Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Savoring Saigon: Pho 24

When: November 21, 2010

A trip to Vietnam will never be complete without trying its signature dish - phở! I could still remember my first taste of phở at Phở Hoa a few months ago. I fell in love with it, of course, even though the cilantro left an undesirable taste on my tongue. So, on our first night in Ho Chi Minh City, we absolutely came into agreement to try authentic phở in Phở 24.

 I saw the sign!

Phở 24 has a several branches scattered all over the city. The phở restaurants that are closer in proximity to our hotel are Phở 24 and Phở 2000, which are both located near Ben Thanh Market. We were apprehensive enough to try the phở inside Ben Thanh Market or those being sold at the night market outside Ben Thanh. My folks are not that adventurous enough to try street food much less in a foreign country.

Phở bò viên or phở with beef meat balls (45,000 VND or Php 112.50)

We all enjoyed our own variants of phở. My folks picked phở bò (beef phở), BF got phở gà (chicken phở) and I picked phở bò viên (phở with beef meat balls). Each order of phở  came with a plate filled with cilantro, basil, lime, chili, bean sprouts and onions.

Dessert: bánh flan or caramel flan

I love this creamy custard because it's not too sweet like our leche flan. Phở 24 also had a wide variety of fruit juices. Their pineapple juice was surprisingly superb as it came straight from fresh pineapple fruit and not from the can.

Courtesy of the friendly waiter

I couldn't help but noticed that the prices are budget-friendly compared to Vietnamese restaurants in Manila. Nothing beats eating phở in the land where it originated!

Phở 24
134 Le Thanh Ton Street (near Ben Thanh Market)
Ho Chi Minh City

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Savoring Saigon: Kim Cafe

When: November 21, 2010

On our first day at Ho Chi Minh City, we agreed to book a guided city tour for only USD 13/pax. We were picked up by a mini-coaster bus at 8:30 a.m. at the hotel and the tour was indeed a sensory overload that is Ho Chi Minh City. The entire tour was very entertaining  mainly because of the funny accent of our tour guide named Po. The tour includes a "limited lunch", which was aptly described as rice with pork and steamed vegetables, at Kim Cafe. The said cafe is very popular with backpackers in District 1 as it served low-priced yet authentic Vietnamese dishes and also offers package tours all around Vietnam and Cambodia.

We still felt full from our hotel's breakfast buffet so we decided to skip the limited lunch and have a light lunch instead. What's a light lunch? For us, it means Saigon bia (beer), gỏi cuốn (summer rolls) and bánh xèo (sizzling cake or popularly known as Vietnamese pancake).

Ma & Pa

Saigon bia and softdrinks

Since it was sweltering hot outside, I ordered Fanta orange. I suddenly remember my freshman year at St. Mary's School in CDO where I had my daily Fanta fix, only because it's the most popular softdrink then. Gone are those days.

Gỏi cuốn with lotsa lotsa peanut sauce!

I noticed that in Vietnamese restos in Manila, they usually give small amounts of peanut sauce for summer rolls.

Cholimex hot sauce

Our tour guide suggested that gỏi cuốn is best enjoyed with peanut sauce and hot sauce. I totally agree!
 



 
Saigon beer and summer rolls = perfect duo!

Bánh xèo (Vietnamese pancakes) with nuoc cham (Vietnamese fish sauce thinned with water and lemon)

I felt so healthy while eating this. I've been looking for some authentic bánh xèo in the metro for weeks now.
 
Ready for our next stop

Lunch at Kim Cafe was indeed a wonderful starter for our search for authentic Vietnamese fare. Good thing it's included in the package tour. Steaming bowls of phở were constantly delivered to the tables straight from the kitchen. The place has the same ambiance with our local carenderia here  in the Philippines, but the tourists clearly enjoyed the affordability and authenticity of this food joint. 

