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Weekend Unexplored: 4 Days in Southern France (Marseilles, Aix-en-Provence, Lourmarin, Bonnieux and Cassis)

Provence has always been on my list of places to visit in Europe. I had an opportunity to visit Europe again this year and made it a priority to visit this charming region. My sister and I choose to visit the region in early May before the tourist crowds descend onto the area. Luckily my good friend grew up in the region and planned my trip for me. There is nothing better than having a local show you the best of their home region!

Friday-Saturday: Provence/ Marseilles

Sunday: Aix-en-Provence, Lourmarin and Bonnieux

Monday: Cassis

Arrived Friday

My sister and I flew into the Marseilles International Airport Friday morning to uncharacteristically rainy and windy weather. Marseilles Airport is very small and the car rental lot is right next to the airport. We rented a small automatic car from Hertz prior to arriving in Provence and the whole process to pick up the car took over an hour and a half. Things move very slowly in southern France. We were advised to book our car months in advance since there are few automatic cars available to rent in France. Once we were able to reset our GPS to English, we set off toward Provence. Provence is approximately 30 minutes drive, without traffic, from the airport. We rented this charming guest cottage from AirBnB located in a small village just outside of Aix-en-Provence. The hard part was finding the cottage on GPS as with most small villages in Europe, GPS may not have the exact address in the system. After circling around for 30 minutes, we found our home for the next few days and were absolutely delighted. (AirBnB listing)

We were greeted with a warm cup of tea from the owners of the property. After settling in, we met up with our local friends at Liquoristerie de Provence for an education and tasting on absinth and the local liqueurs. We watched a short educational video on the history of absinth and liquor making in Provence. Next we were able to try as many liquors and absinth as we liked and purchased a few bottles to bring home as gifts.

My friend had booked dinner for us at Chez FonFon, the most famous restaurant for bouillabaisse in Marseilles and the surrounding region, located in the Marseilles’ Vallon des Auffes. Unfortunately we also encountered two hours of traffic getting to the restaurant due to a concert in the area and got lost numerous times driving into the city. My friend had called the restaurant notifying them of the situation as soon as we realized we would not make the reserved time. By the time we arrived at Chez FonFon, we were very late and frazzled. The restaurant, however, did not make it any better. The service was terrible for us compared to the customers in the restaurant. The food was excellent, but the experience was ruined by management and staff’s attitude toward us. This was the first time in a long time that we left a restaurant in Europe completely dissatisfied. Everything was better once we arrived back to our charming abode in Provence.

Saturday (Marseilles)

My friend had booked us a two hour tut tut tour of Marseilles for Saturday morning. I generally avoided tours, but this one was very good. It gave us just enough time to see the highlights of the city. We were introduced to the gorgeous street art, town plazas, the cathedral and port area of the city.

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After the tour, my friend whisked us away to have lunch at a restaurant located at the bottom of la Calanque (cove) de Sormiou. This is located in a national park and only locals are allowed to drive down the steep and narrow roads to the cove. The only other way to get there is to hike for 2 hours which many folks do. We originally were supposed to go to Le Chateau Sormiou for lunch, but were unable to get a table by the time we arrived. Luckily, there is another restaurant next to Le Chateau called Le Lunch which sits directly next to the water. We had a wonderful meal there soaking up the sun and the panoramic view with good seafood. This is a true local experience.

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After a long lunch, our group headed to the Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilization or Mucem for the rest of the afternoon. Besides a good exhibition on the history of civilization in the Mediterranean, the museum has a fantastic roof deck. The modern rooftop is connected via a walkway to the old Fort Saint-Jean so guest can spend the day lounging around the MUCEM rooftop or exploring the fort. This museum also affords sweeping views of the harbor and a wonderful way to end a day of exploration in Marseilles.

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We headed back to Provence, a 40 minutes car ride, to refresh for dinner. My friend chose L’Epicurion, a restaurant located in the central square of Aix-en-Provence. We were impressed by the dishes that highlighted local ingredients and specialties with reasonable prices. This was a great way to end a tiring and fun day.

Sunday (Road trip to winery, Lourmarin and Bonnieux)

This was our road trip day through the villages and winery of the famed Provence region. We met up with friends at the weekend market in Aix-en-Provence where we picked up delicious cheese, charcuterie, wine and lavender souvenirs. Most places in Aix are closed on Sundays but it was still very nice to stroll around the narrow streets and marveled at the picturesque town.

