Street Food in Hanoi: Bún Chả (Bún noodles with grilled pork patties in broth)

Hanoi is a major foodie destination and many like myself come equipped with an appetite, ready to try almost anything and everything (although I draw the line at eating Vietnamese dog, which I learned is still common amongst the elders).  Every foodie traveling to Hanoi should already know that street food is a way of life here. A life which many tourists don’t dare to try.  And while I was daring and ready to sit down at any of the many small street food stands, traveling with a physician prevented me from doing so. I was constantly reminded of all the reasons I should not be eating street food including parasites and traveller’s diarrhea to name a few. But how could I ignore all the smells and aroma permeating the Old Quarter. So, I took the risk and dragged the physician along with me (he refused to try but instead stared at me in horror while I sat down to eat).

3-DSC_0369

Street food is central to the life and culture of the city. At any time of day, you will see crowds of people crouched on street corners slurping away on fresh pho (literally fresh, the chicken was alive only a few hours prior to cooking). While I was excited to try some phở, I ended up sitting down on my first day for a mystery meal. Mystery because each stand only serves one dish. And I did not know what dish it was I would be eating, having selected the spot based on the crowds of people munching away. All I know is that it was good. Very good. And I wanted more. But what was it? No one spoke English. So I took a photo and decided to investigate later.

2-DSC_0419

I later learned that the mysterious and delicious meal I had (all less than a dollar) was the popular and quintessential bún chả dish. A serving of crispy, caramelized slices of pork (although at the time I could swear it was chicken), along side a a bowl of bun noodles, and a bowl of warm light fish sauce based broth with small slices of pickled green papaya. A plate of fried spring rolls –nem cua bể was served alongside the bún chả. Probably the most delicious spring rolls I’ve yet to taste in my quest for Vietnamese food. A combination of minced pork, glass noodles, mushrooms and bean sprouts wrapped in egg roll and fried. All this was served with a basket of fresh herbs and vegetables.

4-DSC_0464

Once the dish arrived, I was not sure what to do with it or how to do put it together. In such a scenario, imitation is essential. I looked around and noticed that all the localers (who were eyeing me suspiciously) dumped the grilled pork patties (thit bam) into the broth. Next, the noodles were dipped in the broth picking up a piece of pork on the way before gently placing in the mouth.

3-DSC_0447

5-DSC_0450
Continue Reading

Popolino- Northern Liberties (Philadelphia)

What do an Irish, a Moroccan and a Mexican have in common? Popolino!  Peter McAndrews the owner of Popolino- the Irish, our server- Moroccan, and the manager- Mexican! You wouldn’t be able to tell walking into the restaurant which feels as Italian as you can get. You may even feel like you are walking into an episode of the Sopranos waiting for the director to call “cut”.

1-Popolino

As a fan of Peter McAndrew’s Modo Mio and Paesano’s we wanted to try his other restaurants starting with Popolino (meaning ‘commoner’ in Roman dialect). The experience at Modo Mio was so amazing that we went in with really high expectations for our meal. And while the two restaurants have many things in common including the menu tourista, it ends there.  Even though many of the items on the menu closely reflect those offered at Modo Mio- the quality of the food and service was definitely not the same.

03-DSC_0111

At the center of this BYOB restaurant was the Tavola Calda, a ‘hot table’ selection of room temperature antipasti Roman Style ($10). As one of the starter options, diners could walk around and choose from all the different dishes.

06-DSC_0132

We tried the hot table, Mozzarella in Carozza, Arugula Salad and complimentary bruschetta. Amongst it all the mozzarella in carozza dish stood out as the most delicious: a large stuffed Italian bread, egg dipped, pan friend and served in a creamy anchovy caper butter.

1-Collages1

The starters were the best part of the night since the pasta left us all unsatisfied. The Bucatini all’Amatriciani was overcooked, slightly cold and lacking the amazing flavors we tasted at Modo Mio. The Gnocchi di Castagne was my least favorite. The gnocchi itself was doughy and chewy. The best part of the dish was the chestnut and ricotta sauce mixed with mushrooms, white wine and tomatoes. It was again a disappointment especially when compared to the gnocchi served at Modo Mio. The Cannelloni with oxtail and Gorgonzola cheese was the best of the three dishes. Although, I found it to be too oily and greasy.

