Source: theberry.com
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Must Do’s: Select Local Eateries in Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam)
Ho Chi Minh City (“HCMC”) is the center of a diverse food and modern culture in Vietnam. HCMC is also the largest city in Vietnam and home to approximately 9 million people and growing. The city has gone through many iterations from an important Khmer seaport up to the 17th century to a romantic city under French colonization and now a vibrant metropolis in 2016. With its diverse history, it is no wonder that the variety of food is present in HCMC. I asked a good friend of mine to scout her favorite places to eat in HCMC and the following places are her recommendations.
Ốc Đào (Seafood Restaurant)
Address: 214/C84 Nguyễn Trãi St, Nguyễn Cư Trinh Ward, District 1 Hồ Chí Minh, Việt Nam
Open: noon – 9:00 pm
This is a quintessential local hangout for friends and co-workers. This restaurant serves many different types of snails and seafood at reasonable prices and has good quality. Don’t be afraid to check this restaurant out as they have pictures for non-Vietnamese speakers.
Banh Mi Huynh Hoa (Vietnamese Sandwiches)
Address: 26 Lê Thị Riêng St. Ben Thanh Ward. District 1. Ho Chi Minh City
Phone: +84 8 3925 0885
Open: 03:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Price: 33,000 Vnd / 1 baguette
This is the most famous Vietnamese sandwich shop in HCMC. There is always a line even at night. The sandwich is more expensive than most places but you do get a lot of high quality ingredients.
Cục Gạch Quán (Vietnamese Country Style Restaurant)
Address: 10 Dang Tat | Ward Tan Dinh, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Phone:+84838480144
Open: 9:00 am – 11:30 pm everyday
This restaurant specializes in Vietnamese country style cuisine and is a great place to have lunch or dinner. The food tastes great and is an authentic representation of home-style cooking.
Bánh Xèo Đinh Công Tráng
Address: 46 Đinh Công Tráng Street, Tân Định Ward, District 1, Ho chi minh City
Phone: +84 38 241 110
Open: 10:00 am – 9:00 pm
This is a good spot to try out Vietnamese savory rice crepes.
Lunch Lady Nguyen Thi Thanh (Food Stall)
Source: Hungry Panda
Address: 23 Hoang Sa St., Da Kao Ward, District 1 Ho Chi Minh City.
Open: 11:00 am – 2:00 pm
The Lunch Lady (Nguyen Thi Thanh) is a street vendor who sells only one type of noodle soup per day, and she changes her dish everyday. For example: Monday is Pho, Tuesday is Bun Bo Hue, Wednesday is Bun Mam, etc… She gained notoriety when Anthony Bourdain visited her for his travel show. After the show aired, her food stall became very popular with foreigners. Her noodle soups are very tasty and is my friend’s favorite spot for lunch.
Check back soon for more local recommendations for HCMC.
For related articles, visit the TRAVEL page.
Author: Trang Nguyen and Chau Hoang
Featured Photo: Sylvain Marcelle from Asian Hideaways Photography
Pumpkin Sautéed with Shiitake Mushrooms and Chicken
There are days when I crave vegetables. My mother makes this simple dish of sauteed pumpkin, shiitake mushrooms and chicken. It is a healthy and nutritious meal for any season. If pumpkin is not in season, you can also substitute it with another hearty root vegetable.
This recipe is rated easy and takes approximately 30 minutes to make.
Ingredients
1 lb boneless chicken breast
1.5 lb pumpkin (We used kabucha in this recipe demonstration.)
8 dried shiitake mushrooms
3 large slices of ginger, julienne
5 cloves of garlic
1 large onion, diced
3 stalks of scallion for garnish
soy sauce
sesame oil
chicken bouillon powder
extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
salt
sugar
ground pepper
a few stalks cilantro for garnish (optional)
Directions
Re-hydrate the dried shiitake mushroom.
Scrub the head of the shiitake to clean of any impurities. Remove the stem from the mushroom.
Thinly slice the mushroom on a diagonal.
Thinly slice the pumpkin and microwave in a covered bowl on high with a few tablespoons of water for 3 minutes. This method of par cooking the root vegetables cuts down the actual cooking time on the stove.
Slice the garlic.
