off topic Favorite Vietnamese Food

[Josephs 0]

Ok, I'm probably going to lose any credibility I've got with the following statement, but I've got to say it...

After four trips to Vietnam, and more than 40 days in the country, eating meals at a dozen or more family homes, as well as restaurants ranging from hole-in-the-wall neighborhood joints to gourmet "5 star" establishments, as well as countless visits to Vietnamese restaurants all over northern California, I have come to an unmistakable conclusion - I don't like Vietnamese food, and I probably never will.

I think my problem is my age. I'm over 50, and I didn't grow up eating this stuff. It's not what I'm used to eating, so I never developed a taste for it. I have never liked any sort of seafood, though I can tolerate shrimp depending on how it's prepared, and don't mind an occasional halibut steak (or other fish, provided it's flaky and dry, and doesn't smell at all like fish). I don't mind Vietnamese noodles, and can handle an occasional bowl of pho, but if there's something else on the menu then it wouldn't be my first choice. I don't like the clear noodles at all - they are slimy, and have the consistency of earthworms. They make me gag. I can only eat the opaque spaghetti-style noodles.

I don't care much for the way they roast chicken, and the sight of the pieces being served on the same platter with the head and feet completely kills my appetite. On my second trip Phuong's eldest daughter did me the "honor" of giving me the chicken head. I freaked out when I saw it in my rice bowl! Ever since then, she sneaks the chicken head into my bowl whenever we have roasted chicken just so she can see my reaction.

I do somewhat like a nice chicken breast cooked "ga nuong" style, but I'd much rather see that chicken breast breaded and covered with marinara sauce and Parmesan cheese!

Same with steak - I like nice cubes of beef, cooked tender on a grill with no fat or gristle. I hate gray boiled beef, and don't like most beef soups.

I like most of the vegetables they serve, but they love to put cilantro on everything, which I don't like at all.

While we're on the subject of food, what is with the Vietnamese passion for Heineken beer? I think it's bitter - not 'good' bitter like a good English ale, but 'bad' bitter like they used sour yeast to brew it. I think most Vietnamese beers are a lot better. I'll take a Saigon Export, Tiger, 333, or Huda or Festival (local brews in Hue) over a Heineken any day!

Phuong has the same problem with western foods. She's in her 40's, so she's not likely to change either. Once she arrives in the US with two of her kids then my house is going to consist of three Americans and three Vietnamese people. We figure each meal is going to consist of a selection of western and Vietnamese dishes, and just let everyone sort out what they want to eat.

So it will be Jim's Bay Area ameraisan buffet? Not so bad. Will i be able to reuse my plate?

One thing that we have found is that when some of the Viet foods are cooked using better cuts of meat everyone enjoys it more. So you may find some other things that work into your routine.

New foods take time, textures and aromas take getting used to. Though I have not been able to embrace the shrimp paste and the congealed blood.

I agree on the Heinekin, it's a skunky beer.

congealed blood. now that i can eat, as for beer idk, I seem to like "333". Plus the way they drink beer in vietnam, Heinekin has 12% and 333 is around 4% after 6 beers in about 45mins. im ok with 333 but Heinekin.... not so OK.

My fiancee's mother makes this very simple but good dish, I dont know the name of it. It consists of Beef, Onions and Celery. very simple but really really good. also some seasonings and things. also I dont know how to spell it but when you say it is sounds like jum jum. its a really really good fruit!

My favoriate food of all time has to be Pho. but Pho in Vinh Long. NOT PHO IN SAIGON. saigon pho tasted like #######, more earthy, almost dirt after taste. Another good food I like is noodles with meat balls peanuts and "salad", The meat balls are not the same ones in Pho. they are different. and a sweet sour sauce over it. very good.

[Josephs 0]

OK.. Am I the only guy that had never heard of 50-50 before going to VN? Holy #######! I figured out the deal after an hour... They waited until my glass was filled up then they did the 50-50 toast... must drink 50% of what you have in your glass when toast is made. seemed to me that someone had a deal going with the waiter to refill my glass at any possible occasion. I was being played!

50-50 is common but my fiancee's father likes to do 100 - 100. but he cheats. he drinks with a Giant Ice cylinder in his glass. I just tell them to put my beer in the freezer. but my 1st time in VN drinking, I drank it warm because i refused to drink beer with ice in it. I think her father liked that... haha I taught them all how to cheers! that was fun!

