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Post by hwinpp on Jul 10, 2010 4:46:08 GMT
Just some pics. I was there only from Sunday until Wednesday and I had to work on Tuesday ;D The arrival was marked by my visit to my favourite bun bo hue restaurant Breakfast the next morning here, pork rice noodle soup This gets you going, VN coffee Day trip to My Tho in the Mekong Delta Sand barge Unripe long ans Avocados, rose apples, bananas, rambutans, green mangoes, mangosteens and durians Getting ready for the short rowing boat ride Through the fruit orchards on the canals Morning wash Mud, mud, glorious mud Lunch, elephant ear fish spring rolls, DIY Last dinner with friends, banana flower salad with fried eel VN style roast pork knuckle Deep fried pork ribs Fish head steam boat To me a novel way of serving, no individual dips but big communal ones If anybody is in Saigon soon, the restaurant I had above dinner at is called Lau Riew Ca Chep and it's in the newish 3A area on the river. Pretty stylish, lots of bars and other food options.
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Post by bixaorellana on Jul 10, 2010 5:24:02 GMT
And that was a pretty stylish presentation, HW ~~ very nice indeed! You really took some beautiful pictures. I love the graceful woman serving soup in the 2nd photo, but the series of three: Through the fruit orchards on the canals, morning wash, and Mud, mud, glorious mud were gorgeous, classically timeless photographs. My gosh, the food ~~ you must have been in heaven! What was the best? The shrimp soup, the banana flower/eel salad, and the roast pork knuckle are all calling my name. What are long ans, please? Also, in your picture of the fruit at the market, are the red ones circled in black the rose apples, & the fuchsia-circled fruit the mangosteen? I know a fruit called rose apple, but it's very different.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 10, 2010 5:50:56 GMT
The king of Asian food porn returns!
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Post by dahuffy on Jul 11, 2010 1:55:13 GMT
I've heard that Durian fruit is,shall I say,interesting?
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Post by imec on Jul 11, 2010 17:44:32 GMT
Thanks to bixa for pointing me here!! Vietnam is going on my must visit list. The food looks incredible!! Thanks for this hw!
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Post by Deleted on Jul 11, 2010 18:06:31 GMT
I was checking the cost of visas recently, and they just keep going up and up. However, I saw that a few countries are now exempted from visas, so I suppose there is hope. Do you have a multiple entry visa, hwinpp, and/or does it not even matter since your employer is paying?
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Post by bixaorellana on Jul 11, 2010 20:40:41 GMT
Ahhh, Imec ~~ you'll want to delve deeply into HW's posts in all the Asia boards. They're all beautiful and informative, and I think every single one contains food, glorious food, prepared and also in its natural state. A teensy glimpse chosen at random from an HW thread: Better go look for it!
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Post by imec on Jul 11, 2010 20:44:28 GMT
Actually I've seen most of them and look forward to new ones - I'm surprised I missed this one.
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Post by hwinpp on Jul 12, 2010 4:59:59 GMT
The problem with posting on a Saturday is that I only can come back to respond on Monday Very difficult question. I think I'd probably go for the very first noodle soup, right at the top of the thread, before the shrimp noodles. Long An: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LonganThose on the tree were still green. What you go for is a large size with a small seed. It litterally means 'dragon's eye' because of the seed ;D What you circled on the left is what I called 'rose apples'. Not sure that's the correct translation though. What I mean is this one: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syzygium_samarangenseOn the right top, that's mangosteen. My favourite. A lot of people don't see a middle path regarding durians. I like them but only when they're in season. I won't be paying 3 or 4USD/kg for them.... something my girlfriend does And thanks to Imec for the thanks. VN is definitely worth a visit. I manage to go 3 or 4 times a year and I love it every time. Visas are on the expensive side, at least compared with other SEA countries. But Jack, you could get one online if you don't feel like paying the embassy a visit. They're good if you're flying in and are cheaper than those that you get in advance.
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Post by bixaorellana on Jul 12, 2010 5:24:50 GMT
The problem with posting on a Saturday is that I only can come back to respond on Monday But SO worth waiting for! I guess my google finger was broken -- thanks for the long an link. They're lychees! I love those. They're grown in Veracruz and available here part of the year. I had no idea how the tree looked or how they grew. The rose apples, mangosteens, and (maybe) durian are still in my tasting future. I didn't realize until going back through the pictures that all the rowing captains are women. Where did you all go on the rowboats?
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Post by hwinpp on Jul 12, 2010 8:10:37 GMT
Bixa, it was a very touristy 'See the Mekong Delta in 1 Day' kinda tour. But because we were there for only 3 days we decided to try it, at 9USD a pop not too bad and it included lunch (though not the elephant ear fish). The row boat womwn just rowed us around on those little canals for 30 minutes then we returned to the mother ship. Long an are actually not lychees. They might be related but they're quite distinct. If you try durian you should start with the less ripe fruit. They aren't as pungent and creamy so they're easier to try. Only then may you proceed to the very ripe ones and try that mixture of strawberries and garlic
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Post by Deleted on Jul 13, 2010 17:03:35 GMT
So much yummy food! Mangoes are my favorite fruit.
hw, what is all that sand doing in the middle of the river? What will it be used for?
