Vietnamese cuisine :: Page 2 :: All Things Andy Gavin

Archive for Vietnamese cuisine – Page 2

Kings at Crustacean

Jun09

Location: 468 N Bedford Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210. (310) 205-8990

Date: May 3, 2019

Cuisine: Vietnamese Fusion

Rating: Still great

A couple months ago while at OOToro my Hedonist group dined with Catherine An of Crustacean and she invited us to come to her place to experience it Hedonist style.

I haven’t been to Crustacean in maybe 10 years — not exactly sure why — other than maybe that it’s pricey, as I do love Vietnamese food. So it’s about high time I get back there and give it a good testing and write up.

Yarom with An sister Elizabeth. So Elizabeth and her sister Catherine set us up big time.

We had (most) of the private room. Technically Crustacean had a big remodel since I was here last, but it’s been so long that I can’t remember how it was before. It’s upscale attractive now — still sort of late 90s high end restaurant in vibe, which is way less industrial than most newer places.

Our special giant tasting menu.

2004 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut. VM 97. The 2004 Brut Cristal has put on quite a bit of weight since I first tasted it earlier this year. It is a powerful, structured Cristal layered with considerable fruit. Chardonnay seems to play the leading role in 2004, at least today. Cristal is often accessible young, but that is far from the case here. This is a serious, painfully young Cristal that will require considerable patience. Readers who are willing to spend some time with the wine today will find a super-impressive, complete Cristal.

2004 Dom Pérignon Champagne. VM 97. A wine of nuance, precision and understatement, the 2004 remains all grace. Time has softened some of the contours, but the flavors remain fresh and vibrant. Medium in body, the 2004 can be enjoyed now or cellared for several decades. This is a gorgeous showing from the 2004, a wine that has been captivatingly beautiful from the first time I tasted it years ago. There is something effortless about the 2004 that is hard to capture with words. The 2004 doesn’t quite have the obvious breeding of the 2008 and 2002, nor the obvious power of the 2003 or 2006, and yet it is harmonious, sublime and totally sensual.

2008 Dom Pérignon Champagne. VM 98+. The 2008 Dom Pérignon is fabulous, but quite remarkably, it was even more open when I tasted it a year ago. Bright, focused and crystalline in its precision, the 2008 is going to need a number of years before it is at its best. Lemon peel, white flowers, mint and white pepper give the 2008 its chiseled, bright profile. Several recent bottles have all been magnificent. What I admire most about the 2008 is the way it shows all the focus, translucence and energy that is such a signature of the year, and yet it is also remarkably deep and vertical. In other words, the 2008 is a Champagne that plays in three dimensions.

2000 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut. BH 96. A wonderfully layered and nuanced nose features an intense yeasty character to the maturing fruit that displays interesting phenolic characters, in particular petrol, along with aromas of apple, pear and soft citrus hints. In contrast to the nascent maturity expressed by the nose the flavor profile is still tight and backward with a genuinely gorgeous texture, all wrapped in a strikingly persistent and highly complex finish. For my taste the 2000 Brut is at an inflection point as the nose does offer enough maturity so that it’s really quite pretty whereas the palate impression is substantially younger. As such it really just depends on how you prefer your Champagne because I suspect that the nose will be very mature by the time the still very youthful flavors attain their majority. For my taste preferences it would be no vinous crime to begin enjoying this now but be aware that this will age for a very long time. The best approach is probably to buy 6, or even 12, bottles and enjoy them over a longer period of time.

Champagne caviar flute. There is a bit of buttery toast for scooping it up.

The “it” is a creamy stuff with caviar and foam. Delicious.

Tuna Cigars. Instant Smoke, Feuille De Brick, Avocado Silk, Vidalia Onion, Tobiko Caviar.

They were packed with dry ice.

These were really delicious. A bit like the classic Wolfgang Puck tuna cone. Complex salty/sweet flavors. Yum!

From my cellar: 1993 Robert Ampeau & Fils Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières. BH 92. A fully mature and expressive nose of elegant secondary fruit and floral aromas introduces intensely mineral-driven, pure and beautifully well-detailed middle weight flavors that possess excellent depth and fine length. This is drinking perfectly now and should continue to do so without effort for at least another decade. Tasted only once recently.

2012 Faiveley Montrachet Le Montrachet. 95 points. Actually guessed both the vineyard and the producer here (the wine was served by the importer); proud was I. Surprisingly advanced wine, very rich, smooth, layered, long with notes of honey, butter and some confit d’orange. Great wine, rich – and too young, I think.

This wine needed TIME! But was amazing.

Surf and Turf Sashimi. A-5 Wagyu, Crispy Garlic, Purple Potato, Tabasco Chili Ponzu.

Crispy Garlic, Purple Potato.

A-5 Wagyu, Tabasco Chili Ponzu. Yummy bits of succulent beef.

2004 Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Pucelles. BH 93. A mildly reduced nose features honeysuckle and acacia blossom notes introduces sweet, rich and beautifully complex flavors of impressive purity and vibrancy with brilliant length. A terrific effort that has the hallmark softness of Pucelles while retaining a firm and tangy, indeed almost linear finish that displays more minerality than usual.

Braised Lamb Dumpling. Tom yum jus, galangal, Japanese Sweet Potato, Butternut Squash, Puffed Rice.

With the jus — which was basically the broth from Tom Yum soup — delicious.

Marcassin — I can’t read the vintage.

2014 Domaine Ponsot Clos de la Roche Vieilles Vignes. BH 94-97. There is enough wood to notice along with a hint of menthol on the markedly earthy red and dark berry fruit aromas where background hints of spice and floral elements are in evidence. The overtly powerful and concentrated broad-shouldered flavors display almost painful intensity before culminating in an explosively long and very firmly structured finish where once again a hint of bitter cherry appears. This is an interesting wine of contrasts as the mid-palate, even with all of its intensity, possesses a caressing palate feel yet the finish is bold, robust and unyielding. As the description confirms, this is going to require a long snooze in a cool cellar.

agavin: NOTE that the start drinking date on this wine is 2031!

From the “Secret Kitchen”:

AN’s Famous Garlic Roasted Dungeness Crab with AN’s Famous Garlic Noodles. This was a special personal version of the crab and noodles. I remember when I first came here that you had to pay an extra few dollars for them to crack it! But now that’s included if you like. We didn’t have to crack it at all. The meat was delicious and so were the noodles.

So good. Great by themselves, and even better with the crab.

1978 Gaja Barbaresco. VM 92. Dark red. Gaja’s 1978 Barbaresco is a study in contrasts. The nose suggests a mature wine, with aromas of leather and cocoa dominating, although on the palate the wine shows generous amounts of dark fruit in a concentrated style with much persistence, length and the structure of the vintage. My impression is of a beautiful wine that lacks the balance to be a truly great wine.

2005 Château Pape Clément. VM 97. The 2005 Pape Clément is a fabulous contrast to the Haut-Brion. The former represents modernism at its best, while the latter is one of the archetypes of classicism. Both are striking. Compelling and seductive from the outset, the 2005 Pape Clément races out of the glass with notable opulence and ripeness. Soft contours and heady aromatics make the 2005 a real joy to taste today. Just beginning to show the first signs of aromatic complexity, the 2005 Pape Clément looks like it won’t be as long-lived as some of the other wines in this tasting, but it is extraordinarily beautiful today. The style is unapologetically flamboyant, yet all the elements are in the right place. When it comes to pure hedonistic pleasure, it’s hard to match the 2005 Pape Clément.

Lamb chops.

2006 David Arthur Cabernet Sauvignon Elevation 1147. VM 91. Bright ruby-red. Very ripe and aromatic nose combines cassis, blueberry and complex soil tones. Lush and pliant in the mouth, with a restrained sweetness to the nuanced flavors of dark berries, mocha, chocolate and earth. Tactile and broad wine with very good inner-palate energy. Finishes long, with a positive medicinal quality.

More Marcassin I can’t identify.

“Cha Ca” Broiled Red Snapper Banh Mi. Spicy Aioli, Traditional Banh Mi Pickles. A slightly fancy looking version of the very traditional Vietnamese fish with herb salad. I had this in Vietnam, at the very old school Phong Dinh, and recently even in somewhat different form at fusion Khong Ten. It was good in all cases, and certainly delicious here! I really like the turmeric thing.

2013 Ladera Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve. 91 points. I don’t pay much attention to these Cabs.

2014 La Jota Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain. VM 92. Graphite, smoke, incense, lavender, plum and sweet French oak hit the palate in La Jota’s 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon. Winemaker Chris Carpenter has done a tremendous job in crafting a Cabernet that is both deeply expressive of Howell Mountain, but with enough sweetness in the tannins and overall juiciness to drink well with minimal cellaring.

Landing spot for the next course.

Himalayan Salt Block Ribeye. Horseradish Crema. Great steak.

‘XO’ Garlic Fried Rice. Poached Egg, Pork Belly XO. So good!

We had to get more XO!

Kungpao Eggplants. Thai Basil, Thai red chili gastrique. Not as good as a great Szechuan version, but still enjoyable.

Steamed garlic broccoli.

Let the good times keep on rolling.

Oh boy — Calvados!

Coconut sorbet with blackberry. Not made by me. Intense coconut flavor. No dairy, so not super creamy.

Yarom with Catherine and a friend.

And Tokaji Aszu 5 Puttonyos.