Thinly slice the chicken breast against the grain to make it easier to chew.
Marinate the chicken for 5 minutes with the following:
- 1 tablespoon of chopped onion
- ¼ teaspoon of pepper
- ¼ teaspoon of salt
- ½ teaspoon of sugar
- ¼ teaspoon of chicken bouillon powder
Marinate the mushrooms for 5 minutes with the following:
- ½ teaspoon of chicken bouillon powder
- ½ teaspoon of sugar
- ¼ teaspoon of ground pepper
- ¼ teaspoon of sesame oil
Cut the scallions into 2 inch segments.
Heat a pan on high with 2 tablespoons of EVOO and 1 tablespoon of diced onion.
When the onions become translucent, brown the chicken.
Add ¼ cup of water. When the outside of the chicken are cooked, removed from the pan.
In another pan, add 1 tablespoon of EVOO and 1 tablespoon of chopped onions. Add the mushrooms and saute for 5 minutes. Add ½ a teaspoon of soy sauce and ¼ cup of water to the pan. Mix to incorporate the ingredients.
Next add 1 tablespoon of garlic slices and ½ tablespoon of julienne ginger.
Mix well and add the chicken back into the pan. Remove from the heat.
Heat a different pan with 1 tablespoon of EVOO and 7 slices of garlic. When the garlic are brown, add the pumpkin, ¼ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of sugar and close the lid. Let the pumpkin steamed for 5 minutes.
Add the chicken and mushrooms to the pan and another ¼ cup of water. Close the lid to bring the water to a boil.
Add ¼ teaspoon of ground pepper, 1 teaspoon of soy sauce and scallion to garnish.
Serve with rice for a hearty meal.
For more recipes, visit the EAT page.
Authors: Susan Tran and Chau Hoang
Words for Thought
Source: Unknown
Inspiration: Basement
Basement can be seen as a dark and dingy area of a home where the potential is often forgotten. I recently scrolled through House & Home website and found a few videos that will inspire you to rethink your basement potential.
My favorite was Suzanne Dimma’s basement renovation where she converted her basement into an office, a common area and a wonderful new laundry room in a Scandinavian aesthetic. One can spend a whole day down in her basement and not feel claustrophobic.
Here is a video from House & Home with a tour of the basement.
Barbara Bundy renovated her 900 sf basement into a traditional and cosy family space that anyone would want to hang out in. Similar to Suzanne Dimma’s basement, the decor in this basement can easily be above ground.
You can see a video of this wonderful renovation at this link at House & Home.
For the 2012 Princess Margaret Hospital show home, Lynda Reeves designed this spacious basement filled with IKEA products. The catch is that it does not look like you walked into IKEA and the end result is a luxurious and bright basement.
Last but not least is the 2015 Princess Margaret Showhouse’s Basement. This basement comes with its own putting green and a home theater. If money is not a problem, this basement is to die for.
Here are some additional inspirations for your basement. The recurring theme is an airy and light basement with splashes of colors and textures to liven up the space.
Another amazing basement renovation is from Deuce Cities Hen House. The blogger did a fantastic job with a small basement and provided a lot of details on her site.
For related articles, visit the DESIGN page.
Author: Chau Hoang
Featured photo: http://www.deucecitieshenhouse.com/
Photos and videos are courtesy of House & Home.
Vietnamese Chicken Curry Stew / Cà Ri Gà
Whenever there is a large family gathering, my mom will make a giant pot of her famous cà ri gà or chicken curry stew. It is a very simple dish to make and a favorite meal for all my cousins. Vietnamese curry is more like a soup than the Indian and Japanese versions. The stew is hearty and aromatic. The taste is surprising mild due to the coconut cream, and the sweetness of the broth makes this stew addicting. You can eat the chicken curry stew with toasted bread or with rice vermicelli noodles.
This recipe serves approximately 4 people and takes approximately 1 hour to prepare.