Kim Cafe
268 Dê Tham Street
Ho Chi Minh City

Monday, November 29, 2010

Savoring Saigon: Fanny Ice Cream

 When: November 24, 2010

After our delicious lunch at Lemongrass in Dong Khoi area, we continued exploring the city on foot. Since Vietnam and the Philippines are blessed with tropical climates, the best way to cool down is to have some ice cream, right? Mrs. Martinez, a famous lifestyle blogger, recommended this ice cream parlor when she learned that I'll be going to Ho Chi Minh City. It was such a huge relief on my part to just rely on other people's recommendation and most of them are significantly true to their words. Fanny Ice Cream  reportedly serves the best ice cream in town.

Lots of ice cream flavors

 Cute water pitcher and glasses

In Vietnam, it's almost mandatory that they serve complimentary green tea or water to the diners. I have to commend the staff for serving us bottomless ice-cold water during our brief stay. At first, we were cautious about drinking water served in the restos since we're in a foreign country. Good thing there's a convenience store similar to 7-11 right infront of our hotel where we buy our daily supply of bottled water. :)
 
My choice: chili chocolate or chocolat piment (26,000 VND or Php 58.47)

I didn't regret ordering this unique flavor. I happened to love the exciting combination of sweet chocolate and the spicy kick of chili. I can easily compare it with FIC brand in the Philippines due to the rich flavor. It  also reminds me of my new favorite wasabi ice cream in Yaku at The Podium.

 Folks enjoying kem sura (ice cream)

 Mama's choice: durian or sau rieng (28, 000 VND or Php 62.97)

 Papa's choice: passion fruit sorbet (24,000 VND or Php 53.98)

BF's choice: rum raisins or rum nho (28, 000 VND or Php 62.97)

I'd say you'll get giddy if you order rum raisins. The alcohol content in it will make you eat a bit more slowly than the usual.

 Kem sura lovers unite!

Two thumbs up for Fanny

Even with just one scoop, it's more than enough to tell that Fanny is certainly one of the best ice creams I've had in my life. Armed with a city map and pen and paper, we were able to find this quiet ice cream spot in District 1. Never hesitate to ask the locals in case you get lost since they are most helpful in finding the exact spot. :)

Fanny Ice Cream
29-31 Ton That Thiep Street, District 1
Ho Chi Minh City
(beside Temple Club resto)

Savoring Saigon: Lemongrass Vietnamese Cuisine

When: November 24, 2010

Prior to our HCMC getaway, I've been browsing travel guides for gastronomic adventures in the city. I was totally hooked to the travellers-slash-foodies' recommendations that I almost suffered from Vietnamese cuisine info overload. We made sure that we sampled authentic Vietnamese food since it's predominantly vegetarian owing to the Buddhist values. And since my family are certified veggie lovers, we definitely made the most logical choice to go food tripping. 


On our last day in HCMC, we had our lunch at Lemongrass, a seemingly hip but homey resto that serves Vietnamese cuisine. We were seated comfortably at the 2nd floor and the crew were all friendly and polite. We noticed that we were the only Asians dining in the resto. Most of them are Europeans who are trying out the ubiquitous phở.

The menu

Wacky folks

Papa & his guava juice (49,000 VND or Php 110.20)

In Vietnam, one will never get disappointed with fruit juices. One little sip and you can immediately tell it was made from fresh fruit hence very refreshing.

Dragon fruit juice (49, 000 VND or Php 110.20) and iced tea (10,000 VND or Php 22.50)


Their iced tea was more of cold herbal tea. If you're used to sweet iced tea, then this one's not for you.

Complimentary prawn crackers

In less than ten minutes, our orders arrived piping hot! Just looking at the pictures now made me oh-so hungry.