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We started driving to Domaine de la Dorgonne, a small winery that has picnic tables overlooking the vineyard. We set up a typical French picnic with items from the market, enjoyed the sunshine and absorbed the scenery. After a quick lunch, we headed in for a quick tour of the cellar and learned about the way Dorgonne makes their wine. We sampled a few of their signature wine and had the most amazing bottle of olive oil that was grown and pressed at the winery. The bottles of wine and oil were affordable and all of us purchased a few bottles to take home. The winery allows for visitors to walk around the whole vineyard and we saw a few families do so with their dog.

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Next we drove to Lourmarin, a village known as one of the most beautiful villages in France. Lourmarin has many restaurants, artisanal boutiques and cafes and filled with wandering tourists during the peak season. The village is located 37km or approximately 45 minutes away from Aix-en-Provence. There are many winding narrow streets, restored houses and public squares to explore. It was what one would imagined a Mediterranean village to be like.

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After strolling around the village, we headed to Bonnieux, a village located on top of a hill in the Luberon mountain area. The first thing we see is the church at the top of the hill as we arrived to the base of the village. The residences are built on winding hillside roads and many are dated back to the 16^th century. There are a lot of hilly cobblestone streets in Bonnieux, so it was a workout exploring this gorgeous village. We ended the day in Bonnieux at a tiny family owned bakery and café overlooking a terrace. As we drove back to Aix-en-Provence, we saw the beautiful light from the setting sun intertwined with the twisting country roads.

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Monday (Cassis)

Cassis is a quaint fishing village located approximately 50 km or 45 minutes’ drive from Aix-en-Provence. My friend arranged for us to sail around Cassis with her childhood friend and her family. They have been residents in Cassis for as long as she can remember and has a sail boat docked at the famed Port-Miou. I was told that the wait list for a dock spot can take 20 to 30 years to come to fruition. We met up with our friends and boarded a sailboat in the most gorgeous port I have seen in a while. The water was crystal clear and shimmered of blue and green. We set sail around the coast of Cassis and visited smaller coves only accessible by boats. There are visitor boats that one can take to view these calanques.

After a few hours, we headed back to the harbor for a typical French picnic on the sailboat by our adorable hosts. We also hiked up the hill to the top of the cove overlooking Port-Miou. The views of the boat dock and the Mediterranean water were spectacular. Toward late afternoon, we said goodbye to our friends and headed back to Provence to relax at our cottage.

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Our last dinner in Provence was at a cute restaurant with a small garden in the back in Aix called Restaurant Jardin Wazarn. It was a wonderful way to end our trip to this charming and picturesque region of France. There were many things we did not get to do and I can cannot wait for my next trip back to this region.

For related articles, visit the TRAVEL page.

Author: Chau Hoang

Chicken with Lemongrass and Chili / Gà Xào Sả Ot

Published by La Vie Partagée

Every Vietnamese family has a recipe for chicken with lemongrass and chili or gà xào sả ot. The combination of the citrus flavor from the lemongrass, the spice from the turmeric, the saltiness from the soy and fish sauce and the sweetness from the coconut soda give this dish a wow factor. The dish is deceptively simple and fast to make for any weeknight meal. You may be tempted to remove the skin or use white meat. I would advise otherwise as I find that dark meat is juicier and the skin adds a lot of flavor to the dish. This dish is served with a side of rice.

Difficulty: Easy / Serving: 2 / Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

2 chicken thigh with skin (dark meat) cut into quarters

2 tablespoons of minced lemongrass

2 tablespoons of minced garlic

2 tablespoons of diced onion

½ tablespoon of turmeric or curry powder mix

1 ½ cup of Rico coconut soda

1 teaspoon + 1 tablespoon of chicken bouillon powder

1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon of soy sauce

¼ teaspoon of sesame oil

¼ teaspoon of fish sauce

1 tablespoon of white cooking wine (optional)

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon of ground pepper

4 teaspoons of sugar

2 stalks of scallions (not pictured)

A few Thai chilies, minced. (This is up to you depending on heat).

lemongrass

Directions:

Cut the chicken leg into 4 pieces. You can also have a butcher cut the chicken leg into quarters at the market.

