Banh Xeo at Dinh Cong Trang, District 1 at Saigon

Saigon, this city serves a nostalgic and peculiar sense to me. Not that i have been here. Just that i feel the name Saigon in itself is of something special. It was late in the evening. The familiar hustle and bustle scene of the traffic was back. Just returned from exploring the lively Mekong River Delta was certainly one of the highlights during my stay in Saigon. Well, this would be my last night staying in Saigon before i headed to Dalat.

So, i decided on going to 46A, Dinh Cong Trang Street for the famous and delicious Banh Xeo, a kind of Vietnamese pancake fried on pans with some shrimps, pork and bean sprouts. The motorbike journey to the place was one helluva ride. I mean, really, it was one hell of a ride for those who have not yet experienced the infamous Saigon motorbikes invasion first hand. The traffic light is of no use. Hey, it's like going into battle with you charging into a formation of motorbike-soldiers head on--in and out, in and out, without fail until you reach your destination every time when there is traffic light. That of course, provided you come out in one piece beforehand.

I ordered one Banh Xeo, some Cha Gio (fried spring rolls) and Goi Cuon (fresh spring rolls). Since this is my first time being served on this Vietnamese cuisine, i was obliviously in the dark on how to savor this delicacy. Of course, you could just eat it like normal pancake in itself. But i observed. The locals definitely not eating their Banh Xeo just like that. They prepared the vegetable leafs, put one Cha Gio in it, grabbed some pieces of Banh Xeo, with a little of every ingredients in it, rolled together and dipped into the ever tasty Nuoc Nam (fish sauce). That's how the locals eat it. And, that's how i ate it. Perfect! Bon appetit!



Banh Xeo


Cha Gio (fried spring rolls with nuoc nam)


How the Banh Xeo is prepared


Fried over a hot charcoal stove


The place to be for Banh Xeo

Friendly 2 Pub and Restaurant in Hue, Vietnam

One of the restaurants that i think should be recommended to the readers is Friendly 2 Pub and Restaurant in Hue, Vietnam. The specialty of the restaurant is local Hue cuisine. The address of this restaurant is 27, Vo Thi Sau Street, Hue, Vietnam. Telephone no. is 054-240506. The whole restaurant is run by the family members, notably the dishes are all prepared by the sisters.

Recommended dishes are:


Banh Beo (20,000 VND) - This used to be a favorite of past kings. Always a treat during Vietnamese parties. Quarter sized rice cakes topped with crispy chopped shrimps and pork melt in your mouth.



Banh Loc (15,000 VND) - Banana leaf wrapped Loc cake. This dish is hard to prepare. Clear chewy tapioca is wrapped around pieces of pork and shrimp. The flour must be just right so that the right consistency is reached.



Ca Basa Kho To (35,000 VND) - Basa fish (belongs to catfish family found in Mekong River) cooked in the hot pot. The sauce is particularly tasty and the texture of the fish is just right.



Beef Grilled Over Charcoals (30,000 VND)

Other dishes on the menu are:

1. Banh Khoai (10,000 VND) - Vietnamese pancake. A crunchy yellow shell folded over bean sprouts, eggs, tofu and pork. This is delicious when combined with locally grown lettuce.

2. Banh Nam (15,000 VND) - Leaf wrapped with Nam cake. Open up the steamy leaf and scoop out the mixture of rice flour, shrimp and herbs. Dip in the spicy sauce and enjoy.

3. Muc Chien Nhoi Thit (35,000 VND) - Squid stuffed with spiced ground pork.

Best Stuffed Baguette (Banh Mi) in Vietnam

Of many baguettes i sampled in Vietnam, the best one was undoubtedly be found in the city of Dalat, a cool hill-station retreat in the central highlands region of Vietnam.

This is due to the many bakery outlets that opened around the downtown area of Dalat. They sell impressive looking breads and cakes. In fact, Dalat is famous for its coffee and cakes.

I've compiled a list of bakeries that sell mouth-watering stuffed baguette (Banh Mi) that taste so good and not expensive at all. It costs only 5,000 VND (0.32 USD) each. They all located at the 3/2 Street (D 3 Thang 2) of Dalat.

My personal favorite is at Tiem Banh Lien Hoa (literally translate Lotus Bakery). Address : 19, 3/2 Street, Dalat. Telephone numbers 063-837303. Their baguettes are the best. Even local people queue up for them.


Banh Mi stall inside Lien Hoa


Tiem Banh Lien Hoa (Lotus Bakery)


Alternatively, one may try Hieu Banh Hoan Hy 2's. Address : 14, 3/2 Street, Dalat. Telephone numbers 063-830457.