A trio of crazy gelatti I made:

Reimagining an old flavor Cocoa Samoa Gelato — Coconut dairy base, new super delicious formulation, house-made caramel and Valrhona chocolate ganache, with Girl Scout Samoas — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — Crazy Choco Caramel Nostalgic Goodness! — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #Valrhona #coconut #caramel #samoas #girlscoutcookies

Chocolate Orange Pistachio Gelato — my classic 63% Valrhona chocolate base but with orange infused milk, and laced with house-made Bronte Pistachio Valrhona Gananche — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — Just say it again: Bronte Pistachio Valrhona Ganache — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #Valrhona #pistachio #orange #chocolate

Moscow Mule Sorbetto — new highly technical sorbetto made with lime, cucumber, ginger beer, and Stoli Vodka — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — yeah, there is actually a lot of vodka in here — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #MoscowMule #lime #cucumber #GingerBeer #Stoli #vodka

Coconut Dream. Fresh Coconut Flakes, Rum Syrup, Creme Chantilly, Vanilla Creme Anglaise. This was a dream — loved it.

Warm Beignets. Vietnamese Coffee Creme Anglaise. Also great.

Chef Helene’s Classic Banana a La Mode. Turbinado Brulee, Baileys, Caramel, Tahitian Bean Ice Cream.

Pineapple Financier. Brown Butter, Oat Honey Streusel, Creme Fraiche Cremeux, Dole-Whip.

Warm Chocolate Cake, Raspberry, Vanilla Wafer which then

gets this made up:

Signature Table-Side Ice Cream. Nitro vanilla ice cream.

Pretty scrumptious.

Passion Fruit Pavlova. Pavlova, Tropical Fruit, Strawberry Gel, Coconut Sorbet.

Cheers!

And the crazy wine lineup.

Overall, this was a kingly evening. Boy did the Ans treat us right and we had an incredible menu, amazing service, and great wines.

Discussing the food analytically. Very good, and most dishes varied from good to great. Best being the fish, crab, and cigars (plus some of the desserts). The Vietnamese influence is far more subtle, less heavy handed, then at most newer fusion places like Little Sister / LXSO or the more contemporary small plates style Khong Ten. Definitely more roughly 2000 in formal fine dining style — which I don’t mind at all. In some ways it feels like a millennium event fine dining place with Vietnamese — and to a lesser extent Thai and Chinese — notes. It’s a pretty fancy place, and priced accordingly — but they do knock it out of the park.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

or more crazy Hedonist dinners here!

By: agavin
Comments (9)

Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Beverly Hills, BYOG, Crustacean, Gelato, hedonists, Vietnamese cuisine

Không Tên – Nomnom

May03

Restaurant: Không Tên LA [1, 2]

Location: 11520 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064. (424) 832-7000

Date: April 9 & 20 and July 13, 2019

Cuisine: Vietnamese Fusion

Rating: Really tasty, great place

Recently, at my Nightshade dinner I met a friend of Erick’s (now my friend too), Kim Vu, who is the chef/owner at pretty new Không Tên Vietnamese Fusion over on Pico — so of course I had to try it.

Coincidently too, my old kitchen lead from RnR, who I’m also still friendly with, sometimes moonlights here.

The location is on a busy stretch of Pico just west of the 405, close to Sawtelle.

The Brunch menu.
And the dinner menu.

The inside is very cute — and owner Kim is sitting at the end of the bar there. There is a big emphasis on the bar space and her signature cocktails.

Of which this is one.

Spicy and sour cashews. Savory little bar snack.

Organic Chicken Wings. Soy and Sweet Chile. These are as good a set of chicken wings as I have ever had. Really tasty sweet and spicy sauce.

Good enough to enjoy a different vantage.

K10 Organic Chicken Fingers. Organic Chicken, 5 Spice Palm Syrup, House Hot Sauce. The other fried chicken type is a breaded cutlet. Very moist and delicious with the sweet and hot sauces. This, along with the dish below are combined at brunch into a “chicken and waffle.”

Sweet Potato Spider. A giant sweet potato latke. Very addictive and crispy.

Vegan Bánh mì. Turmeric Dill Tofu, Shiitake, Pickled Carrots & Daikon, Cucumber, Coleman Farm Cilantro & Dill & Wild Herbs, Fresno Chile, House Pickles. Really great sandwich. Tons of bright pickle flavor and varied textures. Other than a low fat vibe, you’d hardly know it was vegan.

From my cellar: NV Drappier Champagne Rosé Brut Nature Dosage Zero. BH 90. The color is paler than that of the regular brut rosé. A pretty and slightly more elegant nose features a similar aromatic profile but with more evident yeast character. There is fine intensity to the delicious and vibrant flavors that are supported by a firm and definitely finer mousse, all wrapped in a bone dry and youthfully austere finish where a hint of bitter cherry pit appears. This won’t be for everyone as the dryness is pronounced; I happen to like it but it would be fair to say that this is not a charmer. With that said, a few years of bottle age should serve to round off the austerity and add a bit of depth as well.

Assorted Farmers Market Pickles. Sweet, Spicy, and Sour. Each different vegetable had it’s own brine!

House Made Four-Day Beef Jerky. Peanuts and Herbs. A touch dry, but it is beef jerky!

Toothpick Beef. Sesame Chile Oil. Like a less spicy version of the Szechuan toothpick lamb. Really, really tasty. Tender and full of flavor.

From my cellar: 2016 Domaine Roulot Bourgogne Blanc. BH 88. A discreet application of wood easily allows the aromas of petrol straw and pear to be appreciated. There is more richness and volume to the nicely textured flavors that possess reasonably good depth and persistence if not quite the same punch.

Chef’s Daily Crudo — which I think was albacore with a touch of spice.

Coleman Farm Blistered Sunchokes. Carrot Garlic Chile Romesco. Nice, for a veggie!

Tutti Frutti Farm Zucchini Sticks. Carrot Garlic Chile Romesco, Lime. In some ways like giant thick cut fries.

Thao Farm Bok Choy Salad. Terry Farm Asian Pear, Weiser Farm Rainbow Carrot, Toasted Almonds, Watermelon Radish, Coriander Lemon Vinaigrette. Good salad with nice texture variations.

Kale Banh Mi Salad. Pickled Carrots & Daikon, Weiser Farm Radish, Tutti Frutti Farm Tomatoes, Coleman Cilantro & Rău Ram, Fresno Chile, Fresh Cucumber, Crouton, Silken Tofu Vinaigrette.

Vietnamese Caesar Salad. Coleman Little Gem, Manchego, Lime, Blistered Tutti Frutti Tomato, Cilantro, Thai Basil, Rice Cracker. Usually I don’t like variants on a (really good) classic caesar, but this one was excellent.

From my cellar: 2009 Domaine René Leclerc Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Combes aux Moines. BH 89-91. A brooding and almost mute nose allows only glimpses of an earthy mélange of wild red and blue berry fruit aromas that are followed by rich, full and quite serious medium-bodied flavors that possess both good volume and fine length on the balanced if not especially complex finish.

Jimenez Farm Squash & Chickpea Curry. Coconut Milk, Mint. Really delicious.

Crab Fried Rice. Uni Emulsion with 63 Degree Farm Egg. I wanted (from the name) to love this, and it’s certainly good, but I think the “whole grain” rice just isn’t as yummy as traditional fried rice.

Turmeric Dill Black Cod. JF Farm Warm Dill & Scallion, Pineapple Anchovy Sauce. Very lovely flavors as well. Turmeric is traditional in Vietnam on fish and it sure works here.

Tamai Farm Swiss Chard & Shiitake Mushroom Hash. Weiser Farm Root Vegetables. Very nice veggie.

Crispy Whole Striped Bass. Herbs, Rice Cracker, Coleman Farm Lettuce Cups, Nuoc Cham. I had a similar fish in Vietnam and this was even more delicious, particularly with all the herb salad.

Hello fishy!

Black Bean & Ginger Braised Beef Cheeks. Bone Marrow, Coleman Farm Greens. The (late) winter version of this dish is very hearty with a succulent rich cheek cut. Delicious!

Ginger Scallion Braised Beef Bavette. Harris Ranch Beef, Coleman farm wild greens, Vietnamese herbs, grilled baguette. This is the spring version of the beef dish and still great, but a touch lighter.

Lemongrass Ginger Panna Cotta. Shortbread Crumble and Terry Farm Quince Compote. Very nice exotic flavors. I have to make a lemongrass ginger gelato! Speaking of:

A bunch of Gelatti by me:

Nocciola, Espresso e Bacio Gelato – using my new egg yolk based nut formulation with Piedmontese hazelnut to produce a stunning hazelnut base, then adding in house-made espresso caramel and chopped up bacio — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #Espresso #coffee #cafe #hazelnut #Nocciola #caramel #bacio

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Gelato – the base is a Fior di Latte but I made it with brown sugar instead of white so it matched the cookies better. Inclusions are cubes of house-made gluten-free (almond flour) artisinal chocolate chip cookie dough with Valrhona chocolate chunks! — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #CookieDough #ChocolateChipCookie #Cookie #chocolate #valrhona #BrownSugar #GlutenFree

New flavor — Limoncello Biscotti — Limoncello Zabaione base with lemon cookie flavor and Lemon Oreos — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — Tastes just like lemon cookie! — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #IceCream #NomNom #dessert #lemon #limoncello #Zabaione #LemonCookie #Oreo #LemonOreos

Fresh back from Hawaii I created this new flavor with things I dragged home — Big Island — Coconut dairy base, Macadamia Nuts, and Fresh Mango — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — Island Fever! — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #IceCream #NomNom #dessert #Hawaii #MacadamiaNuts #nuts #mango #coconut #tropical

Overall, Không Tên is a hidden little gem. The food is very very good and quite interesting. It’s far more “American with Vietnamese flavors” then a more Vietnamese Fusion place like Little Sister. Quite creative. Also every dish is delicious. It might be a touch understated though, as it’s not super flashy in tonal style. And it’s a nice little space and reasonable to boot. If you’re on the Westside and like this sort of food at all, you should definitely give it a try!