Season the chicken with 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon of ground pepper, 1 teaspoon of sugar, ¼ teaspoon of fish sauce, 1 tablespoon of diced onions, 1 tablespoon of minced garlic, 1 teaspoon of chicken bouillon powder, ¼ teaspoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of white cooking wine, ½ tablespoon of turmeric powder and 1 tablespoon of minced lemongrass.

Mix well and rub the marinade into the chicken meat. Marinate for 10 minutes.

Heat a pan on high heat with 3 tablespoons of oil and brown 1 tablespoon of diced onion and 1 tablespoon of minced garlic.

Add 1 tablespoon of minced lemongrass and stir for 2-3 minutes.

Add the chicken and sear all the sides. Cover with a lid and allow for the chicken to cook for 5 minutes.

Add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of chicken bouillon powder, 3 teaspoons of sugar, and 1 ½ cup of coconut soda. Lower the heat to medium and allow to cook on low boil for 10 minutes or until the liquid reduces in half. Add 2 diced Thai chili at the end for a hit of spice.

Add chilies and continue to reduce the liquid on simmer

Cut the scallions into 2 inch segments and add to the dish.

Add green onions at the end when the liquid has been reduced in half

Enjoy this classic tasty chicken dish with a bowl of rice, a side of soup and a plate of vegetables.

For more recipes, visit our EAT page or Recipe Index.

Authors: Susan Tran and Chau Hoang

Vietnamese Egg Rolls / Chả Giò

Published by La Vie Partagée

Chả giò or egg roll is a popular fried food in Vietnam that is usually served with lettuce and herbs to make a wrap and then dipped into a sweet and sour fish sauce ( nước chấm). The fried egg rolls are also often served over a bed of rice and accompanied by vegetables and herbs as part of a rice vermicelli noodle bowl or bún chả giò. The egg rolls are filled with a mixture of ground pork, glass noodles, mushrooms and vegetables and then wrapped in a rice paper and fried until golden brown. In this recipe, we use both the traditional rice paper which are flimsy and harder to wrap. However, these egg rolls are lighter and crunchier than the flour based Chinese wrappers. Chả giò makes for a great treat at any gathering.

Difficulty: Medium / Serving: 35-40 egg rolls / Time: 1 hour

Equipment: Food Processor

Tip: You can freeze uncooked egg rolls in the freezer and they will fry up nicely once defrosted.

Ingredients:

1.5 pound of ground pork

1 pound of shrimp

1 bunch of glass noodles

1 package of wrapping paper (22” rice paper or 6”x6” egg roll)

1 tablespoon of mushroom seasoning

2 ½ tablespoons of sugar

3 eggs (2 for the meat mixture and 1 egg yolk to bind the eggroll)

1.5 cups of shredded carrots

1.5 cups of shredded taro

5 tablespoons of diced yellow onions

2 tablespoons of minced garlic

3-4 large piece of dried fungus for approximately 1 cup of minced fungus.

1 tablespoon of soy sauce

1 tablespoon of fish sauce

1 tablespoon of fresh lime juice

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Directions:

Soak the glass noodles in a bowl of warm water until the noodles soften. Pulse the glass noodles 2-3 times in a food processor. Set aside.

Soak 1 cup of dried fungus (approximately 3-4 large dried pieces) until softened. Thinly slice the mushrooms and mince the mushrooms in a food processor. Set aside.

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Peel and devein the shrimps. Use the food processor and pulse the shrimps until there is a paste-like consistency.

Shred ½ of a large carrot or approximately 1.5 cups.

Shred 1.5 cups of taro.

In a large mixing bowl, combine ground pork, minced shrimp, fungus, glass noodles, carrots, taro, ½ tablespoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, ½ tablespoon of ground black pepper, 5 tablespoons of diced onions, 2 tablespoons of minced garlic, 1 tablespoon of mushroom seasoning and 2 eggs. Mix well.

To make the egg roll using egg roll wrapper:

Lay 1 sheet of egg roll wrapper onto a plate and add approximately 1 tablespoon of meat mixture to one corner of the wrapper.

Fold according to the pictures below. Use 1 egg yolk as a seal for the egg roll.

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To make the egg roll using rice paper:

Dip 1 sheet of rice paper into warm water. (* You can add a few drop of yellow food coloring to creating a light yellow color. This makes for a nice presentation.)