Banh Mi stall inside Hoan Hy 2


Bami Kim Anh is the franchise looking Banh Mi outlet located the the corner (or junction) of 3/2 Street. They have variety of fillings that you could choose for your baguettes, i.e. eggs, chicken, beef, kebabs, etc.


Kim Anh's baguette


Bami Kim Anh

Hope you all have a pleasant stays in Dalat. With a cup of coffee and a baguette in hands, take a stroll around the Xuan Huong Lake. What a relaxing moment!


Xuan Huong Lake


Strolling path around Xuan Huong Lake


The "Eiffel Tower" in Dalat

Chicken Wings @ Jalan Alor & Roti Bakar Telur Cheese

Getting few days off during these Hari Raya festive holidays. Went to the Pavilion last Saturday and i was amazed by the crowds there. Most probably everybody is flocking to this newly opened shopping haven and try to get a hang on it. But then again, i wondered -- how many of those people were actually spending on those items that were on displayed? Not many.

With one exception. Restaurants were doing really well as far as i can see. People had to queue for donuts @ J.Co Donuts and Coffee. Since the queue's long, maybe i could give these donuts a try next time i go to the Pavilion.

Another outlet that needs to be mentioned was The Loaf. This bistro or cafe, whatever you call it sells variety of wonderful looking breads and was the brainchild of our ex-PM, Dr Mahathir. The original outlet is in Pulau Langkawi and i guess this could be their first outlet outside Pulau Langkawi. If i'm not mistaken, they planned to open similar outlets in New York, London, Paris, etc. Their box packaging looks really nice for takeaways.

Later that evening, we went to try Wong Ah Wah grilled chicken wings that was so famous @ Jalan Alor. Business there was also fantastic. The guy who served us said he never expect such a crowd that day. According to boo_licious, the chicken wings are so famous that Zak Pelaccio who used to work at Seri Melayu restaurant in Jalan Conlay had recreated this item in his famous restaurant, Fatty Crab in New York. Known simply as Jalan Alor Chicken Wings on his menu.


Wong Ah Wah Chicken Wings


Few times i went to Spicy Kitchen at Bandar Menjalara with friends to yumcha but i never come across a food item called "Roti Bakar Telur Cheese". So after reading a post from boo_licious, i decided to go and try their famous Roti Bakar Telur Cheese this morning. Hehe.


Roti Bakar Telur Cheese

(All the photos above are taken from boo_licious's blog.)

Chicken Dishes All Over China

Dedicated to those who like to eat chicken.

江蘇 Jiangsu

• 蝦子二泉醉雞：Drunken chicken; simmer together with rice wine and shrimp roe
• 叫化童雞：Beggar's chick; you could be forgiven to see this in someplace else, after all, there's beggar everywhere
• 油雞：Oily hen; boiled hen top with sizzling hot oily soy sauce
  
• 清炖狼山雞：Double-boiled free range chicken
• 竹葉蒸雞：Steamed chicken with bamboo leaves from Yangzhou

遼寧 Liaoning

• 溝幫子燻雞：Smoked cockerel; first boil with herbal soup, then briefly smoke with sugar

吉林 Jilin

• 人參雞湯：Ginseng chicken soup; boil with what regarded as the King of all Chinese traditional herbal medicines: Jilin renshen (or ginseng in English)

浙江 Zhejiang

• 清湯越雞：Double-boiled cock: Shaoxing wine is used in the stock
• 糟雞：Wine-lees braised chicken; boiled chicken marinated with lees from the kegs of Shaoxing wine
• 醉雞：Drunken chicken; Shaoxing wine is used, again

甘肅 Gansu

• 百歲雞：Hundred-years-old chicken, or roasted chicken; so named because the creator wanted to have his store last one hundred years

安徽 Anhui

• 曹操雞：Cao Cao chick: honey the chick first, deep-fry it and then simmer with herbs for total tenderness

江西 Jiangxi

• 三杯雞："Three-cups" chick; a cup of rice wine, sesame oil and soy sauce each. The Taiwanese are very good with this chicken recipe too
• 瓷泥煨雞：Clay-baked chicken of Jingdezhen; the clay used is the same for the delicate porcelain wares produced here

山東 Shandong

• 德州扒雞：5-flavored boneless chicken; boned chicken hard-press, glaze with syrup and simmer with five different spices for over 6 hours
• 手撕雞：Hand-tore pullet; swiftness is the key in tearing the flesh otherwise the chicken will get all cold by the time it gets to the table
• 芝麻香雞：Poached chicken sporting sesame sauce
• 濟南肴雞：Boiled cock with spices and lacquered with red koji
  