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

I don't like playing "down the hatch" with beer. You get too bloated too fast.

This is 100% with rice wine in Da Lat. The guy with the chin whiskers on the left was seriously testing my drinking skills and his English skills. This was followed with a karaoke jam, backed with a 500W sound system! What a blast!

[Kevin and 10]

I told my step dad that my FIL and his friends would get him drunk. He didn't believe me. I took about 2 hours and he had to take a nap.

During our wedding party we had cold beer in cans that I drank instead of out of a glass. That way no one knew how little I drank when toasting.

[ScottThuy 140]

I told my step dad that my FIL and his friends would get him drunk. He didn't believe me. I took about 2 hours and he had to take a nap.

During our wedding party we had cold beer in cans that I drank instead of out of a glass. That way no one knew how little I drank when toasting.

30 min and FIL was napping.. another hour and BIL had me going for a nap...

[BinhJerome 14]

I am glad that I am past my drinking days. One Christmas party in Missouri and I drink NO MORE!! I swear I had only 4 drinks, but my friend said I had over 40 and it was Captain and Coke all night long. I almost committed a party foul on the way home, but instead I got back to the hotel without a shirt! I have to admit every time Mike sees me he has to mention how much I puked and he can never leave out that I lost my shirt so that I would not stain his new car. I could slam them with the best of them, but I guess I just our grew that stage.

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

I am glad that I am past my drinking days. One Christmas party in Missouri and I drink NO MORE!! I swear I had only 4 drinks, but my friend said I had over 40 and it was Captain and Coke all night long. I almost committed a party foul on the way home, but instead I got back to the hotel without a shirt! I have to admit every time Mike sees me he has to mention how much I puked and he can never leave out that I lost my shirt so that I would not stain his new car. I could slam them with the best of them, but I guess I just our grew that stage.

Haha!!! You should have seen what I did to a hotel room in Vancouver, Canada, about 15 years ago. I got puke into places you'd swear it was impossible to get puke, like the wall above the shower head!

I left $50 on the pillow as a tip for the housecleaning staff, and I still felt really guilty!

I only drink in social situations where other people are drinking, and I only get drunk enough to puke once or twice a year. Unfortunately, every meal in Vietnam seems to be an excuse for "the boys" to drink. The biggest problem for occasional drinkers is the severity of the hangovers we get. The hard drinkers get up looking as fresh as a daisy, and we look like we've been run over by a tank.

The secret to surviving is to set the alarm clock for 3:00am before you head out with "the guys" (crank the volume on the clock), and set out two large bottles of spring water and a bottle of Advil. When the alarm goes off at 3:00am, go into the can and FORCE yourself to purge. Then, take 4 Advils and drink both bottles of water before going back to sleep. When you wake up in the morning, take a couple more Advils. You'll only have a very mild hangover.

[BinhJerome 14]

I ordered some squid and got it in today. It still has the tentacles Any idea on what I can make with them? I figured most of the Squid would go into hot pot, and maybe fry some, but I have no clue about the tentacles. Also any idea on how to make a good batter? Can I do like I do with chicken some flour and milk?

Jerome

[ScottThuy 140]

Dried or frozen? frozen/fresh, I like them fried... The trick is to clean the body and get the cartiladge out...Flour and cook just like chicken ... After they are cooked, then I throw them in a pan that I have cooked down some Mae Ploy sweet chili sauce, lemon, and some mayo .. and I add some sriracha to kick up the heat... a great sauce or to dip in... If they are small I cook the tentacle section whole.. looks like you are eating spiders... tastes just like the rest... same recipe is good for shrimp as well... dont over cook them.. if you cook too long they get really tough...

I also cut them up and cook in a hot pot sometimes...

[BinhJerome 14]

They are Frozen and cleaned. I am glad that I dont need to clean them as I have no clue where to begin. Thanks for the tips, I will try that

Jerome

[BinhJerome 14]

bump

[Rhiannercakes 14]

I'm not from Vietnam and neither is my fiance, but when I tried Pho it made the top of my list of favourite foods.

It's so simple and delicious... and a decent sized bowl is quite cheap.

I'm thankful my fiance lives in an asian neighbourhood that has Pho places.

[luckytxn 2,264]

My babe made me for about the 3rd time some short ribs cooked and with oyster sauce. It may be my fave now. Not sure what seasonings there are but damn I kept eating until I can't move right now and may need a wheelchair. She has surprised me about how great a cook she is and all. Anything she makes is awesome.