Lay the wet rice paper onto a plate and allow to dry for a few seconds. The wrapper should be drier and stickier.

Add 1 tablespoon of meat mixture to one side and fold. Be careful as the rice paper is much stickier and easier to break than the Chinese wrappers.

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Heat a deep pot with vegetable oil. Once the oil is hot, add the egg rolls and allow the egg rolls to cook until they float up and are golden brown. (*Tip: You can gauge the oil temperature by adding a white part of the scallion to the oil. When it turns golden brown, the oil is ready for frying.)

Remove the egg rolls from the pan and set on a plate covered with a paper towel to soak up the grease.

Make the sweet and sour dipping sauce by combining 1 tablespoon of fish sauce, 3 tablespoons of water, 1 ½ tablespoons of sugar and 1 tablespoon of fresh lime juice. Mix well and add some chopped Thai chili for additional heat.

with rice paper

with Chinese wrappers

For more recipes, visit our EAT page or Recipe Index.

Authors: Susan Tran and Chau Hoang

Boston Spotlight: Finding Hidden Sushi Gems

Published by hoanth01

After getting a thorough education on sushi during my time in Japan and my 8 years living in NYC, I considered myself knowledgeable enough on quality sushi. Ever since I moved to Boston three years ago, I have been on a mission to find quality sushi around the Boston area. My definition of quality includes freshness, authenticity and creativity. I am a purist so I generally stick to only sushi or sashimi and always try to go for an Omakase. Boston doesn’t lack the abundance of sushi restaurants, but good quality sushi is hard to come by. I spent hours trying to find the “hidden gems” and scouring “Eaters Boston” and “Yelp” for recommendations and coming back a little disappointed each time. The sushi god has finally led me to 2 worthy restaurants that can go “toe to toe” with the best of them. They have the killer combo of amazing sushi or sashimi and a reasonable price point.

Cafe Sushi

(1105 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138; Cafe Sushsi Website)

Source: Yelp.com/from the owner

After eyeing this restaurant for quite some time, we decided to stop by very late one night for omakase. The space resembles a typical strip mall restaurant. From the inside, it looks like a 1980’s Chinese restaurant that is in need of a revamp. Once you get past the interior, you are in for a treat!

Source: Yelp.com/from the owner

The omakase is the hidden jewel that blew us away. The omakase varies each night depending on the ingredients and ranges from $85 to $90 for 11 to 15 pieces of sushi and 3 palette cleanser dishes. It is recommended to make reservation for the omakase and request the sushi bar seating for an authentic experience.

The restaurant sources seasonal seafood from around the world and at the famous Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo. The restaurant has been around since the 1980’s but have recently added a new sushi chef that has truly elevated the restaurant.

Here is a picture of the seasonal selection for the night.

Here are a few pictures of our omakase.

Fish Market Sushi Bar

(170 brighton Ave, Allston, MA 02134; Fish Market Website)

Source: Yelp.com/ from the owner

Source: Yelp.com/ from the owner

Fish Market is a tiny sushi bar in Allston that is reminiscent to the sushi bars along the alleyways of Tokyo or Kyoto. There are limited seating and it is “first come, first serve”. I first tried their food two years ago and fell in love with their traditional sushi preparation. They also have ventured into more experimental offering in recent years. The ingredients are superb and at a shockingly reasonable price point. The space is designed in the Scandinavian aesthetic. This is the place that I would recommend for your weekly sushi fix.

I have not had the opportunity to try out O Ya but I’ve heard it’s more “fusion”and extends beyond sushi.

Let me know if you have any recommendation for La Vie Partagée to test out.

—-

*This is not a paid advertisement for these two restaurants but La Vie Partagee’s personal preference. La Vie Partagee’s also decline to publish the other sushi restaurants that we have tried before making our final recommendation. These restaurants have their own merits but did not meet our recommendation criteria.

For more travel articles, visit TRAVEL page

Author: Thai-Anh Hoang

Quick Steamed Fish with Ginger Soy Dressing

Published by La Vie Partagée

Another dish that my mom taught me before leaving for college was steamed fish with a ginger soy sauce. The version that I had while I was in college was for salmon steak and utilized only a microwave that was allowed in the dorm. This version is still just as easy but has the benefit of additional tweaks since those college days. This is a healthy and elegant dish that will fool people into thinking that you slave away making it for dinner.