For more LA dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
Comments (3)

Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Asian Fusion, BYOG, Fusion cuisine, Gelato, Khong Ten, Kim Vu, Santa Monica, Vietnamese cuisine

Quick Eats – Mama Hongs

Jan02

Restaurant: Mama Hong’s Vietnamese Kitchen

Location: 11819 Wilshire Blvd #106B, Los Angeles, CA 90025. (310) 312-7881

Date: November 13, 2018

Cuisine: Vietnamese

Rating: More than just Pho

Mama Hong’s has been on my list for a while.

Decor is more “built” out than most small Vietnamese places.

The menu isn’t huge, and is most — but fortunately not all — Pho. There are a few salads and Banh Mi too.

Condiments are on the table.

Pork sausage spring rolls. I like this kind — because I love the ground up pig.

Filet Mignon Pho. Solid Pho. With the filet, you don’t have the weird tendon bits. Broth flavor was good. Still I have to jazz up Pho with a lot of hoisin.

It’s nice to have another Vietnamese option in Santa Monica but I wish they would branch out more into the type of less street food dishes like Garlic and Chives which is SO GOOD but SO FAR.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
Comments (0)

Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Mama Hongs, Vietnamese cuisine

Quick Eats – Valley Pho

Aug18

Restaurant: Pho So 1

Location: 22902 Vanowen St, West Hills, CA 91307. (818) 884-8356

Date: July 2, 2018

Cuisine: Vietnamese Pho

Rating: Solid Pho

A trip to the valley necessitated a quick lunch, which ended up being this randomly (google) selected Pho place.

Just in a Woodland Hills strip mall.

Probably was something else before it was a Vietnamese restaurant form the look of it. There was a nearby Olive Garden and Red Lobster!

The menu is mostly pho and variants.

Soft typical Vietnamese spring rolls.

The pile of “condiments” that you can throw in your Pho.

Brisket and well done flank Pho.

Brisket, flank, and meat ball Pho. The broth is the main thing at Pho and this one was pretty solid. Light in body, but with a lot of flavor and some tanginess.

Overall, not bad for a $10-12 quick noodle soup lunch spot — and the deep valley. Only come if you want Pho though as the menu is basically just variants.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
Comments (0)

Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Pho, Vietnamese cuisine, woodland hills

Orange Afternoon — Garlic & Chives

Aug08

Restaurant: Garlic & Chives

Location: 9892 Westminster Blvd #311, Garden Grove, CA 92844. (714) 591-5196

Date: June 23 & September 13, 2018 and October 3, 2021

Cuisine: Vietnamese

Rating: Old School Vietnamese

In June of 2018, Fred C and Andrew T convinced me to head down on a Saturday afternoon to Garden Grove for some serious Vietnamese. Now, despite the horrific traffic, they didn’t have to twist my arm too hard because I love Vietnamese food, as evidenced by my eating around that lovely country. Since then Garlic and Chives has become a favorite and this post includes multiple lunches and one wine dinner.

In June of 2018, after a “snack” (aka full lunch) at Tai Buu we secured our late afternoon reservation at the insanely popular Garlic & Chives — apparently by Kristin!

Inside is cute and more modern.

Interest ice tea with an exotic flavor.

Wines we just popped and jammed on.

1998 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon. BH 94. An elegant but austere wine that is almost as reticent as the ’96 with pure citrus and floral aromas that continue onto the crisp and still very tight medium-bodied flavors that are beautifully precise and impressively delineated on the gorgeously long finish. This is a long way from being ready and I wouldn’t touch a bottle for another 5 to 7 years.

From my cellar: 2006 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Rosé Brut. VM 95. Taittinger’s 2006 Comtes de Champagne Rosé has come along nicely over the last six months. Intensely perfumed, Pinot-inflected aromatics carry through the mid-palate and finish as the 2006 shows off its depth and pure energy. Veins of chalky minerality give the red berry and cranberry flavors an extra kick of energy. The 2006 is both powerful and delicate at the same, with crystalline precision and fabulous depth. Hints of orange peel, mint, cinnamon and cranberry add further shades of nuance on the complete, beautifully articulated finish.

2014 Vincent Dauvissat (René & Vincent) Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons. VM 93. Very pale yellow. Lemon oil, flowers and a lightly lactic yeasty nuance on the nose. Tight, upright and penetrating, with brisk lemony acidity intensifying the dense flavors of white peach and almond flower. Shows terrific grain and palate presence and finishes with explosive mounting length. A very serious Vaillons. Dauvissat noted that as these vines have aged, they are yielding consistently more mineral wines.

Omg, more babykill! 2013 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Corton-Charlemagne. BH 92-94. A shy, indeed almost mute nose only grudgingly liberates its cool aromas of green apple, white fruit, spiced pear and wet stone. The intensely saline and stony big-bodied flavors are supported by a firm spine of citrus-inflected acidity that shapes the powerful finish that delivers outstanding complexity and persistence. I very much like the balance and this will need plenty of time to realize its full, and considerable, potential.

And if we thought 2013 white was young! 2015 Domaine Arlaud Charmes-Chambertin. BH 92-94. Reduction. The supple, round and strikingly refined, indeed even silky flavors possess focused power and punch while offering outstanding length on the dusty, palate coating and mildly austere finale. This is an exercise in harmony and refinement.

A REAL Vietnamese menu (gigantic).

Lime Beef Tenderloin Salad (9/13/18). Beef tenderloin marinated in lime juice, mint, onion, chili and peanuts.

Papaya salad with beef jerky (10/3/21). super savory and delicious.

Beef Salad (June 2018 and 10/3/21). Slices of beef, papaya, and all sorts of tangy, sweet, spicy Vietnamese salad goodness. Notable on 10/3/21 that it wasn’t quite as good as the beef jerky salad.

Raw Ahi Tuna Spring Rolls (9/13/18). Raw ahi tuna, fresh lettuce, avocado, pickled daikon and carrots, crispy wonton wrapper rolled up in rice paper. Served with house special soy sauce and wasabi. These were a bit different, sort of Vietnamese / Japanese. Good though.

Grilled pork sausage roll / goi con em nuong (10/3/21). Great.

Shrimp and pork mustard green roll (10/3/21). A bit boring.

Holy Crunchy Chicken Wings (9/13/18). Heavenly crispy fried chicken wings with sweet and spicy sauce topped with fried garlic chips.

holy crunchy chicken wings / canh ga chien (10/3/21). Sweet and spicy and amazing. They were much saucier (and better) this time.

Salt and pepper shrimp (10/3/21).

Stir Friend Ong Choy with Sea Snails. Yes, this is a garickly green with SNAILS. It was delicious too.

Coconut Sea Snails (many times including June 2018 and 10/3/21). Special Vietnamese Sea Snails cooked in coconut curry sauce. I LOVED this dish. I’ve had a pink version before at Phong Dinh and this green version was slightly different, spicier, and just as good. The snails are in little conical shells inside the curry. You suck out the creatures. So good. I could eat two bowls myself!

Rice for the snails.

Baked Clams with Garlic & Chives. Or maybe Chili Garlic. Nice actually. Lots of flavor.

Razor Clams (June 2018). Baked Razor Clams topped with peanuts, chili, garlic, and bell peppers. These were dry and overcooked and our least favorite dish.

Razor clams (10/3/21). Delicious this time.

House Special Lobster (every time I have been including 10/3/21). Sautéed in house special sauce with garlic, onion, jalapeños, on a bed of noodles. This was AWESOME. Tons and tons of flavor, particularly over the noodles. Way better than the Crustacean and probably 1/4 of the price.

Zoom on the lobster (from 9/13/18). So much garlic!

Spicy Crab in Tamarind Sauce (June 2018 and 10/3/21). Sort of close to Singapore Chili Crab, and certainly tangy and spicy, but a bit different. Great too. Really great with a ton of flavor. The sauce was absolutely amazing. Hard to get into the shells but a lot of the meat was out. I would still love to find some exact Singapore Chili Crab, but this variant was fabulous.

Singapore Chili Crab (10/3/21). Amazing. We added noodles into the sauce too. Better than the Tamarind crab we had the same day.

Vietnamese breads (June 2018 and 10/3/21), including the fried donut-like thing which was heavy and delicious. These come with the crabs.

Grilled Turmeric Fish with Dill served on the skillet w/ vermicelli.

Vermicelli noodles and herbs served with turmeric fish. You wrap these up with the fish. Delicious and very much like we had a couple of times in Vietnam.

Grilled Chili Lemongrass Pork Ribs (9/13/18). Crispy rice with pork ribs marinated in chili and lemongrass.

Spicy Garlic Toothpick Lamb (June 2018). Small pieces of lamb marinated in garlic and house seasonings deep fried. Basically the Szechuan dish, but with a few more aromatics.
Pork belly (10/3/21). Sweet.