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Post by Deleted on Jul 13, 2010 17:14:16 GMT
Sand is generally used to make concrete, no?
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Post by hwinpp on Jul 14, 2010 1:49:24 GMT
Yes.
This particular sand that's (officially) not being taken, will probably stay in the domestic market (if not it might go to Singapore). It's not enough to be filling a lake in Phnom Penh that's being redeveloped (I couldn't take photos of that dredger, it's huge and guarded).
What gives me a warm feeling is that the houses of the owners of the sand robbers are all on the river and falling into the Mekong Sorry, D! I thought this was the Phnom Penh thread!
So please ignore what I wrote above, it's probably exactly as Jack says!
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Post by Don Cuevas on Jul 15, 2010 10:00:09 GMT
Oh, I love these photos of Vietmanese foods. I'd come visit, but it's so far, and we dislike hot, humid places.
Litchis were for sale on the street in Ziracuarétiro, Michoacán, México last Sunday. $35 MXN the kilo. USD $2.76 Avocados, of course at $26 MXN the kilo. Ziracua is in the heart of avocado growing country.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 15, 2010 15:21:17 GMT
Noted, hw. I do the same thing too.
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Post by hwinpp on Sept 22, 2010 7:46:18 GMT
Continuation, I was in Saigon last week, just for three days. Again on business but with quite a bit of free time. I think I'll post all these trips into this one thread. The trip started here, a little coffee shop right opposite the bus station. Usually quite packed, standard fare. The bus stop is right next to Orussey Market, a huge 2 or 3 storey building. I was intrigued by this. New signs of building at the Mekong ferry Seems to be some sort of shrine The river is swollen In Bavet, dusty border urban sprawl with casinos lining the road
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Post by Deleted on Sept 22, 2010 16:33:50 GMT
I find these photos continually fascinating, especially all of the things that I have not seen for myself.
How long does the land border crossing take between Vietnam and Cambodia? I know that people used to complain a lot about the hours wasted, especially since Phnom Penh and Saigon are only something like 240 km. Have things relaxed? Or maybe you have a super duper permanent Vietnamese visa and a fast lane?
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Post by hwinpp on Sept 23, 2010 18:41:02 GMT
I wish I had a 1 year multi entry. It's no worth it though. Costs something like 240$, a normal single entry costs 33$. So if I go 5 times per year Im only paying around 165 with single entries. But the border stuff is now very efficient. The same bus takes you back on on the VN side. If everything goes well, it takes 5 1/2 hours for the whole trip. That means your bus has to arrive at Neak Luong for the ferry over the Mekong as it discharges all the other cars and you have to be the first bus to arrive at the border, or at least not have other busses immediately in front of you. Will post more tomorrow, its 1.40am here, I'm in Siem Reap until Saturday for work...
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Post by hwinpp on Sept 24, 2010 5:14:07 GMT
Ok, here goes, finally, onwards from the border crossing into Saigon and the first dinner! ;D A cao dai temple in Tay Ninh province. Posted this already in Ilbonito's thread. These are very small compared to the Holy Sea, they're everywhere in that province. San Mig and pho, good combination, unfortunately I'm still in the bus ;D Motorbike saddle repair specialist Ahh, dinner with three good friends, the first part of a goat hotpot dinner, the works! 1. the BBQ, in this case goat udder, my friends say goat tit... Note the original, classic coke bottle, still available in VN 2. Intermediate stage with goat salad Then the deluge, every evening without fail, ends around 10pm though 3. The hotpot stage Lack of space on the table, the ingredients Filled to the brim, never seen this vegetable anywhere but Cambodia and Vietnam, seems to belong to the celery family from the taste... could also be related to parsley? The claypot keeps getting replenished, making the soup richer and tastier, now includes young bamboo and fried taro And lastly, the filler, yellow noodles And the glorious next morning, waiting for breakfast at my favourite corner shop on Pham Ngu Lao
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Post by Deleted on Sept 24, 2010 5:24:20 GMT
The park on Pham Ngu Lao is looking better. I hope people have stopped shitting on the sidewalk on the park side.
What is the flat pancake thing in the first two hotpot photos? Is that the fried taro or something else? I have never seen that before, at least not on my own table.
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Post by hwinpp on Sept 24, 2010 7:47:02 GMT
I'd seen it but never ordered it. It's a flat, dried rice cracker with black seeds. I think they're black onion seeds? Or is it black poppy seeds? Not sure. Quite tasty in its own right but utilized as a filler. Have to interrupt continuing here, just had a great Indian lunch. Catch it on the 'What's for dinner thread'.