Ingredients:
4 Golden Yukon potatoes
2 large carrots
1 large yellow onion
3 stalks of celery
3 stalks of scallion
2 large chicken legs (approx. 2 lb)
2 (14 oz.) cans of low sodium chicken broth
1 (13.5 oz.)can of coconut cream
8 oz. jar of Madras curry paste
1 tablespoon of soy sauce
1 teaspoon of chicken bouillon powder (CBP)
Salt
Sugar
Ground pepper
Directions:
Prepare the vegetables as follows:
Peel the carrots and potatoes. Cut the carrot on a diagonal. Turn the carrot a quarter of the way and cut another slice on a diagonal. The slice should be approximately 1 inch in length each.
Cut the potato into quarters on a diagonal.
Cut the celery into 1 inch segments.
Cut half of an onion into quarters and diced the remaining half.
Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Add the carrots and let them boil for 15 minutes. Next add the potatoes and let them boil for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside. (The potatoes should be cooked but have not yet fallen apart.)
While the vegetables are cooking, prepare the chicken. Cut each chicken leg into quarters. (You can also have the butcher do this for you.)
Marinate the chicken for 15 minutes with the following seasoning:
- 2 tablespoons of diced onions
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- 1 teaspoon of sugar
- ½ teaspoon of ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon of CBP
In a large wide bottom pot (like a dutch oven), heat 2 tablespoons of oil and brown 1 tablespoon of diced onions. When the onions become transparent, add the chicken parts and sear all the sides. (I used a 4.5 quarts dutch oven for this stew.)
Add ½ cup of Madras curry paste to the chicken and stir. Turn the heat to medium.
Add ½ cup of coconut cream and stir. Simmer the chicken for 10 minutes.
Add 2 cans of chicken broth to the pot and stir. Simmer for an additional 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked. You should be able to poke a piece of chicken with a fork and there should be only clear liquid (i.e. no blood) coming out.
Add the potatoes, carrots and the vegetable liquid to the curry pot. Mix well to incorporate the ingredients. Turn the heat on high to a boil and skim any foam.
Add ½ cup of the coconut cream and stir.
Season the curry with 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and 1 teaspoon of sugar.
Add the celery and the onion quarters to cook for 5 minutes.
Cut the scallions into 3 segments and throw out the bottom green part.
Turn off the heat and garnish with the green onions.
Serve this stew with a side of toasted bread or with vermicelli noodles.
For more recipes, visit our EAT page or Recipe Index.
Authors: Susan Tran and Chau Hoang
Words for Thought
Source: Style Me Pretty
Hotel Review: Hanoi Delano Hotel (Hanoi, Vietnam)
Hanoi Delano is a new hotel situated in the heart of Old Quarter in Hanoi. I had the pleasure of staying there on two occasions in two different rooms. My experience varied a lot because of the location of the rooms where I stayed. This cozy and elegant hotel should be classified as a boutique hotel. The hotel is rated as a four stars hotel on Booking.com but it is really on par with 3 stars international ratings for boutique hotels. Overall I had a good stay for the price and the location but there is still room for improvements.
Website: http://www.hanoidelanohotel.com/
Address: No.52 Bat Su Str., Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi, Vietnam
Source: Hanoi Delano Hotel
Source: Hanoi Delano Hotel
Pros:
- The location is in the heart of Old Quarter.
- The hotel is new and has all the modern amenities.
- The staff tries their best to be accommodating.
- Breakfast option was very good for a small hotel.
Cons:
- The rooms are very small and nothing like the size implied in the official photos.
- Noise insulation is very inadequate in this hotel so you can hear everything especially if you are next to the elevator.
- Communication can be challenging for non-Vietnamese speakers due to staff’s limited English skills.
Hotel Assessment (1 terrible to 5 excellent)
Cleanliness: 5 – The hotel was new and is very clean. There seems to be a concerted effort to keep the place as spotless as possible.
Reviews of the hotels from various sources (i.e. Trip Advisor) are accurately reflecting the current condition of the accommodation: 4 – The reviews are generally very positive for this hotel and we generally agree with the positives and negative comments.
Hotel room description is the same as the booking information website: 3
The room pictures are very misleading. The rooms are very small and often do not even have a proper window. I had a “deluxe” double room with a window and could barely fit my carryon and a large suitcase in the room without having to climb over it. I had a superior double room the second time I stayed with the hotel and it was even smaller. The rooms are slightly bigger (due to the layout) if you are at the end of the hallway. If the room is situated near the middle and by the elevator/stairs, be prepared to hear a lot of noise. I had a horrible night trying to sleep with the elevator pinging, people walking up and down the stairs and the constant hallway chatter.
