Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Vietnam: What the Phở?

Where to I begin?!? The food in Vietnam is some of the best I have ever eaten. The traditional Vietnamese dish of Phở is certainly a dreamy bowl of cultural delight that amazingly cools you off on a sultry day.

Phở -nomenal

Phở
is served as a bowl of white rice noodles in clear beef broth, with thin cuts of beef (steak, fatty flank, lean flank, brisket).

Seasonings include Saigon cinnamon, star anise, charred ginger, cloves, and sometimes black cardamom pods which are sewn up in a disposable pouch and dipped into the broth.

Enjoying some phở on Mui Ne Beach... am I slurping?
I think so, but it is culturally permissible in Vietnam. Whew!

The dish is garnished with ingredients such as green onions, white onions, coriander leaves (cilantro), ngò gai (culantro, or long coriander), Thai basil, lemon or lime wedges, and bean sprouts. The last five items are usually provided on a separate plate, which allows customers to adjust the soup's flavor as they like. Some sauces such as hoisin sauce, fish sauce, and the Thai hot sauce Sriracha, are popular additions as well.

This dish differs by regions, as each region uses garnishes that grow near them. So one thing that is certain is that every bowl will be different, and the wonderful thing about pho is that it is served for breakfast, lunch and dinner!

And just in case this bowl of goodness isn't your cup of tea, there is a variety of other amazing dishes that will blow your mind! The seafood is caught fresh daily and literally served to you within only a few hours. I wanted to try it all!

Sea bass with peanuts and sweet chili sauce

Don't miss out on the Vietnamese coffee. Made with the richest coffee and a delightful drop of sweetened condensed milk, it is a delicious spin on your morning joe! As you see it comes with a mini filter that sits on the top of your cup, so you can make a second cup if you like!

Vietnamese Coffee

3 comments:

Courtney said...

Ashley, I love reading your blogs, its like I can have a mini vacation in my mind when I read them....I am so grateful to have u in my life, ur awesome and we love you here int he office!!!

Putz said...

i meant to say food is really the thing to talk about

Robo said...

Very nice photos! I love the rice noodle and the fish....
I enjoyed reading your travel blog about Vietnam. I might going sometime within this year! Thanks for sharing.
Robo