Eating My Way Through Vietnam

I am an expert at combining the pleasures and passion of food and travel. In fact, it’s my job. From prosciutto and pasta in Italy to tapas and tortillas in Spain, I’ve eaten my way through many hill towns and villages. While life on the culinary road is never boring, it was time to try something new. I needed an inspiration. Asia beckoned. But not Thailand or China. No, those culinary byways have already been explored. It was Vietnam that called to me. So I gathered a group of like-minded adventurers and we hit the gastronomic road and took off for what is soon to be one of the hot travel destinations for food lovers.

First stop, Hanoi. Teaming with cars, rickshaws, and people there is no doubt you have stepped into another culture. The sounds are different; the feel is different, and oh yes, the smells are nothing like what we Westerners are used to. On every corner, there is a street kitchen; each specializing in a different dish. Locals rest on their haunches, holding a bowl of steaming soup or noodles to their mouths. Men share green tea at low tables, sitting on what look to be children’s stools. It’s all I can do not to stop and try the local dishes, but we have diligently read our travel books and know that it would be dangerous to sample food from these roadside cafes.

As I always do in a new city or country, I head to the market to get a feel for the local cuisine and culture. One stand specializes in making rice paper, another in fruits and vegetables. I see exotic produce that I’ve never encountered before…dragon fruit with its bright red spires; Rambutan, which looks like a hairy lichee. Then there are the bowls of squirming eels and exotic fish. Chicken is nowhere to be found as the country had to slaughter most of its poultry due to the outbreak of bird flu.

We had our first taste of Vietnamese cuisine that night at one of Hanoi’s best restaurants. Located on the second story of a former French villa, the Emperor is like walking into another world with its temple style dining room. We were served one delicious course after another; in fact, it was a little difficult getting used to the rapidity with which the waiters delivered the meal. The staff must have thought we were crazy when one member of our group asked them to “slow down!” But we were soon to learn that bringing several courses to the table at once is the Vietnamese way. It was the perfect introduction to Vietnamese cuisine—wonton soup, fresh spring rolls, grilled tiger prawn, grilled beef in Betel leaves, steamed grouper in sauce and fried Water Morning Glory with garlic. Dinner ended as most do, with fresh tropical fruits.

I just couldn’t wait to try my hand at Vietnamese cuisine and I had my chance the next day at the Sofitel Metropole’s renowned cooking school. We were met outside the hotel by the sous chef, who handed us traditional conical hats to wear. After boarding individual rickshaws we headed for the main market to shop for our ingredients. Then it was back to the kitchen to prepare a Vietnamese feast: grilled chicken skewers with lemon leaves, banana flower salad, Hanoi deep-fried spring rolls, sautéed pumpkin branches with garlic, steamed ca qua fish with beer and herbs, and marinated pork grilled in bamboo! The lesson was mostly demonstration but we all had a chance to practice rolling the spring rolls. I was surprised at how easy and delicious the recipes were. A generous tasting followed the lesson. As we were led out of the kitchen, we noticed the blackboard where the menu for a state dinner for the King of Cambodia was posted. We were surprised to learn that lunch at the restaurant was also included (we thought the tasting was the lunch and definitely had filled us up!)

From Hanoi, we traveled north to Halong Bay which is famous for its thousands of monolithic limestone islands. The best way to tour the bay is by junk; these traditional boats with colorful sails dot the water and take passengers among the islands on an incredible two day journey. One of the highlights of the trip was pulling up to a floating village where we visited a family who lives on the water and makes their living by fishing its waters. Meals on the junk featured the freshest seafood you’ve ever tasted. My favorite was crab, simply steamed, served with a paste made of garlic, salt and lime. I couldn’t eat enough of it!

After Halong we flew to Hoi An, a charming riverside town known for the 18th century pagodas, houses and assembly halls built by Chinese immigrants. What I will always remember about the Hoi An is the smell of incense. All along the streets shop owners burn incense and place offerings of food outside their homes and businesses. The town is magical at night, with folk music and lanterns paving the way down its pedestrian-only streets.

The culinary highlight of Hoi An was our visit to Tra Que. This tiny little village is known for its fresh vegetables, which are found in markets all over the country. A guide took us into the fields where we met a local farmer, Tuan, who explained ancient ways of farming vegetables (without pesticides). We were then guests at his house for lunch which featured cold Vietnamese beer (fantastic) and a dish which is only served in Tra Que for special guests called Tam Huu. It’s a type of spring roll with fresh mint, tiny shrimp, and local vegetables. Tuan and his family were delightful; especially the grandmother who giggled and stared at us, telling her son that Westerners looked so different. In addition to farming the family sells handcrafted pillows which are stuffed with an herb to help you sleep. We bought several to bring home to family and friends.

Of course we had to visit the Hoi An market and by this part of the trip I knew what I needed: nuoc mam (fish sauce and the key ingredient in Vietnamese cuisine), spring roll seasoning, and maybe one of those special knives they use to carve up the banana flowers for banana flower salad. I decided the knife wouldn’t pass security but stocked up on fish sauce. We went from the market to a charming restaurant on the banks of the Thu Bon river where we had a private hands-on cooking lesson featuring an array of traditional dishes. I began to be most impressed by the delicate flavors of Vietnamese cuisine, its contrasting textures and the use of fresh vegetables. It really is the healthiest Asian cuisine.

Our journey ended in Saigon where we enjoyed a half day cooking lesson at the Vietnam Cookery Center. Located in a Saigon residential area, the school’s interior features a traditional Vietnamese kitchen along with individual cooking stations for students. A lively lecture about Vietnamese food and tradition preceded our session, in which we learned to cook spring rolls, sour soup with snake fish, steamed rice in coconut juice, and dipping sauce. Each student ate what they cooked; cold Vietnamese beer was available at an extra cost.

We left Saigon at night, boarding our flight to Narita around midnight. I had packed my market goodies in my carry-on as I always do— this time instead of olive oil and Chianti I was bringing home nuoc mam, spring roll seasoning, incense, & chili sauce. But when we went through the x-ray machine there was a problem. Three security officers wanted to search my bag. What could they possibly be looking for? As they conferred and searched they seemed to have found the culprit…the bottle of fish sauce. They were saying something to me I didn’t understand. They took my fish sauce! Finally someone who spoke English explained that they were checking to make sure it was sealed and wrapped before I was allowed to bring it onboard. It seems there have been more than a few visitors to Vietnam who tried to bring back fish sauce in unsealed bottles and the resulting spill and odor was so pungent it made people sick on the airplane. Convinced that my bottle was properly bagged and sealed, I was allowed to bring the treasure with me. It now occupies an important place in my kitchen cabinet and is essential to the Vietnamese recipes I love to share with friends.
Tagged with
food, travel,
cooking