A reflection on Seattle Suburban Eating.

Back in Seattle, a group of us which included: Angela Garbes, Matt Hodge, Christina Choi, and Angela's friend Dawn, would venture out to eat in suburban Seattle trying to discover the hidden ethnic culinary delights of the region. Before hand, I would do some research using Chowhound as a guide, then we would all hop either matt's crazy van or cram into cars to explore. I loved finding hidden food delights such as Salva/Mex in Burien and the Armenian Bakery at Crossroads Mall, but my favorite part of the whole experience was Shopping in all Indian/Russian/Mexican/Asian markets, finding interesting ingredients, then getting back together on Wednesdays to cook up a meal under the guidance of our master chef Christina Choi and watch Lost. I think this club could do some serious damage here in HCMC. Come on guys lets make it happen. Although I need to find a place to live soon, because I seriously miss having a kitchen. Its killing me.

Sopping it up.

I love sopping. Whether it be with bread (or even better garlic bread), rice, grains, or anything really. I love getting those special caramelized meat bits, garlic, onions and spices up off that plate and into the place they need to be, my mouth and around its corners. : ) Vietnam seems to be a great place for sopping up those special flavors, especially in the those clay pot or kho to dishes that I seemed to be particularly attracted to. Last night I used some steamed rice as the sopping agent with my dish of luon xao xa ot (eel with lemongrass and chilies).


The eel was great, but I think I liked the the rice with the left over bits just a little bit more.

There is something about that lemongrass flavor when its gets all caramelized with meat and spices that is pretty special. I am starting to crave that flavor all the time now, and I am wondering why I haven't before. No, I am not telling you all where I went, but I am sure you can all guess.

Dong Me!

Back to sao dong!

I headed back to Ben Thanh market for dinner tonight half way intending to eat under a new canopy but the memories of my last bites of the pork clay pot and the throngs of people I saw packed underneath convinced me this was the place I needed to be. I was right. Now my new goal is to eat everything on their menu. First of I got a san Miguel beer, or I should say it got me. It seems there are such things called San Miguel Girls who tell you how great it would be for you to order a San Miguel Beer and then disappear, so I did. Plus it was only fifty cents. Food wise, I started out with some Goi Du Du Kho Bo (Dried Beef Papaya Salad), which was great.

The papaya was shredded much finer than I have had before almost rice stick like and the beef was dried yes but not like jerky, somewhat tender and full of flavor. I followed this with the obligatory garlic bread for which I found a new use, which I will get too.

I wanted a clay pot again but this time I went for the fish (Ca Kho To) to diversify it was good of course but didn’t quite have the same flavor as the pork, but does anything really? (disregarding lamb, that is.)

The best part about the clay pot was I remembered to save my garlic bread, so I could sop up the extra clay pot sauce… And that my friends tasted amazing, a final bite for which Angela Garbes could be proud.

monsoon dinner

So last night I went ot pick up my pants and shirt I had made for me at the Ben Thanh market and decided to get a little bite to eat. As I felt the start of raindrops and the grumblings of thunder in the distance I sat down to eat underneath the canopy of Sao Dong.



This seemed like a good choice because of the numbers of people already there and the now pounding rain. As I started ordering, I had an idea I could outlast the rain while I sampled dishes till the rain ceased. First I had some pork skewers that were standard and delicious, followed by water spinach with garlic and what i am assuming was some fish sauce or paste and grit which i am assuming was dirt. The rain continued, so I couldn't resist an order of garlic bread, a guilty pleasure, but i started to get nervous that the rain might last longer than I anticipated.

I was getting full, but decided to order one more dish, the pork braised in clay pot. It came simmering to the table still hot from the charcoal brazier in a flavorful and syrupy sauce,
it was definitely my favorite.

It became clear that the rain was not going to let up, so I decided to make a break for it. Hunting down a poncho rather quickly I waded through over a foot of water in places for about a mile. I understand why people are all about flip flops and sandals now, and i will be looking for some shortly as well.

arrival in Việt Nam and phổ

So, my first day in HCMC or Saigon if you prefer was filled with walking, sweating sleeping and eating. The weather here is hot and sticky and feels much hotter than when I was in Tucson just a few days ago, though the temperatures are the same. Funny how a little humidity can get you all hot, damp and sweaty. Anyway, I ended up eating phổ twice today and not coincidently I think they were two best bowls of phổ I have had in my life. The first was at Phổ 2000, clean and air-conditioned with stainless steel tables near Bến Thành Market, it was nice enough for a president to visit. (Pictures on the wall seemed to indicate that one did, Bill Clinton stopped in for some delicious phổ sometime in the late nineties on his trip through Việt Nam) I ordered a seafood phổ filled with fish, squid, clams and tofu and topped with copped fresh dill. I have to admit, dill is one of my favorite herbs so, although I was surprised that it came with dill rather than basil and sprouts, I absolutely loved it!

I also found this excellent food blog for HCMC called noodlepie and I am using as a launching pad for my food explorations, so I got my next bowl of phổ at Phổ 24 because of noodlepie’s raving review. Again it was really good. The difference between the phổ I have been eating here and in Seattle is mostly two things. First the noodles are fresh, have excellent texture, and even have some flavor! The second is the broth, its just really, really good.