This recipe is rated easy and takes 15-20 minutes to make. Serves 2 people per fish.

Ingredients

1 pound whole red Tilapia or another meaty white fish. (You can also use fish filet but I find that whole fish tastes better.)

½ a yellow onion

½ cup of julienned ginger

8 stalks of scallions

¼ teaspoon of sesame oil

½ teaspoon of fish sauce

¼ teaspoon of white wine

1 teaspoon of soy sauce

½ tablespoon + 1 teaspoon of mushroom seasoning

½ teaspoon of salt

½ teaspoon of ground black pepper

1 ½ teaspoon of sugar

2 Thai chili peppers

2 tablespoons of canola oil

½ cup + 2 tablespoons of water

Cilantro for garnish

Directions

Thinly slice half of a yellow onion. Julienne approximately ½ cup of ginger into thin strips. Cut 6 stalks of scallions into three segments and julienne each segment into long strips.

Cut another 2 stalks of scallions into three segments.

Chopped two Thai chilies and remove the seeds to temper the heat.

Prepare the fish:

Use a scissor and cut off the fins and grills.
Rinse the fish thoroughly with water and dry with a paper towel.
Cut 2-3 large incisions on each side of the fish.

Rub ½ teaspoon of salt onto both sides of the fish.

Place the fish on a large microwave proof dish and top with 2/3 of the sliced onions, half of the ginger, half of the julienne scallions and chilies.

Make the marinade by combining the following ingredients:

½ tablespoon of fish sauce, ½ tablespoon of mushroom seasoning, ½ cup of water, ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper, ¼ teaspoon of sesame oil, ¼ teaspoon of white wine and 1 teaspoon of sugar

Pour the marinade over the fish. Cover the fish with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 12 minutes.

While the fish is being cooked in the microwave, heat a pan on high with 2 tablespoons of canola or vegetable oil.

Brown the remaining onions. Once the onions turn golden, remove them from the oil.

Turn off the heat and add 1 teaspoon of soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of mushroom seasoning, a handful of ginger, ½ teaspoon of sugar and 2 tablespoons of water to the oil. Stir until all the ingredients are incorporated.

Once the fish is cooked, carefully remove the plastic wrap away from you. The steam will be released and it is very hot. The fish should be flaky and moist.

Move the fish to a clean plate and discard the cooked ginger, onions and scallions.

Add the remaining uncooked ginger, julienne scallions, scallion segments and the fried onions to the fish. Pour the sauce over this fish and serve with rice.

For more recipes, visit our EAT page or Recipe Index.

Authors: Susan Tran and Chau Hoang

Weekend Unexplored: Sintra, Portugal

Published by La Vie Partagée

During our stay in Lisbon, locals insisted that we must visit Sintra before we left Portugal. Since we were staying in Cascai, we added Sintra to our itinerary. Both locations are within one hour drive from Lisbon and have a completely different taste of Portugal from what we’ve experienced in Lisbon. In this post, we will recount our experience and the recommendations that we received from the locals.

Sintra is a small town on the Estoril Coast of Portugal and located only 28km away from Lisbon. Sintra is a 25 minute drive from the airport and 45 minutes train ride from Lisbon. This small town could easily fit into a fantasy land with its palaces dotting along the hills and peeping out under the thick forest. There are many fantastic castles and estates located within this small town that are listed below:

Pena Palace – This palace is a cross between Gaudi’s creation in Barcelona and Disneyland. It was built in the mid-19^th century on the site of the former monastery by the king consort, Dom Fernando II, as the summer palace for the royal family.

Moorish Castle – This castle was built in the 10^th century by the Moors to defend Sintra. This castle is situated high above the town so it is easy to spot at many vantage points throughout the town.

Regaleria Palace – This palace originated in 1697. In 1982 Carvalho Moneiro purchased the palace and grounds and hired Luigi Manini to design the current layout. This palace is a combination of renaissance and gothic architecture. There are numerous paths and a grotto in the gardens for guests to explore. It was our favorite site in Sintra!

National Palace and Gardens – This is the former royal palace of Sintra that became the summer residence of the royal family in the 16^th century. There are two conical chimneys at the palace that one can see from other parts of the city.

Monserrate Palace and Park – This is a 19^th century estate with Portuguese, Arabian and Indian architecture styles. The estate also has a large garden with plant species from around the world.