21-DSC_0172 14-DSC_0162 12-DSC_0155Only one person from our party tried the menu tourista as it really is an abundance of food. For the mail meat dish, our friend ordered the Porchetta. A crispy roasted suckling pig served with coriander, goccia, porcini and provolone gauzetto. He seemed to thoroughly enjoy every bite, ranting and raving about the experience. As for the rest of us, we looked forward to our dessert.

18-DSC_0167

The desserts at Popolino are standard desserts available at most Italian restaurants. Amongst our orders were the Panna Cotta, tiramisu and chocolate cake. While they were all good, none stood out as being outstanding and memorable.

1-Collages2

Our friends, being Philly natives did not seem overly impressed by Popolino and I had to reassure them that Modo Mio was quite  a different experience. This restaurant has a lot of potential given that it is a McAndrews establishment, the menu looks good and the decor is brilliant. I only hope that in time the food becomes as good as McAndrew’s other restaurants.

Information
Tavole Calde (or “Hot Table”)
Menu Turista
Cash Only
BYOB

Opening Hours
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday,
Saturday & Sunday

Lunch – 11.00am – 2.30pm
Dinner – 5.00pm – 10.00pm

Tuesday – Closed

Popolino on Urbanspoon

Continue Reading

Vietnamese Cà Phê adventures in Hanoi, Vietnam

One of the highlights of our trip to Vietnam was the abundance of high quality, rich, chocolatey coffee on every corner- all for less than a dollar. The Vietnamese know their coffee and take it very seriously. Yet, don’t go searching for fancy shops with overly happy baristas serving multiple lettered coffee drinks. Some of the best coffee we had were on street corners and curbside food stands. Just some shabby plastic stools, laminated tables and the buzzing sound of motorbikes.

1-DSC_0281

One of the best discoveries was cà phê sua chua or known to us foreigners as yogurt coffee. At first, a bit apprehensive to try coffee with yogurt. What could be so good about that? But after first taste, we were left wanting more, ordered seconds and for the remainder of our trip searched for ca phe sua chua on every occasion (sadly it was not so popular in the South). The bitterness of the coffee blends perfectly with the slightly sweetened yogurt.

2-DSC_0337Cà phê sua chua consists of a Vietnamese vinamilk yogurt (delicately sweet and delicious), a splash of condensed milk and strong Vietnamese coffee. Ice is optional.

Another treasure was the Cà phê sua da, rich and smooth drip coffee served with condensed milk. I probably had 10 of these a day, shaking and jittery on a coffee high after each drink. In fact, most of my time in Hanoi was spent on a coffee high.

1-photo 4

In order to get the ultimate coffee experience it was essential to learn how to order these  drinks at places where English was hard to come by. Usually pointing to the drink did the trick but otherwise the coffee vocabulary musts include: cà phê  (coffee); đen or sữa (black or sweetened;  nóng or đá (hot or iced).

Continue Reading

10 days in Vietnam- The Itinerary

Our trip to Vietnam started in the energetic capital city of Hanoi in the North and ended in Ho Chi Minh City (former Saigon) in the South. Many travelers to Vietnam choose to work their way down the slender country or work their way up from Saigon.

1-DSC_0493
Orderly Chaos in Hanoi, Vietnam

The Itinerary:

Three days in Hanoi were plenty to experience the buzzing commercial chaos of the Old Quarter with its endless markets and street food stalls, the tai chi sessions along the vast lakes and all the amazing yet daring street food.

2-DSC_0772

We then headed to Halong Bay where we spent the night on a Junk boat and took in the magnificent and majestic scenery and sea air.

3-DSC_0064
Sunrise and Tai Chi in Halong Bay, Vietnam

Departing Halong Bay at noon the next day, we arrived back in Hanoi at around 5 in the evening. We spent the night in Hanoi having a great dinner and catching a performance at the water puppet show in the Old Quarter. The next morning we took an early flight to Hoi An (via Danang International Airport). We decided to skip the Imperial City of Hue (pronounced Hoo- eh) adding two extra nights in Hoi An soaking in the unique French colonial atmosphere, pagoda’s and amazing food while getting some sun on the virgin beaches.