BF's pick: Grilled skewer seafood with satay (99,000 VND or Php 222.65)

Steamed rice in a big bowl (19,000 VND or Php 42.75)

My order: rice-vermicelli with sauteed beef and onion (89,000 VND or Php 200.16)

This was the best Vietnamese meal I've had! This dish is to die for! The beef strips were very tender and flavorful and the vegetables on the side are so fresh and crunchy. The sauce is similar to our fish sauce (patis) with sugar and chili bits. Try sprinkling some sauce to the noodles to fully enjoy the complete burst of flavors in your mouth.

Mama's order: rice-vermicelli soup with fish (69,000 VND or Php 155.18)

Note that this dish has the same garnishes as phở: cilantro, basil, lime, bean sprouts, onions and peppers.

Papa's order: fried rice with seafood in clay pot (119,000 VND or Php 267.63)



One hungry tummy indeed
 
Post-lunch pics

After settling our bill, BF and I stayed for a while for some camwhoring. My folks went out to buy some Communist T-shirts as souvenirs just outside the resto. Ho Chi Minh is a city that surely tantalizes one's taste buds. You'll never run out of choices whether you love Chinese, Italian or French cuisine because the city is filled with bustling restos ranging from budget to splurge categories. Lemongrass, for instance, is classified by Wikitravel as mid-range.

Lemongrass
4 Nguyen Thiep Street
Ho Chi Minh City
(near Saigon Opera House in Dong Khoi)

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Another Super Slow Long Weekend

When: October 30-November 1, 2010 

I suppose this blog is a living document of my daily activities. Well, almost.  It keeps me in check. And so I go. So here's how my recent long weekend fared along. I feel old and young all at once, but mostly young. My "young" feeling comes somewhat from the fact that I am happy to share pictures which made me smile somehow. Or is it the other way around? In real life, I'm old, that's why I took delight in cheap thrills? Geez, I don't know. :)

Our pet cat Tisoy is such a sleepyhead. Here, he seemed so peaceful and comfortable catching some zzz's in my sister's lap. Plans to tickle him at his most vulnerable state were aplenty!


Durian love! FYI, I love durian. It's an acquired taste, really. The whole family loves durian. And I feel sorry for those people who can't stand its smell.


Oh, puh-leez, enough with McDo's Twister Fries craze.  It's time to go back to pizza fries. :)


Gave some TLC to my recent and not-so-recent book haul. A roll of plastic that cost Php 30 covered these thirteen (13) books. Pretty cool and, yes, a nerdy side of me.


An impromptu walking tour to Tomas Morato was rewarded with Cherry Garcia! I literally squealed with delight when I saw this yummy pint in Rustan's Supermarket at Il Terrazo. Memories of Ben & Jerry's ice cream parlor in Barracks Road rushed in. It was fun reminiscing how we discovered this ice cream and, since then, it became our mutual favorite.


For a pricey ice cream, I must have a souvenir shot. Hahaha! 


When we got home, we stuffed ourselves with Mama's version of spaghetti with (cute) meatballs. I had two platefuls. Argh.


Family, love, food, books, good health and prayers to departed souls. That's my long weekend. I still feel old and young. :)

Monday, November 1, 2010

The Original Singapore Chicken Rice

When: October 28, 2010



Truth to tell, I'm not a big fan of Singaporean food except laksa. True to my on-going quest to try affordable yet authentic Singaporean  fare, I gave the cuisine another try. This time, it's at The Original Singapore Chicken Rice. 

Mama and I got curious of this simple-looking restaurant in the unnoticed portion of Shopwise Arcade. My description may be so lame, but the food there is really worth a try. The best thing about our dinner? It's pretty affordable and a nice alternative from the fastfood chains in the area.

White chicken rice meal - "cool" moist white chicken and "warm" flavorful chicken rice served with a tangy special sweet chili sauce and Singapore achara (Php 95)

I enjoyed my white chicken rice. The  chicken rice wasn't as flavorful as I'd hoped, though. It's sort of a miracle for me to say that, considering my not-so-good white chicken rice (or Singapore chicken rice) experience in the past with the BF. Click here and here. 