We only had a few hours to visit Sintra due to the inclement weather. Sintra is a destination where most of the attractions are outdoors, and the weather plays a large part in the itinerary. We took a cab from Cascai to Sintra, a distance of 20km and 25 minute car ride. (Taxi contact info at the bottom of the page) Due to the short window of decent weather, our cab driver insisted that we only visit the Pena Palace, the Regaleria Palace, the National Palace and the town center. These three palaces will take at least 4 hours to visit. The Moorish Castle was on our list to see but our cab driver noted that the only thing worth doing there is to walk along the walls of the castle. We decided to skip the Moorish Castle as we just did that at Castello St. Jorge in Lisbon. We kept seeing the Moorish Castle high above Sintra and it was especially medieval toward nightfall as the fog rolled in.

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the Moorish Castle at the top of the hill

We started our day at the colorful Pena Palace. The tickets can be purchased at the entrance but the tickets do not include tram ride to the top of a hill where the castle is located. The full access ticket (Castle and Park) is 14 euros for an adult. You will need to pay a few more euros to take the tram to the top. We elected to walk up the hill which took approximately 30 minutes and through the park. Once we reached the entrance, we were in awe of the colorful castle with its many towers. It looked like we just stepped into the Magic Kingdom. The fun part of this castle is being able to walk around the various towers and ramparts and to see the sweeping view of the Sintra and the surrounding forest. The palace also has furnished interiors with a full kitchen that have been mostly untouched since 1910. Overall, we spent two hours exploring this castle on the hill and could have stayed longer if we had time.

We hopped into a tut tut and raced our way to the Regaleria Palace for approximately 20 euros. You can also wait for a taxi or bus if you have time to spare. Upon arriving at this palace, we were struck by the elegant architecture and the surrounding gardens. There were numerous grottos and walkways in the “maze like” garden that took you from a beautiful romantic chapel to a Gothic watch tower into a clandestine cave. This was our favorite palace and we spent the majority of our time here.

We then headed back to Sintra town center and walked around the small side streets.

We did not have time to explore the interiors of the National Palace, but we did get to see the exteriors of the modern palace. After visiting Lisbon historical sites, the Pena Palace and the Regaleria Palaces, the National Palace did not stand out for us. If we had time, we would have visited the simpler National Palace first before making our way to the Pena Palace.

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outside of the National Palace

National Palace from the hills

Our cab driver told us to visit the Café Pastelaria Piriquita for the famous pastries as it is the best bakery and café in town. This particular café is famous for selling Sintra’s specialties, travesseiro and queijada (cheese tart). The place was bustling and we welcomed the much needed café, sweets, and rest for our weary feet.

Once we rested enough, we made our way on foot back to the Sintra train station to get a taxi. It was a nice way to explore the rest of the town as the walk took approximately 20 minutes. We headed back to Cascai for a seafood dinner at the delicious Restaurante O Pescador that was recommended to us by a Cascai resident.

Despite the weather, we had a memorable time visiting Sintra. It gave us the provincial old town feel which is the opposite of the modern city vibe of Lisbon. We highly recommend planning one day of your visit to Portugal to explore this magical town.

*We used the taxi service from Luis Costa Pereira twice and they are fantastic. The price is fair and the service is great. You can also use them to pick up from the airport as well. Email: costinha.on.the.fun@gmail.com / +351 96 153 03 76

Author: Chau Hoang

For related articles, visit the TRAVEL page.

Chicken Liver Pâté

Published by La Vie Partagée

You can’t go wrong with pâté spread over toasted bread for any snack or meal. Due to French colonialism from 1887 to 1954 (also known as French Indochina), many French dishes have been adopted by the Vietnamese over the years. Vietnam has a version of pâté that is part of the famous banh mi made of ground pork and chicken liver. My mother came up with an easy recipe that is a fusion of French pâté with Vietnamese flavors. It has a nice hint of wine with a touch of soy and garlic. Be prepared to devour at least one loaf of baguette when you spread this delicious pâté on it. You can also add radish, cucumbers or any vegetables that you prefer to the spread to give it some freshness.

This recipe is rated easy and takes 30 minutes to make and a few hours to chill in the fridge. This recipe makes approximately 5 cups of pâté.