4-DSC_0720_2
Colorful streets of Hoi An, Vietnam
5-DSC_0774_2
Hoi An, Vietnam

Finally, we flew from Hoi An to Ho Chi Minh City spending two nights in the buzzing city spending our days touring the town and the evenings shopping and eating in the night markets.

Continue Reading

Good Morning Vietnam!

VietnamFor the rest of the month, I’ll be eating and photographing my way through Vietnam. From Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh, I’m so excited to be experiencing real street food, slurping away on pho banh hao and my favorite vietnamese sandwich, bahn mi.  If you have any recommendations or tips ranging from hotels, sites and food, feel free to send me an email at tala@hungrynomad.net.

Continue Reading

2013 South Beach Wine and Food Festival Re-Cap (Miami, USA)

5-IMG_8740
Whole Foods Grand Tasting Village Entrance

The Food Network South Beach Wine and Food Festival  presented by Food & Wine took place in Miami from February 21-24 bringing out celebrity chefs, foodies and winies (did I just make that up?) Any excuse to get me down to Miami and I’ll take it. The Festival opened this year  with the Q hosted by Paula Deen and Sons at the Delano hotel. It was quite the affair with endless bottles of wine, trays of delicious finger foods and fire dancers. Yes, there were fire dancers! It continued through into the weekend with events such as the Swine and Wine, Wine Spectator’s Best of the Best, the Grand Tasting Village, Tribute Dinners, Red Hot Night by Target, an Indulgence Affair by Godiva, and much more.

4-IMG_8705
Target’s Red Hot Night

The Festival also attracted many Food Network culinary celebrities including Emeril Lagasse, Nigella Lawson, Martha Stewart, Anthony Bourdain, Bobby Flay, Anne Burrell, Robert Irvine, Guy Fieri, Rocco DiSpirito and many others coming out to meet with fans through their book signings and provide live cooking demonstrations- all this taking place simultaneously while the Whole Foods Market Grand Tasting Village provided festival goers with endless wine and food tastings.

6-IMG_8779
Book Signings

Some of my favorites included Sheila G’s Brownie Brittle, a create your own chocolate bar tent, mystery candy from Jelly Belly, a Barilla pasta tent where I learned how to professionally toss pasta (of course I spilled a few times before I got it right), and Ziggy Marley’s new line of ‘hemp rules’ organic seeds and coconut oils.

1-IMG_8761
Barilla US Tent where I learned how to toss pasta
2-IMG_8767
Jelly Belly Tent
Continue Reading

La Sandwicherie- South Beach (Miami, USA)

La Sandwicherie was one of the best discoveries I made back in ’07 while vacationing in South Beach and looking for a good quick bite. It is now the first and last place I visit (plus many visits in between) on every trip to South Beach.  The French team behind La Sandwicherie serve hands down one of the best, freshest and tastiest sandwiches I’ve yet to get my hands on.

La Sandwicherie- SOBE So many different varieties to choose from. My favorite over time has become the Sausiccon sec on a french baguette with extra cornichon and additional Camembert cheese. 8-IMG_7812 Each sandwich is topped with loads of fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, black olives, green peppers, onions, french pickles and their mayo vinaigrette sauce (it’s highly addictive). 7-IMG_7811 The Count opts for the prosciutto and mozzarella every time (routines make him happy). I on the other hand have probably tried every sandwich on the menu over time, and there is one thing I’ve learned: you can’t go wrong with any of the choices. 6-IMG_7810 You can choose to have your sandwich on a traditional white or whole wheat baguette or take the more decadent route of the french croissant. Both options equally good. 5-IMG_7809Also- don’t be shy to add that extra cheese and toppings. It makes it just THAT much better.
4-IMG_7808 3-IMG_7807 2-IMG_7806 They also have a wide variety of salads (which I’m yet to try) and fruit smoothies which are also delicious.  So if you are looking for a quick and healthy beginning to your day stop by 14th street on sandwich.  1-IMG_7805

La Sandwicherie on Urbanspoon

Continue Reading

The Hungry Nomad at Nomad Pizza- Bella Vista (Philadelphia, USA)

A restaurant serving brick oven Neapolitan pizza? In Philadelphia? Called Nomad Pizza? This I had to try! If not for the pizza then for the creative name of the restaurant.