Mustard greens (10/3/21).

More rice (10/3/21)

Lamb chops (10/3/21). Good.

sautéed beef vermicelli / bun bo xao (filet mignon, lemongrass etc) (10/3/21).

Grilled pork and egg roll noodle / bun thit nuong cha gio (10/3/21).

Goat curry (10/3/21).

Bread for the curry.

Oxtail hotpot (10/3/21). I was reaching painful levels of full here and not really able to try this.

The hotpot comes with lots of herbs.

Added in.

Made by me (June 2018), of course: Almond Boba Tea Gelato — Oolong tea steeped milk, Romano Almonds from Noto Sicily, and topped with Boba! Suffered slightly from the long transit and wait, but still good.

Almond Amaretto Truffle Gelato (10/3/21) — Amaretto Zabaglione (egg yolk, amaretto, and sugar custard) Sicilian Almond gelato base with stacked layers of house-made Valrhona Almond Amaretti Ganache — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato –#SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #Valrhona #almond #amaretto #amaretti #cookie #ganache #ChocolateTruffle

Cherry Cough Syrup Sorbetto (10/3/21) – Amareno Cherry, Morello Cherry, and Creme de Cassis Sorbet! — so intense, and so awesome for a red fruit lover — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato –#SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #sorbetto #amareno #morello #cherry #CremediCassis #cassis

Fred brought the whole family! (except his wife, who was out of town)

Andrew and Madison who hosted us down south that first time and treated us to this amazing fare.

This was an awesome afternoon and crazy crazy good food here at Garlic & Chives. I like this bright flavor forward style of Vietnamese (with a bit of Chinese, Singapore, and Thai influences). Just tons of… well garlic, chili, and chives. Closest in some ways to some of the really good places I went in Vietnam too. More fusion yes, but really good. Apparently they always have a huge line. Sigh. And a huge drive. But I’ll be back for sure for more good stuff and more Champagne. This is really Champagne food.

I’ve been back a whole mess of times for lunch and it’s always been good. Then we were back for a wine dinner on 10/3/21. They set up a large table outside on the sidewalk, which wasn’t bad at all as it was a nice night. They allowed the wine with no problem and had allowed us a reservation and preorders. This is unusual for Garden Grove Vietnamese restaurants which often don’t take reservation — a must for large party wine dinners involving people driving for over an hour! Food was awesome that night as well. A few people complained about my overzealous ordering (if I’m going to trek to Orange County for dinner I want to try EVERYTHING!) and the price creeping up because of the lobsters and crab. It wasn’t actually expensive, it just wasn’t “dirt cheap” the way people have come to expect from a small ethnic place like this. That’s unfair, as we had a TON of food and lots of signature ingredients.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

Sea Salt Latte from next door.

By: agavin
Comments (4)

Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Babykillers, BYOG, Champagne, Garden Grove, Garlic & Chives, Garlic and Chives, Gelato, Orange Afternoon, Orange County, Vietnamese cuisine

Quick Eats – Pho Cafe

Mar28

Restaurant: Pho Cafe

Location:2841 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026

Date: February 2, 2018

Cuisine: Vietnamese

Rating: Excellent Pho

After our bike ride (and Bicycle Cafe stop) Sebastian and I went to Silverlake for some Pho.

Unassuming entrance right next to Silverlake Ramen.

Minimal interior.

The menu.

Gotta have these.

Banh Xeo. Vietnamese crepe with shrimp, charbroiled lemongrass steak, mushroom, bean sprouts, side of fresh herbs, rice paper wrap.

Comes with the sauce and the usual fresh herbs.

The the rice paper wraps.

You soften up those things and wrap up the “crepe” (which is more like an omelet) and have some delicious stuff.

Herbs for the pho.

Pho Tai Gan Bo Vien. Beef rice noodle soup with slices of filet mignon steak, tendon, meat balls, and a side of fresh herbs. A very nice Pho, almost as good as the typical in Vietnam level. Lots of soup and hard to eat as Pho always is.

Pho Chay. Vegetable rice noodle soup with tofu, mushrooms, bok choy, and a side of fresh herbs.

Some solid Pho and lots of other good home style stuff.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
Comments (1)

Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Pho, Pho Cafe, Silverlake, Vietnamese cuisine

Quick Eats – Le Saigon

Oct14

Restaurant: Le Saigon

Location: 11611 Santa Monica Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90025. Phone number (310) 312-2929

Date: August 27, 2017

Cuisine: Vietnamese

Rating: Decent Pho

Westside Vietnamese. Hmmm.

Conveniently located on Santa Monica blvd.

Nothing to write home about inside but fine.

Fresh drip Vietnamese coffee. You let it drip into the sweetened condensed milk and then pour in ice and mix.

The final drink is yummy.

Classic Spring Rolls. Not bad but not great either. Sauce wasn’t that exciting and they didn’t fully have that interesting herbal blend you find in Vietnam.

Table sauces.

Two beef (rare and cooked) pho. This wasn’t bad, particularly with hoisin (which I love). There are the usual noodles buried down there.

Condiments.

The menu isn’t huge, mostly pho and a few classics, but I’d come back again if I’m in the neighborhood and want some pho. It was fine, but certainly not the amazing stuff you occasionally get at a very good pho place.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
Comments (0)

Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Le Saigon, Pho, Vietnamese cuisine

Phong Dinh Fun

Jan02

Restaurant: Phong Dinh [1, 2, 3, 4]

Location: 107 E Valley blvd, San Gabriel, Ca, 91776. (626) 307-8868

Date: December 18, 2016

Cuisine: Vietnamese

Rating: Excellent!

My Hedonist club has hit up Phong Dinh several times before. This authentic Vietnamese/Chinese continues to serve up interesting stuff — plus they’re happy to take some of Yarom’s “do it yourself” meats, like both boar, deer, and pheasant he shot recently.

The sign brings them in.

From my cellar: 2011 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Meursault. VM 90. The 2011 Meursault is quite beautiful, even if it shows some tightness from its recent bottling. White peach, pear and spice notes all wrap around an energetic frame. I very much like the way the 2011 opens up in the glass. The Comtes Lafon Meursault is now a blend of various parcels, mostly Clos de la Baronne, En la Barre, Luraules and Crotos.

Cold plate. A super epic cold plate with boar sausage (from a boar Yarom shot), jellyfish, shrimp and mustard/mayo, weird cold cuts, and other Chinese/Vietnamese delectables.

Fish sauce. You can’t have enough fish sauce!

There are various condiments. Mint and basil. Veggies.

And these rice paper “pancakes” that are softened in hot water. Not pictured are two kinds of fish sauce and thin rice noodles (you can see them below).

Rice noodles.

You put all this together with the fish as you like and do your best to roll into a pancake. It’s scrumptious, absolutely delicious, but messy.

2003 Emrich-Schönleber Monzinger Halenberg Riesling Spätlese. 92 points. Aromas and flavors of blueberry, blackberry and honey combine here with woodsmoke, black tea, nut oil and subtly stony nuances. The wine is rich and full, with its slight sense of heat enhancing the effect of distilled fruit concentration and smoky pungency. The finishing effect is long and noticeably sweet.

Baked catfish.
Filleted.

My attempt at a fish burrito didn’t stick together so well.

Someone else with a lot more experience rolled up this larval form.

2010 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie Brune et Blonde. VM 93. Deep ruby. Powerful aromas of dried cherry, blackberry and licorice, with a suave floral pastille nuance in the background. Densely packed bitter cherry and dark berry preserve flavors show a refreshingly bitter edge and pick up spicecake and dark chocolate qualities with air. Dusty tannins come in late and give shape to the finish, which clings with superb tenacity and a resonating floral quality. Shows the power and structure of this outstanding vintage to full effect but comes off as polished and, I daresay, approachable.

Goat chops. Amazing, tender, and tons of BBQ (char) flavor.

2014 Belle Glos Pinot Noir Dairyman. 88 points.

Snails in coconut curry. This spicy coconut curry cream sauce was amazing. You had to suck the meat out of the snails, which was cool, and there was plenty of sauce to drip over rice or noodles.

Papaya salad.

2005 La Rioja Alta Rioja Viña Ardanza Reserva. VM 92. Deep ruby. Sexy, highly perfumed aromas of red fruit preserves, vanilla, mocha and fresh flowers, with a hint of pipe tobacco coming up with air. Sappy and broad on entry, then more taut in the middle, with sweet cherry-vanilla and spicecake flavors given lift by juicy acidity. Closes smooth, spicy and long, with lingering smokiness and fine-grained tannins adding grip. A touch more lively than the excellent 2004 version of this wine and of equal quality, which makes it an outstanding value in old-school Rioja.

agavin: our bottle was a little funky.

Butter on a hot skillet.

Marinated pork. Raw. From the boar Yarom shot.

This raw pork was cooked by us table-side like at Totoraku.

From my cellar: 2002 Louis Jadot Corton-Pougets Domaine des Héritiers Louis Jadot. VM 92. Medium-deep red. Superripe nose dominated by smoky, earthy soil tones. Silky on entry, then rich, succulent and deep, with very sweet red fruit and mineral flavors building impressively on the back half. Finishes ripely tannic and long. Like a few other Jadot ’02s, this shows terrific early sweetness but also has the structure to age. A very strong vintage for this cuvee

Roast pigeon or quail. Pigeon I think.

