More Food

Ok, let's be honest.

This blog really isn't about Steve being in Vietnam.  It's about Steve eating in Vietnam.  If someone asked me what the one thing you should do when you visit Vietnam, it wouldn't be visiting Con Dao or going to Hulong Bay, it would be "eat!".

Following my own advise, that's exactly what Chi and I did on Sunday afternoon, the day our trip to Tam Dao was cancelled.

Since it was such a beautiful day, we decided to go downtown for some Tra Chanh, my favorite lime-spiked iced green tea.  Chi met me at the shop where the best Tra Chanh is served, having brought with her two new interesting treats.  

The first was "com", steamed glutinous rice neatly wrapped and prepared inside a banana leaf. 

It thought it tasted like bacon.  Chi was appalled.

The second thing she brought along looked like sesame seed-covered doughnut holes.  They had a chewy, fried doughnut consistency, except on the inside, there was a little ball of green bean paste (apparently, along with ice cream, the Vietnamese love all sorts of sweetened green bean variants).

Meh.  It wasn't bad, but I don't think I'd go out of my way to have another (sorry, Chi!).

Having eaten dessert, we decided we'd better try a main course so we drove a few blocks away to a nice little streetside restaurant with a quiet courtyard attached.

Unfortunately, they were out of ca phe sua da, so I ended up ordering a glass of chrysanthemum tea instead.  It was actually pretty good, aside from all the chrysanthemum parts that filled the glass and that I couldn't help but swallowing.

Having just consumed three glasses of iced tea, some "com" and a couple of Vietnamese greenbean doughnut holes (for lack of a better word), I wasn't all that hungry, and when Chi said that this restaurant only served "porridge", I told Chi I'd just watch while she ate.  I'm not sure porridge sounds all that good even when one is hungry.

A few minutes later, the waitress appeared with a ceramic bowl full of a light brown stew.  Frankly, it didn't look all that good and had kind of a jello-y look.  Of course, Chi offered a taste and I obligingly accepted, not wanting to offend my hostess. 

YUM!

I instantly ordered up a bowl of the same thing.  This porridge actually comes from Taiwan and is served at only a few specialty restaurants around Hanoi.  It comes in several different variations with different meats and vegetables, but Chi and I had both ordered ours with pork ribs and corn.  Man, it was delicious!

We'll definitely be returning to sample the other varieties...and maybe even have another glass of chrysantemum tea! 

While I'm talking about food, I should also mention one other treat that Chi brought into the office late last week.  It was a warm plate of "banh troi" which is made from sugar cane, placed into a mold, then cut into small pieces.

Obviously, the folks around here like things round and covered with sesame seeds.  I can't even describe what they were made of or tasted like.  But inside, each has a little treasure of brown sugar. 

Given all the food I've been eating, the last thing I need is pure sugar.  I'm just going to hold out for more porridge!