河北 Hebei

• 蘆花雞："Reed flowers" hen; deep-fried hen garnished with Chinese ham, minced ginger and spring onions -- it's got nothing to do with reed flower by itself

內蒙古 Inner Mongolia

• 卓資山燻雞：Zhuozishan smoked hen; hen boil to half done, then smoke with woods and syrup

河南 Henan

• 桶子雞："Bucket" chick; soyed chick press to shape of bucket
  
• 道口燒雞：Daoko roast chick; honeyed chick fry till golden, simmer with spices and thick broth until dry
  

湖南 Hunan

• 東安雞：Dongan pullet; braise with vinegary and spicy sauce
• 麻辣子雞：Numbing, spicy chick; similar style can be found in Sichuanese cuisine too, but the latter chop into dices and buried under a sea of chili peppers
• 左宗棠雞：Zuo Zongtong chicken; one of the most famous 'overseas' Chinese dishes; the real deal in Hunan is a whole lot hotter

廣東 Guangdong

• 普寧豆醬雞：Puning bean sauce braised chicken; Puning is famed for her excellent bean sauce
• 白切雞：Poached chicken from Chingyuen
• 鹽焗雞：Salt-baked cock from Dongjiang
• 鮮奶雞：Milk-boiled hen from Chiuchow
• 檸檬雞：Lemon chicken nuggets; stir-fry and toss in lemon sauce
• 霸王雞："Tyrant" chicken; boiled chicken covered heavily with ginger & shallots dressing
• 太爺雞："Great-great grandfather" hen; soyed hen boil in hot oil and then smoke with tea leaves
• 五味雞：Five﹣flavored pullet; braise with five kinds of sauce
• 炸子雞：Crispy chick; a process called "skin-up" is done first in which the chick is masked by maltose syrup and vinegars, then the chick is fried twice -- first time in slow heat and second time rapidly for a crusty skin
• 風沙雞："Wind & Sand" chicken; similar to the crispy chick recipe but this one is marinated with fermented tofu sauce first and deep fry later, and served alike the style of "typhoon shelter" crab
• 糯米雞："Sticky rice" chicken; oh no, not the sticky rice in lotus leaf staple dim sum found in the teahouse, we're talking about a whole chicken with stir-fried sticky rice stuffed inside

雲南 Yunnan

• 汽鍋雞：Steam-pressed chicken
• 蟲草閹母雞：Double-boiled castrated pullet with vegetable caterpillar from the Wuding county. You may have heard of capon, this is the female version. They say the meat is more tender and juicer after the surgery -- a surreal specialty that can only be found in Yunnan

廣西 Guangxi

• 紙包雞：Paper-wrapped chicken; stew with the chicken sporting a paper wrap
  

海南 Hainan

• 文昌雞：Steamed chicken from Wenchang, so called the grand daddy of Hainan chicken
• 椰奶雞：Coconut juice-boiled chicken
• 椰蓉雞：Chicken baked with minced coconut

四川 Sichuan

• 辣子雞：Spicy chick from Chongqing
• 宮保雞：Kung Pao chicken dices
• 怪味雞：Spooky-flavored chicken; got its name because you can find all kinds of flavor in the chicken (a good one for inexperienced chefs)
• 棒棒雞："Bangbang" chicken -- chicken cooked and battered by drumsticks to puff
• 麻油雞：Sesame oil stewed chicken
• 口水雞：Spicy-sauced or, literally, "drooling" chicken; not the chicken but you who slobbers, or else we'd have the bird flu scare all over...
• 泉水雞：Chicken braised with spring water
• 白果燒雞：Braised pullet with ginkgo nuts in claypot, said to be invented by a well-known Taoist priest
• 大千雞：Daqian chicken nuggets invented by famous painter Zhang Daqian; stir-fried with chili soy beans sauce

陝西 Shaanxi

• 貴妃雞：Guifei or "Concubine" hen; so called because it's a recipe beloved by Yang Guifei
  
• 葫蘆雞：Calabash hen from Xi'an; hen bond to the shape of bottle gourd, steam for 2 hours and deep fry before serving

貴州 Guizhou

• 罐罐雞："Can-can" chicken, steam inside a claycan with heavy dosage of herbs

福建 Fujian

• 豉油雞：Soy-sauced chicken

Culinary Blogs

Hey,

I believe when it comes to food, there are always some recommendations you tend to get from friends. Word of mouth easily spread the great news of the great food in town. If you guys are looking for a place to eat, to drink or to celebrate a friend's birthday, check it out at some of the links that i have added.

“世界上什麼問題最大? 吃的問題最大!” ~毛澤東 "What is the biggest problem in this world? Eating is!" ~Mao Zedong