excited to see bagel-making in action. The display windows filled with hot-from-the-oven cookies, scones, muffins, tarts, cakes, pies are drool inducing. Someoneiknow’s lemon meringue cake wasn’t bad either, but left much to be desired – a better contrast of flavors perhaps from the cake and meringue. It all was sort of sweet and lemony, but nothing stood out. It was quite pretty, however…

So, the Broadway has a good menu, friendly (if not a bit on the slower side) staff, street views of Broadway, and a comfortable, casual, lounge atmosphere. It is worth trying out if you happen to have enough dough to fit the somewhat steep bill – it is definitely not for the college student pocket. Well, perhaps if it’s a weekend treat, like after finals or long week. Though, I think I could come up with better places to treat yourself for less $$$ and more bang. But, it is does satisfy a starving tummy, and is quite fulfilling. So if you happen to be caught up in Santa Monica, perhaps you should come down to the Broadway Deli for some good dining. Until soon, and maybe our paths will meet at the next restaurant I review.

Arrivederci!
Anh D