Ingredients:

2 pound of chicken liver

1 cup of milk

4 sticks of softened butter

1/3 cup of hearty red wine like a merlot

1 tablespoon of white wine

1 tablespoon Knorr chicken bouillon powder

¾ teaspoon of salt

1 tablespoon of sugar

1 tablespoon of Knorr liquid seasoning or soy sauce

½ tablespoon of ground annatto

½ tablespoon of ground pepper

2 tablespoons of minced garlic

5 tablespoons of minced onion

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Directions:

Combine 2 pounds of chicken liver with 1 cup of milk in a large bowl. Soak for 5 minutes and drain the liquid. Allow for excess moisture to drip out.

Remove the muscle tissue connecting the liver and cut the liver into smaller pieces.

Cut the connective tissue

Season the liver with:

1 tablespoon chicken bouillon powder,¾ teaspoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of sugar,1 tablespoon of white wine, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, ½ tablespoon of ground annatto, ½ tablespoon of ground pepper, 2 tablespoons of minced onion and ½ tablespoon of minced garlic

You will need to split the liver into three batches to cook the liver as the pan may not be big enough for one batch. For each batch:

Heat a pan on high with 2 tablespoons of oil and brown 1 tablespoon of onion and ½ tablespoon of garlic.

Add a third of the liver and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and repeat for batch 2 and 3.

On the third batch, cook the liver for 2 minutes. Add the cooked liver from batch 1 and batch 2 and then add 1/3 cup of red wine. Stir to incorporate the ingredients (approximately 1 minute) and turn off the heat.

Add the cooked liver and 2-3 tablespoons of the excess liquid to the food processor and puree for 1-2 minutes.

the first puree

Add 4 sticks of soften butter and blend until the butter has been incorporated into the pâté.

add softened butter

smoother consistency after the 2nd puree

Strain the pâté mixture into a bowl.

strain the liver mixture

smoother consistency after straining

Line a container with parchment paper and pour the pâté mixture into the mold.

put the pate into a container and let it set in the fridge

Allow for the pâté to set for at least 8 hours in the fridge or until firm.

For more recipes, visit the EAT page or the Recipe Index

Authors: Susan Tran and Chau Hoang

Fried Prawns in a Tamarind Sauce / Tôm Rang Me

Published by La Vie Partagée

Fried prawns in a tamarind sauce or tôm rang me is a popular dish especially for those living on the coast. The fresh prawns are fried and then tossed in a sweet and sour sauce made from tamarind to offset the greasiness of the oil. This humble dish is finger licking good.

This recipe is rated easy and takes 30-45 minutes to create.

Ingredients:

10 giant prawns

1 block of fresh tamarind

1 tablespoon of minced garlic

1 teaspoon of ground annatto

1 teaspoon of sesame oil

1 teaspoon of fish sauce

2 cups and 1 tablespoon of water

5 tablespoons of sugar

½ teaspoon of salt

½ teaspoon of ground black pepper

Vegetable oil for frying

Garnish with spring onions and Cilantro

Directions:

Sprinkle ½ a teaspoon of salt on top of the shrimps. Mix to incorporate the salt among the shrimps. This process will help remove excess moisture from the prawns.

Break the tamarind block into smaller chunks. Soak the tamarind block with 2 cups of water for approximately 15 minutes or until the tamarind chunks have soften and broken apart.

This is what the tamarind mixture looks like after it has been soaked in water for a period of time.

Using the back of a spoon and a strainer,press the tamarind block and liquid through a strainer.

Heat a heavy pot with enough oil to submerge the prawns

Add the prawns but do not crowd the pan. Make sure the prawns is dried otherwise the oil will splatter. The prawns will cook in approximately 5 minutes.

Remove from the oil and set aside on a plate lined with a paper towel to soak up the excess oil.

In a bowl, add 5 tablespoons of tamarind sauce, 5 tablespoons of sugar, 1 teaspoon of fish sauce, 1 teaspoon of sesame oil, ½ teaspoon of ground pepper, 1 teaspoon of ground annatto and a pinch of salt. Stir well to incorporate the ingredients.

Heat a large pan (one that can fit the fried prawns) with enough oil to coat the pan and 1 tablespoon of minced garlic.

When the garlic turns brown, turn the heat to low and add the prawns, tamarind sauce and 1 tablespoon of water.

Mix all the ingredients together well so that the sauce has coated the fried prawns.