The bathroom has a glass door with blinds. The idea is to make the room appears more spacious. This can be awkward if two people are staying in the room and one person is using the bathroom with another in the room.
Delux room per the website
The Superior room per the website
Check In Process: 4 – The check-in process was smooth and efficient. I arrived almost at midnight due to a late flight and the reception staff was waiting for me when I arrived and promptly welcomed me to the hotel.
Staff’s ability to speak English: 3 – The reception staff had one or two people that could speak conversational English. The rest of the staff struggled so that I ended up speaking in my broken Vietnamese to them. This may be an issue for non-Vietnamese speakers.
Issue resolution from management: 3.5 – Management tried to address the issue with my room being in the middle of the hallway by moving me to basically the same room but on a higher floor. I understand it is due to booking capacity but it did not address the fundamental noise issue.
Customer Service: 4– The Delano’s staff tries to please and assist as much as possible. This point is often repeated in various online booking sites. I had many wonderful conversations with the staff in Vietnamese and they try their best to be as helpful as possible. For example, I was not feeling well and the bar tender made me tea with ginger.
Food/Beverage:4 – The breakfast buffet was very nice for a small hotel. I like that eggs and certain breakfast dishes are made to order . The dining area, however, can only accommodate a few tables. There is also a small lounge area by the lobby that serves drinks.
Overall Rating: 3.5
I had a good stay on my first visit and an average stay on my second trip due to the lack of sleep from the hallway noise. The hotel is new so there are kinks that are still being worked out. If you are looking for a place to stay in the Old Quarter, Hanoi Delano is a good option for the price and location.
For related articles, visit the Travel page.
Author: Chau Hoang
Featured photo: Hanoi Delano Hotel
Easy Vietnamese Sweet Corn Pudding / Chè Bắp
Chè bắp has many variations in the Vietnamese cuisine depending on which region it comes from. Usually the preparation includes manually shaving sweet corn kernels and simmering the pudding for at least 30 minutes. Being a busy professional, it is hard to have enough time to cook the traditional way. My cousin modified a recipe used at the restaurants for home cook to make chè bắp easily. I like to serve it warm with a dollop of coconut sauce. This pudding is great for anytime of the day.
This recipe is very easy and takes less than 30 minutes to make.
Ingredients
1 ¼ cup of glutinous rice (sweet rice)
2 (14-ounce) cans of sweet corn, cream style with no salt added
1 (14-ounce) can of whole kernel corn, drained and rinsed (low sodium)
1 (14-ounce) can of coconut cream
3 packets of vanilla sugar or vanilla extract
1 teaspoon of cornstarch
1 cups of sugar for the pudding and 2 tablespoons of sugar for the coconut sauce
salt
Directions
Prepare the pudding:
Wash the rice thoroughly. Cook 6 cups of water and rice in a pot on high heat. Let it boil and stir occasionally so the rice does not stick to the bottom of the pot.
When the rice becomes swollen and starts to split apart, lower the heat to medium/low. Continue to stir.
Once the water evaporates enough so that you mostly see the rice, add 2 cans of cream style corn and 1 can of drained kernel corn. Give the pudding a good stir to incorporate the ingredients.
Season the pudding with 1 cup of sugar, 1 teaspoon of salt and 2 packets of vanilla sugar (or 1 to 2 teaspoon of vanilla extract) to the pudding. Stir to incorporate the ingredients and turn off the heat.
Prepare the coconut sauce:
In a sauce pan, add 1 can of coconut cream, 1 cup of water, 2 tablespoons of sugar, ⅛ teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of cornstarch. Bring the coconut sauce to a boil.
Once the coconut sauce boils, turn off the heat and add a packet of vanilla sugar or 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Serve:
Add a small serving of sweet corn pudding to a bowl and top with a dollop of coconut cream. This pudding taste best when it is served warm with the cold coconut cream.
For more recipes, visit our EAT page or Recipe Index.
Authors: Hung Nguyen and Chau Hoang
Words for Thought
Source: Style Me Pretty
La Vie Partagée 