At a little outdoor cafe not far from the mouth of our alley, O. digs intoa a steaming bowl of canh bahn da ca ro, the fish soup that isn't fishy
because it's made with meat broth. The small fish are deep-fried and crispy,
very mild. They're added at the last minute almost as a garnish.
The broth is light, but complex, probably a combination of chicken,
pork, and beef. Deeply flavorful and satisfying, especially on these cold days.
BTW: you can tell this place is upscale by the fact that they have a
trash basket under the table. Most street places you throw your napkins
and other trash on the ground.
Lots of greens and thick fettuccine-style noodles. Gotta love the Avril Lavignetable protector. Very common at these little cafes.
A few squeezes of lime, a big spoonful of chile paste. Yum!The puffy sticks of fried dough make great croutons.
Of course, mere chile paste is not enough, so there are fresh chiles, anda staple condiment everywhere here: garlic and chiles marinated
in vinegar. All these tastes come together to make a lovely meal.
For about a buck apiece.
P.
4 comments:
I've just finished breakfast but after looking at your yummy meal photo's I'm ready for a good Vietnamese lunch! Everything looks so fresh and colorful.
Since I didn't know anything about Arvil below is short update for all those interested.
Avril Lavigne has pushed back her album release because she can't work with her former husband.
The 'Girlfriend' singer - who filed for divorce from Sum-41 rocker Deryck Whibley in October last year - is reportedly struggling to finish her new album 'Pink Crust', because he is producing the record and their split is causing tensions in the studio.
A source told the Toronto Sun newspaper: "The uglier it gets in court, the uglier it gets in the studio. The first eight songs, Avril and Deryck worked with a lot of love and it came easy. But there's three or four more to do and they just aren't feeling it.
"It'll be a terrific album if they can put this aside for a month or so and concentrate on what matters - the music."
The pair are now reportedly planning a tentative production schedule in order to get the album back on track in order for it to be released within the coming months.
Avril, 25, is said to be unhappy that Deryck has demanded spousal support and under Californian law has to divide her money fairly.
The singer - who married Deryck in July 2006 - previously insisted their break-up was amicable.
She wrote on her blog: "Deryck and I have been together for six-and-a-half years. We have been friends since I was 17, started dating when I was 19, and married when I was 21. I admire Deryck and have a great amount of respect for him. Deryck and I are moving forward on a positive note."
Looks deeelich! What is the oil/fat base that they typically use? Is there a variation on Ghee in these parts?
My instinct is to turn my nose up/or palatte when they start mixing the meats and fish but done the way you describe sure makes it sound good. Charles Phan has opened a restaurant in the Academy of Sciences and we had the Pho there...it was pretty darned tasty..lots and lots of raw green chillies made it just right!
This looks much more interesting than the much more expensive Pho I had last night in Redwood City.
Howard - now I have the 411 on Avril; if she comes up in Trivial Pursuit, I am set. Thanks for the info. And yeah, the ingredients in most of the dishes here are ultra fresh. We likey :)
Eileen - no ghee that I have found - very little butter either. The Vietnamese diet is very low fat. Might use a bit of vegetable oil in stir-frys, but that's about it.
Michele - You'd love the Pho here...yummy.
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