Garnish with the diced green onions and cilantro.

This dish can be served on a bed of greens or served with rice.

For more recipes, visit our EAT page or Recipe Index.

Authors: Susan Tran and Chau Hoang

Words for Thought

Published by La Vie Partagée

It will all pass.

Source: Instagram

Hotel Review: Hotel Nikko Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam)

Published by La Vie Partagée

Hotel Nikko Saigon is a modern and minimalist five star hotel from a Japanese conglomerate located on the outskirt of District 1. It takes approximately 15 minutes to get to city center in a taxi so the location is close enough to get where you need to go. However, it is not completely in the center of all the action. I had an opportunity to stay twice at this hotel while I was in town for business. The hotel left a great impression on me and I look forward to coming back. Here is my assessment from my two visits.

Address: 235 Nguyen Van Cu, Ho Chi Minh City 70000, Vietnam

Website: http://www.hotelnikkosaigon.com.vn/

Pros:

This is a new hotel with luxury modern amenities.
The room has a gorgeous soaking tub and a large bathroom.
Room size is large even for the standard deluxe room.
Customer service is what one would expect from a 5 star hotel.
Price is reasonable for a 5 star hotel in Ho Chi Minh City with nightly rates ranging between $120-$150 for a standard room.

Cons:

Hotel give off a very impersonal experience due to the minimalist and modern décor.
Location can be a problem during rush hour as it is not located directly in the city center.
This is mostly a business hotel.

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View of the city from the room

Final Hotel Assessment: 1 (terrible) to 5 (excellent)

Cleanliness (5) – This hotel is from a Japanese conglomerate so the cleanliness is borderline austere and very Japanese. You would be hard press to find a speck of dust in this hotel.

Reviews of hotels from various sources (i.e. Trip Advisor) are accurately reflecting the current condition of the accommodation

Majority of the 2,533 reviewers on Trip Advisor gave glowing reviews with approximately 58% rating the experience as excellent and 14% rating as very good. I would have to agree with the overall great rating. There was a consistent theme of great service, location and overall excellent customer experience.

Hotel room description is the same as the booking information website: (5) – The room was exactly how it was pictured on the website. I would say it feels larger than what is indicated in the official photo. They have all the toiletries you will need including powder detergent and bath salts. I was surprised to find a packet of powder detergent and was pleased that I could do some minor laundry in my hotel room after a few weeks abroad. Minor detail such as this exemplify the attention to detail at the Nikko hotel.

I stayed at the club room (the delux premium room on the club foor) my first visit and the delux room for my second visit. The hotel also has suite room and apartment for long term stay.

I will let the photos do the talking.

Official photos courtesy of Hotel Nikko Saigon

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Reality:

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Check in Process: (4) – Check in process was quick and smooth. There was no line when I came to the hotel and the whole process was very efficient and easy.

Source: Hotel Nikko Saigon

Food/Beverage Services: (4) – I did not have a chance to eat in the hotel, though the online reviews have been glowing for the breakfast option. I did notice the nice selection of drinks, coffee and snack in the room’s mini bar.

Issue resolution from management: (5) – Management was able to assist and resolve issues quickly. For example, I had drop an important USB key on my way out of the hotel. I started panicking as I was no longer in HCMC when I discovered this. I had called the hotel and luckily they had picked up this USB key. Management held on to it and gave it back to me upon my return trip. I also had to furnish my ID and also tell them some details before management handed it over. Overall, I was impressed at how quickly they had resolved this situation.

Customer Service: (5) – The level of customer service is what one would expect from a 5 star hotel. The service was attentive but not intrusive.

Spa: NA

Amenities: (4) – The fitness center and pool are standard hotel style. The pool was of nice size though it lack the welcoming decor to make it a nice hangout spot.

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Overall Rating: (4.5) – I would rate Hotel Nikko Saigon 4.5 on my list of hotels in Vietnam. I had stayed at other top hotels during past visits to the city. I would put Hotel Nikko Saigon on top of my list for hotel to stay in HCMC. The price is very reasonable and I think this has to do with their location for not being located directly in the city center. Hotel Nikko Saigon is an excellent combination of luxury for an affordable price in District 1.

For more articles, visit our TRAVEL page.

Author: Chau Hoang

Featured photos and hotel photos are courtesy of Hotel Nikko Saigon