[VinhBao MyTam 3]

Now, this is my topic. How I've overlooked it before I'll never guess.

I love it all! Well almost all. For religious reasons, I don't eat blood, so forget the congealed pig blood. I also don't drink so can't weigh in on the beer stuff.

I guess my favorites are:

Bun Rieu - which I was so upset to have a friend take my to a street stall that was so dirty and unsanitary. I just had to stare at it. My favorite thing and I couldn't eat it! I mentioned that to my honey and the next night I had a surprise of the most delicious homemade bun rieu.... :-)

Bun Bo Hue - no blood / prefer no pigs feet -- which is funny b/c when I ordered it in Hue, it didn't seem that good. But there is a place in Nha Trang where it is soooo good. The lady moved down from Hue like 20 years before. We also eat it in the Mon Hue Restaurant in Saigon.

Thit Chuot Quay (Roasted Mouse) - I love to eat weird things. This is one of the few that is actually delicious. In '09 when I first met My Tam I told her I wanted to eat it. She thought it was just an idea I got... she didn't realize that I had been waiting like 8 years for the chance to return to VN to eat it. She kept telling me it wasn't safe in the city etc... and finally I let her know that I was serious about eating it and if she didn't help me I would take a xe om to get some... and I'm sure that wouldn't be safe. :-) Funny how within 20 minutes she found a restaurant. That night was awesome. I tried: pin bo (beef #######), silk worms (ok), and date palm worm (literally the nastiest thing I've ever eaten in my life.) And she tried duck tongues for the first time. (She's not quite as adventurous as me.) In '10 when I went for the engagement, our aunt from the delta brought fresh mouse, which she had caught herself in the rice fields and roasted it for us. :-)

Pho - in the US. In Vietnam I don't like it so much.

Goi Cuon - I am the most careful eater in VN. I don't eat anything with raw veggies. But I never leave the Pho Restaurant without eating some over here.

It's funny that I complimented her mom's chao (rice porridge) once and somehow she now thinks it is my favorite food. I do like it, but it's not my favorite :-)

Cat & Water buffalo were good (in Hue) but then again, it was so spicy who knows what it really tastes like.

Whoever said we cannot get thit ran in the US is wrong... I've had rattlesnake here... but the one time I had it in VN it was sooooo bony.

Speaking of bony. Not only is the chicken bony there, but I've found that VN women have a special knack for cutting chicken up such that there is bone in every single piece! I've started thinking they do it on purpose!

Not mentioned yet also really good are: Bo kho (Beef stew)... Ga Ca-ri (chicken curry)... I don't like very much, but then again... probably b/c of the bony chickens. :-), Banh mi sandwiches (I can get those in VN from a really clean shop w/ no veggies, but of course it's better with veggies.)

Someone in FL asked about getting rau muong... I live in NC and I'll tell you, we grow it very successfully in our church garden. I'm positive you can grow it in FL. Of course I rarely get any...

Ga Sa Xao Ot... (Stir Fried Chicken w/ Lemongrass) is another delicious dish... best enjoyed with boneless chicken. Mi Xao (stir-fried noodles)... oh, I'm starving now and it's after midnight.

Fruits... I love chom chom like you wouldn't believe... but it's funny, I treasure it soooo much that I'll like build up to it in VN and sometimes not even get around to eating it... and certainly not much... :-) And I love drinking the coconut milk from the coconut.

Not much I don't like. But I can't stand dua gan. I guess I'm not into mushy.

I'm definitely subject to add more to this commentary if I remember something else I meant to mention while I was reading through the posts.

Happy eating!

[BinhJerome 14]

Since I moved here I have had more experience with what I do like and what I dont like, to top off my list it is Bun Bo Hue, Banh Hoi with pork, carrots, and cucumbers with the sweet fish sauce, Banh Xeo, Pho Bo, Cha Gio (fresh spring rolls), almost all seafood soups, Hu Tieu Mi Xao (noodles with mixed vegetables and meat) and last but not least Banh Cuon. On another note, had some mixed vegetables with meat, and I ate cauliflower for the first time, kinda good reminded me of baby corn with a slight after taste. I also know since I have moved here even with the stupid traffic my blood pressure has dropped greatly and that has to be because of the new foods I have been eating.