The Hungry Nomad- Nomad Pizza Nomad pizza is tucked away right off of South street in a two story building. The first floor of the restaurant being the smaller of the two consisted of the large brick oven, counter top space and a few tables. The side stairs take you upstairs to a much more spacious dining room where a communal dining table lines the middle of the restaurant with separate seating lining the walls. The large screen at one end is used for their movie nights. The Hungry Nomad- Nomad PizzaThe menu consists of some delicious locally sourced salads and pizzas (see menu).  I also learned that Tom Grim, co-owner of Nomad Pizza and 14 of his staff members had just returned from Rome where I assume they ate a lot of Roman pizza. I’m sure they have new fresh off the boat Italian tricks to implement into their dishes. As for our meal, we started off with a roasted root salad.

The Hungry Nomad- Nomad Pizza

It was simply divine. Pieces of local organic wood fire roasted beets and carrots, atop a bed of garlic sauteed pea greens, topped with balsamic reduction and finished with garlic chive chevre. The root vegetables tasted earthy and fresh like they were just picked out of a garden out back.

The Hungry Nomad- Nomad Pizza

Next, we had the margherita ($12), arugula con proscuitto ($18) and truffle pecorino ($18) pizzas. A lot can be said about a pizza shop when tasting their margherita. It’s the simplest pizza on the menu but often times the tastiest. It begins with the dough- a good pizza dough is the basis for a good pizza. The dough at Nomad Pizza was the perfect dough: perfectly chewy, savory and the right amount of crispy with just the right number of char spots lining the crust.

The Hungry Nomad- Nomad Pizza

The margherita could have had more tomato paste as despite the generous portion of mozzarella cheese it was a bit on the dry side.  As for the other toppings there was a wide range of offerings on the menu. My favorite for the evening however, had to be the truffle pecorino. However, eyeing our neighbor’s pizza there seem to be many other delicious varieties that I have yet to try.

The Hungry Nomad- Nomad Pizza

The arugula con prosciutto consisted of arugula greens topped with prosciutto di parma. It was delicious despite it also being on the drier side.

The Hungry Nomad- Nomad Pizza

If you like the taste of truffle oil, you will really enjoy the truffle pecorino pizza.   The chewy pizza dough was topped with mozzarella di bufala, shiitake mushrooms, garlic, fresh egg, with tartufo and truffle oil. The egg was blended on the pizza table-side.

The Hungry Nomad- Nomad Pizza

While completely full after our fabulous meal, the site of a nutella pizza on the menu was too good to resist. And so of course we had to try it. It was the same pizza dough slapped with generous amounts of chocolaty nutella, crunchy hazelnuts and strawberry (instead of banana as requested). One thing that we all noticed was the aftertaste of garlic. It ruined the taste a bit…but not enough to outweigh eating all that nutella.

Overall, we all really enjoyed our meal at Nomad Pizza and will definitely be going back for their next movie night

Nomad Pizza on Urbanspoon

Continue Reading

A Vetri-licious experience at Amis- Washington Square (Philadelphia, USA)

Marc Vetri’s Amis is on the top of every Italian restaurant list in the city (and arguably the country) and of course was on my list of places to try during our year in Philadelphia. My visit came in a timely fashion right before the James Beard Foundation released its nominations for this year’s culinary awards. Marc Vetri was just nominated for Outstanding Chef and Brad Spence was nominated for Best Chef, Mid-Atlantic for his efforts at Amis. After dining at Amis I can’t say I am surprised for their nominations. Simply put- dining at Amis was one of the most amazing Italian food experiences I’ve had (in and out of Italy).

DSC_0109

If you are looking for large, red sauce-drowned portions of cheap Italian including the likes of eggplant parmesan and spaghetti and meatballs do yourself a favor and skip Amis. But if you are looking for a sophisticated Roman Italian food experience that one would expect only at a trattoria in Italy, then do yourself a favor and make yourself a reservation at Amis.

