I’ve got a bit of a travelling husband. So earlier this week, instead of sitting around at my dining table on my own, I decided to take myself out for a proper meal at a proper restaurant. Could have been fairly boring, but thankfully wasn’t!
Vietnam is a foodie’s paradise. Seafood, pork, chicken, chilli, shallots, basil, mint, lemongrass, chives, coriander, dill, garlic, lemon, cucumber, carrots, cabbage, lettuce, beansprouts, sesame seeds a plenty. Simple flavours combined beautifully. Wrapped in banana leaves, or rolled in rice paper, or thrown into a lovely broth with every kind of noodle, or stuffed in a pancake or bread or dumpling. Fried, steamed, grilled, or simmered. Served up fresh and inviting and bursting with flavour. To be drizzled with or dunked in fish sauce, chilli sauce, or soy sauce. My mouth’s watering just remembering all those many many superb meals. Some at a busy street crossing, some by the river on little stools and tables that reminded me of childrens’ tea parties, some in cafes adorned with traditional colourful lanterns.
Here’s my list of Vietnamese food you must try if you visit :)
Burger craving satisfied. And how! The Hoxton Grill has come up in conversation a number of times in the last few months, but I never got around to going to it somehow, so when it was suggested as a probable dinner destination for an impromptu catch up with peeps from my previous workplace, I was thrilled.
Yesterday I spent 2 hours out of the office eating 3 pieces of falafel. Gorgeous looking falafel I have to say. But that’s about it. A colleague’s farewell lunch at Exmouth Market ended up at the Mediterranean Sade.
Friday night was Mexican night. My friend and I decided to check out the Soho scene and picked El Camion after a fair amount of research and menu comparing! I have to admit it wasn’t our first preference, but we could reserve a table there, unlike at a number of other places in the area. The website gave off a friendly and relaxed vibe, and we were looking forward to a good night out.