Is it possible to get sick of caramel chicken? I'm doubtful, but I gave it a rest for a day in Ho Chi Minh City to find out more about Hue cuisine at Dong Pho Quan Hue restaurant. Located next door to mine and Anthony Bourdain's favourite rice-throwing restaurant, Com … [Read more...] about Hue Cuisine at Dong Pho Quan Hue Restaurant
Restaurant Reviews
Top Ten Foods in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam: Home to Winter, and One Last Shaved Ice
There are these handy tools here in Vietnam for crushing ice. You hold a huge chunk of ice in your hand (like a 1990ès cellphone size) and then whack it with a flat-bottomed mallet. The ice shatters. Voila, Vietnamese shaved ice. That's what I've been doing with the ice I make, … [Read more...] about Top Ten Foods in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam: Home to Winter, and One Last Shaved Ice
Throwing Charcoal-Grilled Rice, Caramelizing Fish, and Other Brilliant Food Ideas at Com Nieu Sai Gon Restaurant
If you're going to throw rice in a restaurant, this is how you do it... To give credit where credit is due, Anthony Bourdain hit this place first. He knows the female owner, respects her (and is possibly, sensible afraid of her), and loves sincerely all the food that … [Read more...] about Throwing Charcoal-Grilled Rice, Caramelizing Fish, and Other Brilliant Food Ideas at Com Nieu Sai Gon Restaurant
Home in District Three, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
After a gorgeous weekend in Mui Ne and a stress-inducing bus ride with an awful company (Phuong Nam—never use them! Take Phuong Trang instead), coming back to Ho Chi Minh felt like coming home. All I wanted was my bed in my apartment in residential district 3. I wanted to say hi … [Read more...] about Home in District Three, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
I’m in Bangkok, so why am I Eating (Bangkok’s Best?) Sushi at Ka Ze Fresh?
When there's a city of pad thai, tom yum, sweet-and-sour papaya salads, salt-encased grilled fish, sticky rice and wonderfully slimy okra at the tip of my tongue, why would I possibly be hunting down the city's best sushi? Because there's only so much oil, salt and MSG a girl can … [Read more...] about I’m in Bangkok, so why am I Eating (Bangkok’s Best?) Sushi at Ka Ze Fresh?
Montreal Oyster Throwdown: Le Club Chasse et Peche, Joe Beef, L’Orignal, Maestro SVP
Note: This has been updated from the archives. Now I would also add $1 oysters at Cartel on Fairmount and St-Urbain on Wednesdays to the mix. I believe those come with $5 glasses of prosecco. Not a bad deal if the oysters are fresh. While some oyster lovers would shake their … [Read more...] about Montreal Oyster Throwdown: Le Club Chasse et Peche, Joe Beef, L’Orignal, Maestro SVP
Montreal Baklava Throwdown: Afroditi Bakery vs. Patisserie Efes
Afroditi Bakery (756 Rue Saint-Roch) | Patisserie Efes (689 St-Roch) ******** | ******* 8 out of 10 | 7 out of 10 Montreal is full of dry baklava. For a province that puts maple syrup in everything, I figured that I wouldn't be the only person who wanted their dessert swimming in … [Read more...] about Montreal Baklava Throwdown: Afroditi Bakery vs. Patisserie Efes
Montreal Pho-down: Pho Bac #1 vs. Pho Lien
Cloves, star anise, cinnamon and other secrets of the best Vietnamese noodle soups in Montreal. The Criteria: Broth and meat - two deceptively simple categories The Winner? Pho Lien...for now. Vietnamese noodle soup (pho - pronounced somewhere between "phuh" and "phah") is … [Read more...] about Montreal Pho-down: Pho Bac #1 vs. Pho Lien
Montreal Dumpling Throwdown: Qing Hua vs. ???
Qing Hua 1767 avenue Lincoln ******* 7 out of 10 There's just really nothing else that comes close to Qing Hua. They do have a second outlet in Chinatown, but it's not exactly competition. So you can either go to one of these establishments, or try to make your own dumplings … [Read more...] about Montreal Dumpling Throwdown: Qing Hua vs. ???
Persian Throwdown: Parisa vs. Tehran Restaurant
Note: I wrote this originally before Damas, Kaza Maza, and most recently, Barbounya, existed. I've been to the first two and really think Damas is exceptional, both for accommodating food intolerances (I had a delicious 100% vegan, gluten-free meal there and didn't feel like I … [Read more...] about Persian Throwdown: Parisa vs. Tehran Restaurant