The Hungry Nomad- Amis

I was introduced to the fine italian cuisine of Marc Vetri after visiting Osteria very early in our time in Philly. Of course, Osteria blew us away and I had no doubt that Amis would too.  I had studied the menu prior to our visit like the food geek that I am and knew exactly what I wanted to try (see menu).  The Hungry Nomad- Amis

Antipasti- 

The night started off with bountiful glasses of red wine and a basket of fresh baked bread and cheese. As the cheesemonger that I am- I first ordered the baked pecorino.

The Hungry Nomad- Amis

The baked pecorino ($10) was, well…like the name states- baked.   Drizzled with almond honey with two slices of grilled bread. The salty flavor of the pecorino cheese, the sweet honey and crunchy almond made for a perfect dish. I could have had more of that all night and I would have left satisfied. But there was more… much more.

The Hungry Nomad- Amis The eggplant caponata ($8) was served inside of an eggplant. Chopped and cooked pieces of gooey eggplant, tomatoes, olive oil and more of that delicious bread.

The Hungry Nomad- Amis

The swordfish meatballs ($10) ( a first for me) is another popular item on the menu. Three pieces of fish balls served over creamy polenta and crunchy pine nuts. It was my least favorite dish of the evening (only because there were so many other tasty treats). 
DSC_0102 The fried cauliflower with pecorino and salsa rossa ($9) was a beautiful colorful serving of meaty cauliflower, fried and sprinkled generously with pecorino cheese and salsa rossa. I’ve been seeing a lot of cauliflower on menus these days and I have to say that it makes me happy. It’s such a beautiful vegetable and if cooked right can be absolutely delicious. The Hungry Nomad- Amis The charcuterie platter consisted of three different meats along with complimenting spreads. The pate and mortadella were my favorites. DSC_0108Pastas:

I was quite full by this point but could not resist trying some of the handmade pasta dishes offered at Amis. First off was the Paccheri with swordfish and eggplant fries ($18). What an amazing combination of flavors and textures. I rarely eat fish with pasta but the swordfish was so meaty and full of flavor. And there’s nothing I enjoy more than eggplant in any shape or form. The eggplant fries were such a wonderful additional to the pasta. Overall, I loved this creative pasta dish.

DSC_0112 We also ordered the pasta special for the evening which was a bucatini pasta with almond pesto and jalapenos peppers. I’ve never tasted something quite like it. I’m still dreaming of this dish. The bucatini was cooked to perfection in a creamy sauce with the added crunchy texture of the almonds and a spicy kick from the jalapenos. Simply amazing. DSC_0117

Dessert:

I know what you are thinking. This girl can eat! And yes I can because to me no meal is complete without a good dessert. And boy did Amis deliver in his category once again. I’m still dreaming of the rice pudding and the hazelnut chocolate cake special.

The “tartufo al bacio”  a round chocolate and hazelnut semifreddo with amarena cherries ($10) was perfection. DSC_0119 DSC_0126

The Tiramisu was perfection! Exactly what a tiramisu should be. Creamy yet light layers of mascarpone cheese, rum and espresso soaked lady fingers and bittersweet chocolate powder for taste. If you want to try the best tiramisu in town you should definitely try one at Amis. DSC_0121What really won me over was mom’s rice pudding ($8) and the hazelnut chocolate cake special. The rice pudding took me back to my own mom’s rice pudding she used to make when we were young. It was absolutely delicious. Milky and creamy topped with pistachios and amareno cherries. I highly highly highly recommend it.
DSC_0122 I was a kid in a candy store. Every single dessert plate was fantastic and absolutely the best dessert I’ve yet tasted in any restaurant (no exaggeration). The special for the evening was a hazelnut chocolate cake which let’s just say I singlehandedly polished clean. No words or photos will do justice to just how amazing this was. DSC_0124 As a lover of Nutella, anything that combines chocolate and hazelnut will win me over.  This cake was so decadent, so rich, so good. I hope they make it a regular part of their menu. Everyone deserves to taste a piece of heaven. DSC_0125
DSC_0129 DSC_0132 DSC_0134 DSC_0136And so with that our evening at Amis came to an end. Now I understand why Anthony Bourdain made a point to dine here on his two day trip to Philadelphia. It simply is one of the best Italian restaurants offering authentic Italian cuisine.