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Post by bixaorellana on Sept 25, 2010 3:56:54 GMT
Finally getting to look at the new pictures in this thread ........ I want to be there!!! Fabulous photos, as always. I think you posted those coiled flowers on the food board. Are they a type of water lily? Big, wide river -- probably pretty treacherous right now. Do you know what the upright yellow things on either side of that temple door represent? The architecture of the temple in #19 is pretty amazing, but maybe not as amazing as the almost solid array of electrical cables in the two photos right after it. Yikes! And now for the really good part ~~ the goat feast! I guess that's a charcoal brazier in the middle of the table, right? What is that killer red sauce right in front of the classic Coke? Yum. I love the pic of your friends snatching everything out of the path of the rain, and the photo after that is just a wonderful bit of picture-taking -- the red, the green, the dripping water, the reflections -- nice. Is that some kind of giant basil leaf in the hot pot? Is there any chance the mystery greens are mizuna? When I saw the last photo of the hot pot I wanted to burst into song. What a perfect evening -- rain, hot food, good friends. The next morning does indeed look glorious, all washed clean. Super report, HW, even if it made me jealous.
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Post by hwinpp on Sept 25, 2010 4:44:47 GMT
More on Monday, everybody, when I'm back in PP. Going for lunch now ( ), then going back by flying van. Noice weekend!
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Post by hwinpp on Sept 29, 2010 5:15:12 GMT
Ok, not Monday but Wednesday ;D Being the weekend before the Mooncake Festival, these shops were everywhere One of the huge but unknown markets Forgot at first why I'd taken this shot... the ducks in the background Snacks Guess where I went for lunch (D5, Cholon, just around the corner from Nguyen Bieu St)? Wait for the final dinner, hot pot of course... with an intriguing name, 'Jumping Fish'! LOL! Just noticed the address of the Quan An Noodle House is on their signboard. Very good Cantonese cuisine!
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Post by Deleted on Sept 29, 2010 16:38:11 GMT
Fabulous as always. Actually, I only have been to Cholon once. It did not seem to have anything "special" as far as I was concerned, I mean compared to the rest of Saigon, so after my first trip there, I never found a reason to return. (Actually I would like to see the big Cholon market again.)
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Post by bixaorellana on Sept 30, 2010 0:36:30 GMT
In the second photo -- "One of the huge but unknown markets" -- is that an indoor market surrounded by many stands?
Did you take mooncakes home with you, or is that coals to Newcastle?
I feel a deep yearning towards that noodle house!
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Post by hwinpp on Sept 30, 2010 3:18:32 GMT
Fabulous as always. Actually, I only have been to Cholon once. It did not seem to have anything "special" as far as I was concerned, I mean compared to the rest of Saigon, so after my first trip there, I never found a reason to return. (Actually I would like to see the big Cholon market again.) Hmm, I'm guilty of not stopping there either. I head to Cholon only because I've two clients there, both are near the noodle shop that I like ;D But I do think I've driven around the big Cholon market once... In the second photo -- "One of the huge but unknown markets" -- is that an indoor market surrounded by many stands? Did you take mooncakes home with you, or is that coals to Newcastle? I feel a deep yearning towards that noodle house! The market is quite big and there are stands around it. I've passed it lots of times but never stopped. Interesting is that 'cho' means market. It's the same 'cho' that's in Cholon. So Cholon means Lon market. Now it applies to the original Chinatown part of Saigon, though the actual Chinatown is much bigger, practically covers the whole of D5. I did take mooncakes back to PP, it is indeed a bit like coals to Newcastle, but not quite. They have a couple of fillings that are nicer in Saigon, so I take only those. They come in nice boxes of four and cost about 7USD. I've nearly finished all now, only have some Cambodian ones with lotus paste/ salt egg yolk filling. The restaurant is great, I always place my appointment so that I can have lunch there ;D
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Post by hwinpp on Oct 1, 2010 8:07:48 GMT
Ok, last pics from this trip. Jumping fish hotpot, some of the veggies Appetizers, the fish fried Fried chicken The sauces And the fish, after it had stopped jumping (there were lots more of course, not just one) More veggies and fresh rice noodles Back to district 1 over wet streets Looking back onto Bui Vien (Jack won't recognize the place!) On the Viet side of the border Looking over to Cambodia Back on the Mekong, and the reason why it took so long... 1 ferry conked out Two more hours to PP ;D
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Post by bixaorellana on Oct 1, 2010 16:15:33 GMT
Awww ~~ it's over. As always, your reports make me really want to see that part of the world .... and eat the food! How long does it usually take once you get on the ferry to get to Phnom Penh? Were the fried fish smaller versions of the ones that got put into the hot pot? I had an intense Pavlovian reaction to the sight of those sauces. Do you know how to make any of them?
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