Restaurant: Morning Glory Street Food Restaurant
Location: Hoi An
Date: March 25, 2014
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Rating: Super Yum
Everyone always talks about how great the street food is in Vietnam.
Things like crab fritters that have been sitting out for hours in the heat and humidity.
Or miscellaneous stuff waiting to assemble.
Our tasty maggot air dried meats.
Well, those of us who aren’t quite THAT adventurous (or don’t fancy a reasonable chance at several days glued to the toilet) might consider stepping up to $10-15 a person and the glory that is Morning Glory Street Food, a more “upscale” rendering of the classics.
The local beer. They don’t really like to sell you anything else. You can ask, but you’ll earn a snarl.
White Rose Dumplings. Famous soft steamed rice flour dumplings filled with ground shrimp. As promised, these are lighter than the traditional Chinese (Har Gow) variety.
Barbecued Pork with Rice Paper. Marinated BBQ pork with peanut sauce, fresh herbs, star fruit, and green banana.
As usual with these dishes, you roll up a spring roll.
Cao Lau noodles with marinated pork. The “classic” Hoi An dish with Japanese, Chinese, and French influences. Thick, homemade rice noodles with tender marinated pork, fresh herbs, and croutons in a light brother.
Not quite as good as the version we had the night before, but still delicious.
Banh Mi with Hoi An Sausage and marinated pork. A local version of the classic Vietnamese sandwich.
Fresh Mackerel in Banana Leaf. Cubes of marinated fresh mackerel with chopped wood-ear mushrooms, mung bean vermicelli, fresh turmeric and spices wrapped in banana leaves and chargrilled.
Very interesting AND tasty.
Chicken with ginger sauce. Stir fried chicken with ginger, onions and celery. Sort of like a Chinese American dish.
Papaya Salad with Sesame Beef. Shredded green papaya and fresh herbs topped with crispy dried roasted sesame beef. These “salads” the Vietnamese make are amazing.
Roast Duck Leg served with five space and shallot dressing and sticky rice. Yum!
Smoky eggplant with minced pork. I’m not usually a big fan of this kind of “mushy” eggplant, but this was great.
Prawn Curry. Five elements: sweet, sour, hot, bitter, and salty. Prawns, eggplant, poatoes, onions, lime leaves, lemongrass, and coconut milk.
Overall, this might have been the best meal we had in Vietnam, certainly in the top 2-3. While the cuisine isn’t “fancy” the combination of ingredients and fresh flavors came together in a spectacular way.