Amis on Urbanspoon

 

Continue Reading

Matyson- Rittenhouse Square (Philadelphia, USA)

Matyson is a small and elegant BYOB located in the Rittenhouse Square neighborhood serving new American cuisine. I had learned about the weekly tasting menu which showcases fresh local ingredients including a Lobster menu. However, we went on a Friday night where the tasting menu was not an option. The majority of the diners were over 50; although, later in the evening the clientele changed to a younger age bracket.

01-01-DSC_0053

The manageable one page menu had your standard meat dishes and several appetizers (see menu). We all had high expectations to start, having recently dined at the Farm and Fisherman where everything was perfect. Our meal at Matyson however, was quite anticlimactic.

07-07-DSC_0062

The appetizers consisted of the Veal Sweetbreads ($12)– a mix of veal, cauliflower, watercress, herbs, sweetbread and a creamy sauce. The Shaved Tuscan Kale ($10) was one of the highlights of the evening. A combination of shredded kale, quinoa, squash, pepitas, parmesan and oregano. It was a good kale salad but nothing extraordinary or original.

06-06-DSC_0061

I ordered the appetizer special- a lobster cannelloni roll served with squash and barley in a creamy sauce. The dish was a unique twist on a lobster roll and I thoroughly enjoyed it but was not blown away. 05-05-DSC_0059

Our table also ordered the Rock Octopus ($13)- a combination of potatoes, fennel, soffrito, and za’atar. The octopus was tender and blended well with all the other ingredients.

02-02-DSC_0054

For the entrees, we ordered the chicken, sea bass, beef cheeks and pork belly. A good range of all the meats in order to really be able to assess the food. Besides the beef cheeks which the Count thoroughly enjoyed, the rest of us were quite disappointed with our dishes (especially for the price per dish).

16-16-DSC_0075

The Braised Beef Cheeks ($26) came with dutch cabbage, beef tongue pastrami, mushrooms and greens in a thick gravy. The meat was very tender and juicy and the savory sauce made for a perfect combination.

15-15-DSC_0073

I ordered the Striped Sea Bass ($26) which was presented in 3 pieces in a vertical dish over a poppy seed gnocchi, hedgehog mushrooms, radish and crème fraiche. The bass was fried and extremely dry and fishy.

14-14-DSC_0072

The best part of the dish was the gnocchi- although even that was nothing special. I was so disappointed by my meal that I could not even finish it (even though I was still very hungry).

13-13-DSC_0070

The Berkshire Pork Belly ($26) was served with mustard greens, apple, charred scallion and black garlic. Our friend who had ordered the dish was not impressed either. For the price paid and the impeccable service we all expected an outstanding dining experience but instead were left quite underwhelmed.

12-12-DSC_006811-11-DSC_0066

The Lancaster County Chicken ($24) was served with sour cherries and crunchy farro.  The chicken ordered by my dearest friend was the worst dish of the night. We never order chicken at restaurants but after the outstanding experience at Farm and Fisherman (the chicken in hay) we decided that perhaps chicken was the way to go at a fine dining establishment. While it looked beautiful when presented it failed in everything else.

10-10-DSC_0065

The meat was very dry and flavorless and was definitely not worth the $24.  Again, a disappointed diner at our table.

09-09-DSC_0064

After our meal we really didn’t want to stick around for dessert. But the Count went ahead and ordered the Chocolate S’more ($9). It was a really nice way to end our meal as it was a delicious serving of chocolate cake, graham crackers and hazelnuts- and let’s face it who doesn’t love chocolate?

18-18-DSC_0078

At the end of our meal, we all decided that the best part of our dining experience was one or two of the appetizers. The Count however, who ordered the beef cheeks and kale salad, really enjoyed his meal and did not see why we were all left so disappointed with the experience. Frankly, our sentiments were that this place is hyped by reviewers on Yelp. There are countless numbers of amazing BYOB restaurants in Philadelphia serving exquisite dishes and Matyson did not measure up to many of them. Perhaps, the tasting menu is another experience- now I’ll never know.

Matyson on Urbanspoon

Continue Reading