With crispy rice cakes.

2012 Chris Ringland Shiraz.

Ginger lobster. Very much a Southern Chinese style dish.

2011 Mollydooker Cabernet Sauvignon Gigglepot. 91 points.

Fried rice.

Overall, another epic Hedonist Asian adventure. Good food, great prices, fun wines, and a whole lot of us. What more could you ask for?

We headed over to Salju for dessert. This one was with mochi and mango.

My usual passion fruit, but this time with rainbow jelly.
And a black sesame.

More crazy Hedonist adventures or
LA dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
Comments (3)

Posted in: Food

Tagged as: boar, hedonists, Phong Dinh, Vietnamese cuisine, Wine

Quick Eats – Little Sister

Nov04

Restaurant: Little Sister

Location: 523 W 7th St, Los Angeles, CA 90017. (213) 628-3146

Date: October 27, 2016

Cuisine: Modern Vietnamese

Rating: Tasty

As I mentioned in my review of Simbal LA seems to be developing a strong Vietnamese “trend.”

Little Sister is a fairly casual downtown Vietnamese “pub.”

grilled prawns, cabbage mix, mango, cucumber, onion, cashews, lemongrass-cilantro dressing. One of those “typical” Vietnamese salads with the shredded vegetables and the bright sweet sauce.

goi cuon ‘fresh spring roll’ with shrimp & pork, dipping sauce. Also a very typical Vietnamese dish. Not usually my favorite here in the states, although in Vietnam itself they had a more intense flavor. These were pretty good. They did have an interesting crunchy bit in there.

‘ga xao xa ot’ spicy lemongrass chicken, fried garlic & dried chilies. Very fried but the sauce, although super salty, was to die for. Really nice tangy/sweet/salty sauce.

shaky shaky beef, watercress, baby tomatoes, burnt butter soy with tomato garlic fried rice. The Little Sister version of the classic “shaken” or “French” beef. Not bad. Meat was a little chewier than I might have liked.
saigon lemongrass beef, vermicelli noodle, herbs, cucumbers, chili-lime dressing. Also another great dish. The beef had a lot of flavor.

Overall, Little Sister had good strong flavors and was quite tasty. I liked the pubby atmosphere too. Basically classic Vietnamese food with prettier plating and better menu descriptions. I didn’t really see anything “reinvented” substantially. Kitchen execution was fine, but not superlative. I mean, it’s Vietnamese flavors, so that gets you pretty far, but things weren’t perfectly on point. And really really salty. Still, I’d definitely go back because I love a flavor punch.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
Comments (9)

Posted in: Food

Tagged as: DTLA, Little Sister, Vietnamese cuisine

Power of a Simbal

Oct31

Restaurant: Simbal

Location: 319 E 2nd St Suite 202, Los Angeles, CA 90012. (213) 626-0244

Date: October 28, 2016

Cuisine: Modern Vietnamese

Rating: Great subtle Southeast Asian flavors

In the last 1-2 years the LA Restaurant Zeitgeist seems to have picked up a decided South East Asian vibe. It’s really the “new fusion.” No one wants to use that word anymore, and it doesn’t have the old school 80s/90s X meets Y vibe (like say Asia de Cuba), but it’s fusion nonetheless. Still, I love the bright SEA flavors, so all good.

Simbal is Downtown, really more or less in Little Tokyo, across the street even from the lousy Honda-ya poke joint.

The decor is awesome modern by the very same designer that works with on Ramen Roll, the talented Terri Robison from Studio Unltd.

Here is a wider view with GM Ron Carey in the frame.

The menu.

From my cellar: 2002 François Raveneau Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre. BH 93. This too is very opulent with a richness and breadth of aromas that is dazzling in their sheer range. Big, powerful, very masculine and exceptionally intense flavors blessed with huge extract but despite the size and weight, this also has the best acid/fruit balance of any of these 1ers plus this absolutely coats and stains the palate. In fact, there is an interesting textural quality by virtue of all the sap yet the finish is quite dry. A great effort that explodes on the backend and lingers for minutes.

Yin’s Wok Fried Seasoned Nuts. Seaweed, anchovies. With both crunch and chew and a decided bit of umami fishy tone. A little heat too and plenty of salt.

Hamachi Crudo. Fish sauce dashi, pickled green papaya, shallots. Very bright and acidic with a quite a lot of zing.

Roasted Eggplant And Squash. Pickled tomatoes, scallion oil, fish sauce caramel. Great blend of flavors. Sweet, smoky, pickled.

Adam brought: 2012 Pierre Morey Bourgogne Blanc. BH 88. A discreet hint of wood sets off the ripe yellow orchard fruit aromas that lead to impressively rich and suave medium weight flavors that possess plenty of dry extract before concluding in a surprisingly robust and balanced finish that is appealingly dry. Good stuff for its level.

Wild Octopus Grilled. Tomato and corn salad, tamarind dressing, thai basil. Nice bright octopus prep, like a Spanish version crossed with Vietnamese.

Pungent Seasoned Rice. Chili jam, salted duck egg yolk, bonito powder, crispy garlic. Yummy umami salty blend of complex subtle flavors.

From my cellar: 2010 Quarticello Rivellino Emilia IGT. 91 points. Terrific Lambrusco, with plenty of earth, cut and cherry fruits. Completely different that what many know as Lambrusco. Not sweet or generic by any means. This wine is begging for Prosciutto. It’s deep red, with a hint of the barnyard and very very dry.

Prime Beef Hanger Steak Tartare. Larb seasoning, puffed sesame bread. Very much larb-like, but with better meat. Nice puffy bread too.

Braised Oxtail. Congee, oxtail jus, pickled mustard greens, herb salad. I loved the look, texture, and the flavor of this dish. Photos well too. Bright Vietnamese flavors, soft congee, and fatty braised oxtail. Sort of like a Vietnamese braised beef on polenta.

Notice, I’m experimenting with topdown photography. Works very well in this case.

From my cellar: 1993 Domaine Marquis d’Angerville Volnay 1er Cru Champans. 94 points. Nose: Gorgeous red berries, strawberry, game, spice and leather notes. Palate: Beautifully resolved silky and balanced in the mouth. Great red fruit that gives sweet cherry, cranberry, red currant and sappy raspberry. This is backed up by minerality and a gamey note of raw duck and some sweet spices and pine notes. Complex and giving right now. Finish: Wow. grows more detailed as it finishes with a complex range of nuance.
Muscovy Duck Breast. Sesame oil, ginger, pickled hon shimeji mushrooms. Very subtle with a lovely flavor.
Jidori Chicken Thigh. Ginger caramel braised, scallions. Probably the best version of “caramel sauce chicken” I’ve had.

Heavenly Beef. Coriander, garlic, dry aged beef fat. Awesome! There seemed to even be a bit of Szechuan peppercorn in here. Very flavorful. Great version of this “French Style Beef”.
Pork Belly Braised. Fresh coconut juice, marinated egg. Melt in your mouth soft with a lot of great flavor. Not exactly lean!

Rib Eye Steak. Kecep manis glaze, roasted garlic fried potatoes. Super smokey, partially the potatoes (which were awesome). The meat was really good too.

Coconut Flan. Tamarind caramel, coconut snow (dairy free, includes eggs). I loved this. The tamarind gave it a very strong limey taste so it was extremely coconut/acid (like my coconut lime sorbet). The texture was soft and bread-like with that powdery coconut.

Overall Simbal has a fabulous kitchen (not to mention an awesome space and great service). This is a quite different take on the New Vietnamese than a place like Cassia which is spicer and has more influence from Singapore. I’d say the Eastern influence here at Simbal is almost entirely Vietnamese, and some of the dishes like the Heavenly Beef and Chicken Thigh are fairly close to their native versions. But many others are sort of crossed with the format of “New American” or more European influence. This makes the actual items on the menu seem more in a New American or New French vein, but yet each is blended with Vietnamese flavor — or interpreted through a Vietnamese filter. This is most typified by the Muscovy Duck where it’s kind of like Tea Smoked Duck meets Vietnam meets a French duck prep.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

Also check out my genuine Vietnamese dining (aka the food from my Vietnam trip).

By: agavin
Comments (3)

Posted in: Food

Tagged as: DTLA, Ron Carey, Shawn Pham, Simbal, Vietnamese cuisine

Quick Eats – Pho 2000

Mar25

Restaurant: Pho 2000

Location: 215 N Western Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90004. (323) 461-5845

Date: March 18 & July 5, 2016

Cuisine: Vietnamese Pho

Rating: A lot like Vietnam

I was in Korea Town and looking for a quick lunch.

And I drove by this, so figured I’d give it a try.

This is a super quick eat, so I just photoed what I ordered from the large selection of Pho and fried rice. Menu is in Korean too. lol.

They have all the condiments.

And bring you the fresh ones, like onions.

And the lime and cilantro and basil.
House Special. Meat Ball, rare steak, Brisket, tendon, tripe, onion, cilantro, green onion. Good broth. It pretty much tasted like straight Pho I had in Vietnam. I liked all the meat except the tripe and maybe the tendon. I find that dipping the noodles in the hoisin is delicious too. I’m all about hoisin.

Pho Seafood Combo. Pretty much the combined meat and seafood works. Doesn’t look so different does it?

People say Pho 2000 isn’t very authentic. I’m no serious judge, and I ordered only one thing. It was pretty tasty though.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

Or to check out some “real” Vietnamese dining (in Vietnam), my “Eating Vietnam” report.