Nasi lemak (menu says: a unique breakfast and excellent merienda) - premium rice cooked in cooconut cream served with crispy dilis, sweet crunchy nuts, a slice of omelet and a special sweet chili sauce (Php 35)

You bet, it's only Php 35! Mama had this and I can tell that she ordered this to satisfy her curious self. You have to mix all the ingredients together to fully enjoy the nasi lemak. I find it weird, sorry. :)

The Original Singapore Chicken Rice (near Lapid Dental Center and Booksale)
Gen. Roxas Avenue
Araneta Center

Monday, October 25, 2010

My Looooong Weekend in Pictures

When: October 22-25, 2010

Just so you know, my long weekend started last Friday. Since October 25 has been declared as a special non-working holiday to give way to Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections, I called in sick last Friday to fully enjoy my long weekend. Again, I didn't exercise my right of suffrage. As much as I want to spend the long weekend  in any tourist destination, that chance seemed elusive nowadays. Gotta save for an upcoming vacay!

My long weekend focuses on cheap thrills and random things that made me smile. It's basically life on the slow lane. Or calories and forgetting my vow not to munch on deep-fried.

Red Ribbon's crispy chicken with mango barbecue sauce

I had crispy chicken meal (pictured above) for dinner last Thursday. It's not officially part of the long weekend but, heck, it's a new discovery. I can proudly say I can cook much better than that! So I moved to another search for good fried chicken the next day. I found it at KFC with its newest  chicken variant - Chili Lime chicken (see below). Spicy yet citrusy. Okay, I'll say this to capture it all - it was finger lickin' good! :)

KFC's Chili Lime Chicken

Then came my obligatory trip to the mall with my nephew on Friday nights. Two things that make us both happy are: (1) latest K-Zone mag and (2) DQ's moolatte. What made him happier was that the latest K-Zone featured his fave cartoon hero, Ben 10. At my age, I still read K-Zone to keep me updated of the kiddie world. Hahaha!

Ben 10 + DQ = silencio

Then off to Empanada Nation we went for dinner. It was my second time to visit this familiar stall along Roces Street. This time, the BF went with us and had our bagnet (fried pork belly) fix. I'm not very much familiar with bagnet and the KBL that comes with it. Hmmmm, Marcos? No, KBL means kamatis (tomato), bagoong (shrimp paste) and lasong (small onions).

Bagnet with red egg, garlic rice and KBL

And of course, I can't simply refuse not to taste (again) the famous Ilocos empanada. I think I hoarded enough fat in my body for just one day. Shame.


Saturday was junk food & movie day with siblings Ivan & Nikki, nephew Dave and my one and only sis-in-law She. Thank God for this generous H & W tandem for the movie treat. The movie house roared in laughter at Vice Ganda's punch lines. He was undeniably hilarious! :)

Funnier than the original (remember when?)

Also, my sis Nikki and I had a mini-food fest at Shopwise Arcade food alley. Looking at the picture now makes me sick. Lucky us, no embarrasing public lavatory trip right after.

Blueberry danish, siomai, scramble and tuna kani panini

I'm a sucker for souvenir shots. Those orange pumpkins were too cute to ignore.

 My HH 2010 souvenir pic at Trinoma Mall (big thanks to my buddy Princess)

After window-shopping and exchanging stories, we decided to go cheapo by eating at Mister Donut. Hahaha! Oh, who would've thought that Mister Donut has good penne pasta? I must say that it was very al dente, cheesy and affordable.

 Baked tomato and sausage penne (Php 60 -beat that!) and Belgian choco lava (Php 30)

Okay, enough with gastronomy. Something new now.

 My super mouth telephone!

Here's something lovely amidst my random reads over the long weekend. A single red rose from the BF in honor of our 16th monthsary (October 24). Cheesy, I know. *huge grin*

*sigh*

Wow, I'm starting to sort of enjoy slow-paced, long weekends! :)