Monthly Archive for September, 2011

Saigon Classic: Bún Bò Huế Yên Đỗ

Published by Gastronomer on September 28, 2011 in Bun Bo Hue, Bun Mam, Cha Gio, Saigon and Vietnamese. 7 Comments

The Astronomer and I recently traveled to Vietnam for a two-and-a-half week holiday. Three years have passed since we called Saigon home, and it felt incredible to be back. Oh, how I’ve missed the people, noise, and traffic!

After dropping off our luggage at the hotel and renting a scooter to get around, we headed to Bún Bò Huế Yên Đỗ in District 3 for our first meal in the city.

The Astronomer and I used to eat here on a daily basis when we first moved to Saigon because it was located within walking distance of our office at the East Meets West Foundation. And of course, the food was worth coming back for again and again.

When we walked into the restaurant, the proprietress instantly recognized us and asked where the heck we’d been. It’s always nice to be remembered at a restaurant, and even nicer when it’s been three years. We grabbed a table near the front and placed our order with her son. Our table was decked out with the usual utensils, box of tissues, and pork sausages wrapped in banana leaves (cha).

I ordered a tall glass of passion fruit juice to start. Fresh fruit juices and smoothies are widely available in Saigon to keep residents cool from the tropical heat. The ratio of sugar to juice is always perfect for my taste.

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Ngự Bình Restaurant – Westminster

Published by Gastronomer on September 26, 2011 in Banh Beo, Banh It Tran, Goi, Mi Quang, Nuoc Mia, Orange County, Restaurant Review and Vietnamese. 15 Comments

The Astronomer and I dined at Ngự Bình Restaurant earlier this summer while in Little Saigon for a very special wedding. With three hours to fill in between the ceremony and reception, we decided to stuff ourselves silly with Vietnamese food.

Little Saigon is slightly too far for us to explore on the regular, so we had to seize this opportunity to dine on the best Vietnamese food this side of the Pacific.

In the midst of all the wedding chaos, the bride and groom were kind enough to point us to Ngự Bình for Central Vietnamese cuisine. Here, chef and owner Mai Tran prepares family recipes that she learned in her hometown of Thua Thien. The delicate steamed dumplings and complex noodle soups that hail from this region never fail to make me swoon.

The first dish to land on our table was the mit xuc banh trang ($6.25). The young jackfruit salad was served warm with a smattering of Vietnamese coriander (rau ram), slivers of pork, and crushed peanuts. We scooped up the salad using the crisp sesame crackers and delivered the goods swiftly to our mouths. A bit of fish sauce was all that was needed to set the flavors properly ablaze.

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She Sells Seashells by the Seashore (And I Eat ‘Em)

Published by Gastronomer on September 24, 2011 in Mui Ne and Postcard. 8 Comments

‘Lette Macarons – Pasadena

Published by Gastronomer on September 22, 2011 in Chain / Multiple Locations, Dessert, Los Angeles, Pasadena and Restaurant Review. 18 Comments

There are two types of women in this world—those who squeal with delight at the site of macarons and those who simply don’t. While I started off in the former camp due to the novelty of it all, I’ve moved on to the latter after coming to the conclusion that macarons are overpriced sandwich cookies.

Still, when my friend Laurie asked if I wanted to scope out the newest branch of ‘Lette Macarons in Old Pasadena, I was totally game. Sometimes, reason doesn’t stand a chance against curiosity.

‘Lette Macarons is a joint collaboration between Paulette Koumetz, a macaron enthusiast, and Christophe Michalak, a French pastry chef. They opened their first shop in Beverly Hills in 2007 and added another outlet in Pasadena this past July.

All of ‘Lette’s macarons are hand-made daily in the Beverly Hills bakery. There are twelve classic flavors and a few seasonal specialties available everyday.

I bit the rational bullet and purchased a box of six macarons ($10.50). From the classic flavors available, I chose the salted caramel, coconut, lemon, Madagascar vanilla, and violet cassis. I selected passion fruit from the seasonal specialties.

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Dog Haus – Pasadena

Published by Gastronomer on September 19, 2011 in Hot Dogs, Los Angeles, Pasadena and Restaurant Review. 9 Comments

With a trio of gourmet wiener shops opening within the span of a year, Pasadena has become a hotbed for hotdogs. The first restaurant to come on the scene was The Slaw Dogs on North Lake. While the toppings here were fun, I haven’t been back since my initial visit due to a yet-to-be-remedied bun situation. The next spot to open was Big City Hot Dogs in Old Town Pasadena, which was then followed by Dog Haus across the way from Pasadena City College.

While I haven’t heard much buzz about the former, the latter has been receiving rave reviews since it opened. Along with my friend and fellow Pasadenian Laurie, I visited Dog Haus for a weeknight dinner. We were both in the mood for something awesomely gut busting.

In addition to their signature hotdogs, Dog Haus also serves sausages, burgers, and a handful of sides. Both Laurie and I stuck to the hotdog offerings this evening. I was hoping for a side of onion rings as well, but retracted my order after learning that they weren’t made in-house.

All of Dog Haus’ dogs weigh in at a hefty quarter pound and can be had with or without casing. Alternative diets are satisfied with veggie and turkey varieties.

Every table is outfitted with a big ‘ol box of napkins and squeeze bottles filled with yellow mustard and ketchup. For those interested in zestier toppings, there’s an extensive condiment bar toward the front of the restaurant with several types of mustard, curry ketchup, hot sauce, relish, peppercinis, and more.

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