By: agavin
Comments (1)

Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Pho, Pho 2000, Vietnamese cuisine

Pho Time – Nong La

Nov27

Restaurant: Nong La

Location: 2055 Sawtelle Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025. (310) 268-1881

Date: November 13, 2015

Cuisine: Vietnamese

Rating: Tasty

Nong La is a Vietnamese cafe located right next to Tsujita Artisan Ramen, home of the porkiest ramen around.

It’s always busy, so I figured I’d give it a try.

The inside is “cute” (aka small).

The lunch menu.

Goi Cuon Spring Rolls. Rice paper rolls with pork, shrimp, rice vermicelli, lettuce and fresh herbs. Served with peanut sauce.

Very herby from those greens. Moderately filling too.
Bun Bo Hue. Fragrant lemongrass spicy beef soup with vermicelli noodles, pork patty and beef shank, topped with white onions, green onions and cilantro.

What was not obvious about this soup was how much kick it had. The broth had a great flavor, and I love heat, but until I got the chili distributed evenly it burned right down my windpipe.

It came with the usual Vietnamese side of herbs.

And various sauces. In case it didn’t have enough kick to start, you could spice it up. Or go the other way as I did with the dark plum sauce. I love this stuff. Love it with Peking duck. Love it here. I particularly like getting globs of it in the spoon with broth and the meat.

One quick meal at Nong La isn’t enough to really get a good sense of it, and I’m certainly going to try a Banh Mi sometime soon. The soup was definitely tasty. I did get a big of an MSG/salt hangover for the rest of the day. Not sure if it was the soup itself or the third of a bottle of the plum sauce I consumed!

For more LA dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
Comments (0)

Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Nong La, Pho, Vietnamese cuisine

Viet Noodle Bar

Oct07

Restaurant: Viet Noodle Bar

Location: 3221 Pico Blvd, Santa Monica, CA90405. (424) 299 6360

Date: August 18, 2015

Cuisine: Vietnamese

Rating: Good, but not typical

Santa Monica has had a lot of openings recently, and in multiple classes of restaurants. Viet Noodle Bar is a lunch focused (at least to my mind) casual Vietnamese “Pho” place. Except not exactly.

The frontage on pico (right near Valentinos) is almost invisible.

The interior is minimal and as you can see in the middle of the lunch rush, not exactly crowded.

The menu.

While very Vietnamese, they seem to eschew the “classics” like regular beef Pho. They even note that they DO NOT offer the regular garnish of basil, hoisin, etc. Bizarre.

Rice Noodle Omelet. Sort of a Viet okonomiyaki. I had similar things in Vietnam. It was tasty with that slightly pickled flavor coming from the vegetables on top. Even better with hot sauce.

Spicy Sardine Banh Mi. Green onion. Cilantro. The menu doesn’t even call it Banh Mi, but it is of course. This was very tasty with a bit of mild heat and umami brine quality from the sardine.

Turmeric Fish Salad. Lettuce leaf, fish tomato, red onion, bean sprouts, daikon, carrot. Very nice turmeric flavor and soft savory fish. Nice rice noodles and interesting interplay of crunch.

Ginger fish Pho Noodle Soup. White fish, bean sprouts (I left them out), crispy shallot, green onion, cilantro. A very pleasant mild ginger broth with tender white fish. Lots of rice noodles. I asked for hoisin to jazz it up — found they didn’t have it — and got their peanut sauce instead. This version of peanut sauce turned out to be sort of hoisin-like so it worked out.

Overall, the flavors here are very Vietnamese, but the items avoid the “classics” people might expect and lean toward “California healthy” with a lot of light, vegetarian, etc. Less beef, pork, pate, and other heavy meats. Still a nice place to have around and I’ll be back — although they barely had any customers and so I hope they survive. They need much better signage and some serious word of mouth / advertising.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

Or my survey of real Vietnamese (in Vietnam).

By: agavin
Comments (0)

Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Santa Monica, Viet Noodle Bar, Vietnamese cuisine

Cassia – Vietnamese Reinterpreted

Jul10

Restaurant: Cassia

Location: 1314 7th St, Santa Monica, CA 90401. (310) 393-6699

Date: July 7 & November 10, 2015, July 7, August 26, and October 3, 2016 and January 28, 2020

Cuisine: French Vietnamese Brasserie

Rating: really tasty

My friend Liz Lee of Sage Society organized this July excursion to the brand new French Vietnamese Bistro from Chef Bryant Ng and the group that brought us the excellent Sweet Rose, Rustic Canyon, and Milo & Olive.

Also, merged in, are photos from dishes we ordered at an impromptu Hedonist dinner in November.

Ng made himself famous the other year with Spice Table Downtown, now I’m happy to have him Westside.

The space is oddly located on 7th street (never been to a restaurant there before despite 21 years in Santa Monica) but its large, light and airy.

Check out those high ceilings.

A specialty cocktail. Mango Mezcal Fizz. Mango infused mezcal, Brovo dry vermouth, passionfruit, lime, egg white.

The creative menu. This is not your usual brasserie. I mean, it feels like one, but the dishes are so Vietnamese inspired. I ate my way through Vietnam last year, and the ingredients feel very authentic. The presentation is all new.

The menu January 2020 — a few dishes have changed.

Liz as usual orchestrated our wine brings, in this case Champy, Riesling and the like.

From my cellar: 1990 Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Champagne Brut La Grande Dame. VM 96. Rich, multidimensional, highly aromatic nose of pear, red berries, apple, honey, toast and spice. Extremely rich and concentrated, with its medium to full body leavened by bright citrus notes and compelling minerality. Great inner-mouth aromas. Conveys an impression of powerful yet remarkably fine raw materials. The spicy finish offers exceptional persistence and richness.

agavin: our bottle was a bit oxidized and tired. sigh.

Kaya Toast. Coconut jam, butter, slow cooked egg. This is listed under appetizers, but really tasted like a dessert. It was pretty awesome though, with the flavors of sweet coconut French toast.

Jellyfish Salad. Shredded organic chicken, crispy rice, green leaf, sesame-bacon dressing. Delicious, with the jellyfish adding a nice crunch/chew.

2004 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon Rosé. VM 94+. Relative to many other recent vintages, the 2004 Dom Pérignon Rosé comes across as quite delicate, feminine and graceful. Floral notes are woven throughout, adding to a very appealing and attractive sense of lift. It will be interesting to see if the 2004 puts on weight in bottle. At the moment, the 2004 is a bit understated, but I will not be surprised if at some point it takes off given the extremely positive way in which the 2004 blanc has developed over the last few years.

agavin: This was not tired at all!

Cucumber Salad Watercress, grilled avocado, charred tomatoes, clay oven bread croutons. A fine salad, although not mind boggling.

Green Papaya Salad. Watercress, purslane, spiced walnuts. Not bad, but not as “Vietnamese” as we expected.

Masumoto Farms Nectarine Salad. Bibb lettuce, herbs.

Vietnamese Caesar Salad. Anchovy croutons, dried figs, herbs, red onion, white anchovies.

Raw spicy scallops. A very small dish, with a bit of corn, dried shrimp, ham, onion and mint for flavor and crunch. Tasty, and despite the white look, not too mayo-ish, but hard to get onto the spoon.

Grilled Chicken Wings. Cucumbers, sweet chile sauce. Not bad at all. Nice tangy salty spicy sauce. I actually liked the cucumbers soaked in it.

Vietnamese “Sunbathing” Prawns. Fresno chiles, garlic, Vietnamese hot sauce — very hot actually.

2013 Zardetto Prosecco Zeta. Pairs great with food. A very simple wine, but its simple fruit allows it to go with anything.

CHARCUTERIE PLATTER. Salted Pork with Grilled Bread, Sichuan Lamb Ham, Singaporean Grilled Candied Pork, Vietnamese Meatloaf, Smoked Red Sausage, Cabbage Relish.

The Singaporean Grilled Candied Pork had a substantial heat and was sweet and delicious. The Sichuan Lamb Ham was a bit like Spanish ham. The smoked sausage was great, and I particularly loved the rich meatiness of the “meatloaf” — not unlike dumpling filling. The cabbage relish added to the softer ones as well, plus the herbs. Mixing the herbs and pickles with the meat in the same bite was quiet lovely.

Smoked Salmon Dip. Pickled shallots, horseradish, grilled country bread. Nice kick from the horseradish and an interesting mix of textural elements between the soft spread and crunchy bread. I really liked this dish.

Chopped Escargot. Lemongrass butter, herbs.

Spread on the pizza-like bread this was staggeringly good. It might have been the dish of the night.

Vietnamese Pâté. Pickled chiles. A similar presentation. Looks a little like barf.

But it tasted great. Super rich and meaty. I’m a big pate fan and this didn’t disappoint. I liked the added crunch of the pickles.

Fried Cauliflower w/ fish sauce. So fried they were like fried shrimp.

Cold Sesame Noodles. Young soybeans, cucumbers, crushed walnuts. Spicy with blue crab. I had to try this because I make my own Dan Dan Mein. This had some spice, but none of the savory complexity of my version.

1997 Prager Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Weissenkirchen Ried Klaus. agavin 93. Herbal and complex, delicious.

Spicy Wontons. Cod, shrimp, country ham, napa cabbage, roasted chile oil. These had some heat, not unlike Numb Taste Wontons, but with a bit of a fishy tone.

