Culinary Delights in Hue

They do eat everything here, it's true (even *gasp* dog, though I see an awful lot of pet pooches around, so I don't know, nor want to conisder). But I wanted to graphically show you some of what I've seen. Don't worry I'll show some beautiful, unquestionable meals in a bit.

The best meal we had in Hue was at Ong Tao, the entrance is a garage and the upstairs looks like a communist dining hall that hasn't seen much cleaning lately. We could tell the height of the last person who attempted to clean the walls because there was an uneven line of light grey and darker more sootier grey at about 6 feet,  two thirds up the wall. The third world florescent lighting showed it all clearly. Still the waiters smiled a lot and coaxed us in and said, yes yes they are open and yes they are Ong Tao despite the two other names with arrows pointing towards the room and the next floor. Well, we thought, we would either run after the first dish or just chuckle how odd it is.They told us to sit anywhere, and since there was one banquet table in the main room filled with middle aged male locals (a rotary meeting?) we had the rest of the place to decide, aside from the back corner with a TV and a lone teenager watching a soccer match. Sitting by the window looked like a good idea, until we noticed the inch of dust, so we sat in the smaller dining room in the middle of it.
The menu was in five languages (Vietnamese, English, French, Chinese, Japanese) and the dishes were interesting: Beef wrapped in mint leaves, Hue style spring rolls, fish in clay pot with special mushrooms. What came from the kitchen did make us chuckle......and swoon. It was so delicious! Beautifully prepared, refined, delicate. Me and my companion, Lieve (a wonderful Belgian woman that I met on the overnight train from Hanoi to Hue) kept smiling and shaking our heads. I suggested we were like the dour Danes in 'Babette's Feast' doubting the 'crazy Frenchwoman' cooking her heart out in the kitchen. We did go visit the kitchen, which was immaculate (if you didn't look at the walls or in dark corners) and there were 4 woman all busy working away. They appreciated the visit and thanks. We appreciated the meal. Vietnamese food rocks!

A Day in Hanoi: Coffee break

Actually this was my after lunch iced Vietnamese coffee. The bottom is all sweetness and light in material form of condensed milk, then filtered coffee with a big cylindrical ice cube and then the foam of the filtered coffee. I have suspicions that there is a French influence here. But I still need to learn how to say delicious in Vietnamese.

H is for Vietnam

So after the visa debacle, then so close scrutiny at customs I arrived in the 'Old Quarter' of Hanoi. The traffic here is either like swarming mosquitos or balletic depending on the mood. I am glad to have some experience from India in crossing the road, it is a pacing that is another universe of cross walk/red light/green light. It's more like double dutch jump rope. Actually it's a bit easier than that. You just have to realize that nobody wants an accident and if you get into the rhythm of it instead of how it may appear, you will get your wish and make it across without incident.

Hanoi is fascinating; I've recorded street sounds and even happened on musicians playing inside a tent like structure, which is what they use for weddings, because we may have Xmas, but this is wedding season. A different kind of family orientation.

Meanwhile, the food is good, had great Cha ca (a noodle soup with fish, fennel and scallions) all the while being explained to me by this elderly restaurant owner in French, perfect french. The only westerners there were French, except for some young college age Americans who seemed lost and on a budget and wanted to order one dish for the four of them. They found Saigon easier to find food they liked and could afford?

Anyway, it's good morning Vietnam, and I plan to go to the lake, (Hoan Kiem), see Water Puppetry on the lake and go to the Temple of Literature. Hopefully scoring some Vietnamese ice coffee and Bo ca or Bu ca. It is an adventure and I haven't a clue of how to do this, aside from a map and guide book. English speakers amongst the natives are few and far between, but people are mostly pleasant and interested when one is interested in them.

More later. Will make more sound recordings in MP3 format to send out.

Will also be sending a Picasa link to show more photos. TTFN