2001 Prager Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Trocken Zwerithaler. agavin 90. More oxidized than the 1997, this had an unusual cilantro/basil finish!

Chino Valley Egg Custard. Sea urchin roe, braised mushrooms. Very soft egg custard was extremely pleasant, although the sea urchin just didn’t stand out like one might hope.

2001 Hessische Staatsweingüter Kloster Eberbach Steinberger Riesling Kabinett Goldkapsel. agavin 91. Medium sweet. Quiet nice.

Cereal Scallops. Hazelnuts, chiles. These were super tender and reminded me of Eastern Shore fried scallops from my childhood.

1996 Domaine Touchais Coteaux du Layon Réserve de nos Vignobles. agavin 94. Super sweet and delicious.

Coconut lemongrass curry. I don’t remember what was in here, but it was an awesome creamy coconut and lemongrass curry with a bit of spicy heat. Pretty similar to the amazing snail curry I’ve had at Phong Dinh.

Pig tail. Special order. Looks at that disgusting thing and all the fat.

I tried carving off some of the meat and not much fat and wrapping it with the herbs. The first bite was piggy, but the finish was actually quiet nice. Erick gnawed on the bone!

1998 M. Chapoutier Châteauneuf-du-Pape Barbe Rac. Parker 94-96. Chapoutier’s 1998 Barbe Rac is close to full maturity. It exhibits an abundance of Provencal herbs intermixed with new saddle leather, kirsch, framboise, and spice box. The intoxicatingly heady, complex aromatics are followed by a full-bodied, lush, succulent style of wine with a relatively high alcohol/glycerin content and loads of fruit. This wine is drinking terrifically well after going through an awkward stage about two to three years ago. Drink it between now and 2020.

agavin: Nice and grapey. Young, but drinking great right now.

Vietnamese Pot Au Feu. Creekstone farms short rib stew, potatoes, cabbage, carrots, bone marrow, grilled bread, two sauces.

We had five people and it was a few too many to really split this. The broth was very nice, and quiet interesting when doped with the sauces — but I didn’t get much and it was hard to experiment.

Grilled Lobster. Shallots, Asian basil, pistachio butter (Half or Whole).

The meat itself had a wonderful grilled basil flavor. Hard to split five ways though.

Whole Singaporean. White Pepper Crab. Same splitting problem with the crab, and there wasn’t much meat on this Dungeness. But the sauce was great with a real potent white pepper kick. I love pepper crab. None beat the ones I had in Singapore.

Black Cod. Anchovy broth, Chinese romaine, lychee relish, herb salad.

Beef Rendang. Beef cheek curry, jasmine rice, sambal, kaffir lime, peanuts. This had some heat to it, but was a spectacularly delicious curry dish. That rich red/meat/nutty curry over rice and the interplay of soft and crunchy textures. Yum!

Grilled Spicy Lamb Breast. Sichuan peppercorn, cumin, sambal, jasmine rice, sesame sauce. This was a nice dish, fairly Indian in vibe. There was that loose lovely Indian rice, which although labeled as jasmine in the description sure seemed like Basmati. Then the juicy bits of pork and a bit of heat. Nice stuff.

Grilled Chinese Broccoli. Caramelized fish sauce. Pretty good for straight up veggies.

Grilled Dwelley Farms Corn. Scallion-coriander butter. Sort of like Mexican street corn!

Charcuterie Fried Rice. Chinese bacon, lap cheong, salt pork, salted fish, lettuce. Really tasty fried rice. Loved the sweet Chinese sausage.

Grilled Pork Belly Vermicelli. Thin rice noodles, oysters, pickled kohlrabi & carrots, herbs, green leaf, peanuts.

Again a hard dish to split five ways as that little bowl of meat/broth didn’t stretch far enough. It was delicious and Pho-like with the noodles and herbs.

Here is the combined soup, which was quite excellent.

Smoked Beef Short Ribs. Spicy Chinese BBQ sauce, pickled Chinese cabbage, Bibb lettuce, herbs.

Laksa. Rice noodles, spicy coconut-seafood soup. Basically udon noodles in a red curry broth. I liked the dish, as I love red curry. Others complained that the curry flavor was a touch mild and “short” and it was (although there is some considerable heat). This doesn’t have the depth of a great red curry like at Jitlada. Still, I enjoyed it. It’s just been “toned down” for the Santa Monica crowd.

Wok-tossed Yard beans & avocado. Preserved turnips, ginger, chili oil. Interesting contrast between the crunchy yard beans and the soft avocado. Not bad at all for a string bean dish.

The dessert menu.

Chocolate Banana Tart. Banana chips, candied walnuts, vanilla whipped cream. The weakest of the five desserts. A little sweet and not enough chocolate flavor.

Blackberry, Cherry Napoleon. Green tea Bavarian cream. This was great and refreshing with bright berry flavors.

Deep fried Paris-Brest. Housemade lemongrass ice cream, candied lemon. That lemongrass ice cream was awesome. The whole vibe was key lime pie like. Really refreshing.

Summer Fruit Floating Islands. Passion fruit creme anglaise, poached peaches, Santa Rosa plums, Pudwill raspberries & fresh mint. And this was amazing with a rich creamy passionfruit flavor.

Vietnamese Coffee Pudding. Coconut shortbread. Plus I loved this “pudding,” which is more like a pot-a-creme. The coffee cream thing worked just as well as a dessert.

Coconut ice cream balls.

Overall, commenting after my first visit, I’m really psyched to see this new addition to the long subdued Santa Monica restaurant scene. I love Vietnamese food and while this isn’t strictly Vietnamese, but more like Vietnamese, Chinese, Singaporean fusion with a very modern brasserie sensibility. Fairly unique and really quiet fun and excellent. I hope they evolve and refine and aren’t forced to backpedal to pander to the local tastes. There is some tendency in Santa Monica toward just that. For example, all of the more interesting (and not really that bold) new mall places of a couple years ago have shuttered and been replaced by a Cheesecake Factory. Cry.

And readdressing my opinion a few months later in November, Cassia has continued to come on strong. It was mobbed on a cold Tuesday November night, the food was perhaps a touch more consistent, and service was good. It was extremely friendly, although pacing was a little uneven (but not enough to be a problem). Since it’s busy, the menu hasn’t backpedalled — because people seem to be responding well. Sure it’s a little “white-a-fied”, but it’s it’s still great to have it here on the Westside.

And reassessing again July of 2016, the food has tightened up even further. The menu may have changed a dish or two, but it’s still aggressive (a good thing), but the execution has tuned up even further. These dishes were on fire, offering some really serious and interesting flavor that hits its own unique spot between traditional and California Vietnamese.

Returning in January 2020, the food continued to be excellent. My favorite dishes were still great. I’m reminded that Cassia is still quite spicy — which I like — but surprisingly so for a mainstream restaurant. Service itself was pretty good but their wine service is a little wonky, or at least my unusual perception of wine service. They seem to have the dreaded (and totally inane) “two bottle limit” now. Sucks. Stupid. Counterproductive to making money and good customer service. I’ve ranted about it many times before like here. And they didn’t want me to open the wines myself, saying their ABC license didn’t allow it. That’s a new one, and I’m pretty sure totally false. Even if vaguely true, probably has never been enforced. I’ve certainly opened 1000s of bottles in restaurants.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

Or compare to some Vietnamese Vietnamese (in Vietnam).

Some wines from the 1/28/20 dinner:

By: agavin
Comments (3)

Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Bryant Ng, Cassia, Dessert, Foodie Club, gruner, hedonists, Riesling, Sage Society, Vietnamese cuisine, Wine

Eating Hanoi – Green Tangerine

Jun05

Restaurant: Green Tangerine

Location: Hanoi

Date: March 30, 2014

Cuisine: Vietnamese

Rating: A tad too experimental

Our final meal in Vietnam. Cry.

Green Tangerine serves what its website calls “French food with a Vietnamese twist.”

The usual big menu.

Shrimp salad.

Duck pastry mixed with eggplants, tomatoes, curcuma, onions on a red berries sauce.

Sliced beef cooked in oven topped with 2 kinds of chutneys: red pepper and pineapple in curry, served with homemade pastas and Gouda cheese.

Fish in saffron rolled with bacon served with rice noodle: “Cha ca” style, Green Tangerine way.

Chicken in mango, rum and cardamon sauce served with a tart of spinach enhanced with mango slices.

Lasagna of fishes cooked in white wine served with vegetables and a trio of mousses: red fruits, parmesan cheese, and basil leaves.

Mango stir fried with passion fruits sauce, in crumble served with vanilla ice cream.

Only some of the dishes here “worked.” They all looked pretty, but a few of them had weird flavor combinations that just didn’t quite get off the ground. They weren’t bad, just the truth is, none had the intensity and liveliness of good straight-up Vietnamese. Sometimes you can get too experimental — or perhaps lack the skill to pull it off.

For more Vietnam dining reviews, click here.

By: agavin
Comments (0)

Posted in: Food

Tagged as: eating-vietnam, French Cuisine, Green Tangerine, hanoi, Mango, Vietnam, Vietnamese cuisine

Eating Hanoi – Madame Hien

Jun03

Restaurant: Madame Hien

Location: Hanoi

Date: March 29, 2014

Cuisine: Vietnamese

Rating: Excellent neighborhood Italian

For our final dinner in Vietnam we head out to another “high end street food” restaurant, this time part of a group of establishments run by Didier Corlou a French chef who married a Vietnamese woman.

The chef says:

This restaurant is a dedication to my wife’s grandmother and to all Vietnamese women of the past and the present. It is also a tribute to their way of cooking, their ancestral culture and the artisanal and regional knowledge of over one thousand years. The rich diversity of Vietnam, found in its two deltas, fifty four minorities, three thousand kilometers of coastline and many natural resources (rivers, forests, mountains and oceans) is reflected in its cuisine.

The location is in a lovely colonial courtyard.

Fresh spring rolls.

Banana flower salad. These salads are amazing. I think this one had chicken and believe it or not, mortadella!

Pupu platter. Well, for lack of a better name this appetizer sampler comes with all sorts of good stuff. Fried spring rolls, fresh ones, pickles, softshell crab, omelet.

More spring rolls, tofu sticks.

This is a fried softshell crab and crab salad.

And steamed Chinese broccoli with garlic.

Duck breast.

Sliced lamb, I think. Like most Vietnamese meats, scrumptious.

Overall, this was the tastiest meal we had in Hanoi, and probably in the top three of our trip. The chef had a great palette and the execution was very sharp.

For more Vietnam dining reviews, click here.

By: agavin
Comments (0)

Posted in: Food

Tagged as: eating-vietnam, French Cuisine, hanoi, Madame Hien, Vietnam, Vietnamese cuisine

Eating Hanoi – Club Opera

May28

Restaurant: Club Opera

Location: Hanoi

Date: March 28, 2014

Cuisine: Vietnamese

Rating: Upscale take

Our second night in Hanoi brought us (accidentally) to an even more upscale take on Vietnamese cuisine. Of course, it still had the giant menu.

And fresh spring rolls. Just here, you get an individual sauce on a spoon!

Or these Friend Spring Rolls Hue Imperial Style impaled on a coconut.

Or these other fried spring rolls.

Mango Salad with Grilled Australian Beef. These are always great.

This was a kind of rice ravioli. It was a little bland.

Seafood rice noodle. There are glass noodles in there and all sorts of seafood including fish, shrimp, and squid.

Grilled Australian Beef tenderloin with lemongrass and chili.

Grilled pork ribs with Mandarin sauce. Apparently, like Mandarin oranges, Mandarin sauce is well… orange (and sweet).

Grilled Duck in Tamarind Sauce. Yum.

Grilled prawn with lemongrass.

Steamed prawn in passion fruit sauce. Great over rice.

Overall, things were quite tasty here, but the level of formality and “rigidity” of the place didn’t really fit the vibe we had grown accustomed to in Vietnam. It also wasn’t actually “better” than the good casual places. Sure, presentation was a little more elaborate — and it was still an on point kitchen — but I don’t think it was worth the price hike.

Another mysterious observation. Having grown a bit sick of beer, I went to the wine list. It was mostly French, but there were no German or Alsatian wines. And very few whites, maybe a Sancere or two. Nothing that really goes with this cuisine (I was looking for a dry or slightly off dry Riesling). Lots of Bordeaux, which the Vietnamese seem to like but which I think clashes terribly with the complex and slightly sweet flavors of the food.

For more Vietnam dining reviews, click here.

By: agavin
Comments (0)

Posted in: Food

Tagged as: eating-vietnam, hanoi, spring roll, Vietnam, Vietnamese cuisine

Seasons of Hanoi

May26

Restaurant: Seasons of Hanoi

Location: Hanoi

Date: March 28, 2014

Cuisine: Vietnamese

Rating: Lovely

Hanoi has very good food. Our guide the first day took us to this upscale location.

Hanoi is filled with lovely colonial buildings and many of the city’s better restaurants seem to have taken them over as idyllic settings. From a glance, you can see this isn’t a local joint, which is more a plastic stools on the sidewalk kinda thing.

I was too hot and exhausted to photograph the 15 page menu.

Seafood salad. One of those delicious Vietnamese “fresh” dishes consisting of some protein, various vegetables, usually peanuts, and a slightly sweet, sour, sauce that really makes the dish.

Shrimp salad. This one probably also has some kind of plant material “filler” like papaya, bamboo, or the like.

Vietnamese Spring Rolls. The classic shrimp, pork, and noodle rolls.

Caramel Shrimp. Like Vietnamese gambas pil pil. But no garlic, shrimp boiled in a stick-sweet sauce. Delicious.

Particularly over rice!

Fried eel. With a peanut base sauce. Also delicious.

Overall, this was one of our more “modest” (in terms of dish count) meals, but it was super tasty. I would have liked a more epic sampling of their cuisine.

For more Vietnam dining reviews, click here.

By: agavin
Comments (0)

Posted in: Food

Tagged as: eating-vietnam, hanoi, Seasons of Hanoi, Vietnamese cuisine

Wake up Hanoi

May13

Restaurant: Hanoi Metrolpole

Location: Hanoi

Date: March 28, 2014

Cuisine: International

Rating: Much better than at the Hilton

Moving north through the DMV into Hanoi we come to rest at the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi.

This is a seriously nice hotel. It’s up there with some of the best city hotels I’ve stayed in like the Tokyo Park Hyatt and the Four Seasons Istanbul.

Plus there’s that lovely colonial vibe. Back when labor was EVEN cheaper (read even more exploited) they really knew how to build.

The breakfast buffet is pretty impressive.

Juices. I’m partial to the mango which is like a mango lassi.

No place in Vietnam would be complete without pastries.

Lots of them!

And lots.

And more lots.

Or exotic fruits.

Yogurts and yogurts with fruit.

Or even a milk bar (sorry, no Droogs).

Cereal.

And a pretty good looking cold cut spread.

I don’t know who wants salad with their coffee, but I guess some do.

Cheese.

A cool “live” honeycomb.

Notice the giant vat of Nutella — and mysteriously, the Vegemite. Those Australians.

Now we get into the Asian section. Tofu, grilled fish, various Asian condiments.

The elaborate Miso and Congee station.

Some dimsum and sauces.

Like these pork shu mai.

Or steamed buns without any filling.

And the omelet bar plus others.

Veggies.

More veggies.

Fried rice.

Odd gelatinous rice “tamales.”

Pork stuffed sticky rice.

You can see one of the cooks unwrapping and cutting it here. Lotus leaf or banana leaf?

The all important Pho station.

Surprisingly, Pho works for breakfast.

And the jump start is rather necessary.

So decadent was their service that someone brought this tray around periodically to tempt you. Ho Chi Minh must be rolling in his grave. Wait, I checked out his grave and he was just lying there looking at the ceiling.

Yum flan.

And last but not least, bread pudding with creme Anglais!

All in all a great breakfast. More offerings, but the food perhaps wasn’t QUITE as on point as the Saigon breakfast. Close though, real close.

For more Vietnam dining reviews, click here.

By: agavin
Comments (0)

Posted in: Food

Tagged as: eating-vietnam, hanoi, Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi, Vietnamese cuisine

Oxymoron? – Upscale Street Food

Apr25

Restaurant: Nha Hang Ngon

Location: Hanoi

Date: March 27, 2014

Cuisine: Vietnamese

Rating: Great Upscale Street Food

Our third city in Vietnam is bustling Hanoi — and I mean bustling. This city has the pounding pulse of a jack rabbit on speed.

Our investigations brought us to Nha Hang Ngon which is a small chain of upscale street food (again!).

The setting is a cool old colonial courtyard house.

If anything, this menu is even bigger than some of the others!

Crispy pork and shrimp spring rolls. These were the best fried rolls I had on the trip. Fabulous.

A fresh spring roll variant, I think with roast pork and crab. Also great.

Fried pork wontons. Delicious, but tasted of fry (big surprise!)

Egg pancake stuffed with shrimp. This was rolled with vegetables in rice paper too.

An accidental order was this duck soup, which was a sort of egg drop.

Beef Pho. A more classic beef pho with noodles, beef, herbs, etc.

Green papaya salad. These fresh Vietnamese salads are incredibly delicious.

Salad with shrimp and fiddler crab.

Green salad. Sort of a western version. No dressing was apparent.

Coconut and shrimp salad. Somehow that shaved stuff is from the coconut tree. I don’t know what part.

Vietnamese BBQ Beef (Nha Trang Style). This apparently is a classic. The beef was tender and tasty. There is an incredibly salty fish salt and optional french bread to put it on.

Steak frites. I thought this was a Banh Mi, but it ended up being a pan fried filet mignon and fries. Not bad though.

And it came with bread, and various dipping sauces. The orange one was hot (and good).

Grilled sea-bass in banana leaf. A nice grilled fish.

Fried squid. What passes for calamari here. Pretty good though.

Shrimp. I don’t remember what kind but they were extremely tasty.

Vermicelli with shrimp. Delicious, as most Vietnamese noodle dishes are.

Wide rice noodles with beef.

Pad Vietnam. I made up the name, but this dish is essentially Pad Thai. It was delicious. You still the ingredients together. We ordered it twice.

Taro Sticky Sweet Soup with coconut milk. The concept is weird, but it was pretty delicious.

Jelly, water chestnut-tapioca pearls and coconut milk. A bit strange, but pleasant enough.

Fresh persimmon? Very interesting complex flavor, like an apple pie.

bundles of noodles

This place was great and we had a fun time. The food wasn’t quite as on point as at the other two upscale street food restaurants we found, but they have a monster menu and it was super tasty.