Gastronomy Blog by Cathy Chaplin

Restaurant Review

20 Sep 2007

Buddha Bay – Da Nang

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August 30, 2007
Cuisine: Seafood, Vietnamese

Buddha Bay
Da Nang, Vietnam

Phone: 0511920388

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Goi Buoi Muc – pomelo and squid salad (80,000 VND)

Ca Hap Hanh Gung – steamed fish with ginger and onions (252,000 VND)

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While vacationing in Da Nang, The Astronomer and I took our hotel’s tandem bike for a spin up Monkey Mountain. Even though the bike was made for a vertically-challenged couple, we managed to attack the hills like champs and not swerve off the road. We rule.

After biking (mostly) uphill for eight miles, we took a much needed dip at a beautiful private beach. Sadly, a jellyfish sting on my arm ended our beach fun early. We packed up our things, hopped back on our bike, and explored a pagoda with an intensely gorgeous view for the rest of the morning. After taking in the sites at the pagoda, we biked to Buddha Bay for lunch.

The Buddha Bay restaurant is located right on the water and boasts spectacular views. The furnishings are understated and blend in seamlessly with the tropical surroundings. We were seated in a private “cabana” (or floating raft according to The Astronomer) and had a waitress serving us throughout our meal. The service was a little too attentive for my laidback state, but that’s the way hospitality goes at nice restaurants in Vietnam.

Not wanting anything too heavy, I ordered a pomelo and squid salad. The salad was served inside a hollowed-out pomelo and contained huge pieces of squid, fried shallots, and dressed in a spicy fish sauce vinaigrette. The salad’s tart and sweet flavors were so simple and yet so amazing. Sorry to get all TomKat on you.

The Astronomer ordered a whole steamed fish with ginger and scallions, which our diligent waitress deboned. The fish was cooked to order and thus incredibly fresh and flavorful. Although we’re not sure what type of fish it was, its flesh was white and flakey. The Astronomer enjoyed the fish with rice, even though rice paper and greens were available for making rolls.

Totaling $20, our feast at Buddha Bay was easily our most expensive Vietnamese meal to date. The food was good, but it was the restaurant’s natural and peaceful ambiance that made our experience truly memorable.

Restaurant Review

19 Sep 2007

Phú Hồng – Da Nang

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August 29, 2007
Cuisine: Vietnamese

19 Yen Bai Street
Da Nang, Vietnam

Phone: 0511829979
Website: none

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Bo La Lot (40,000 VND)

Banh Xeo (12,000 VND)

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Another day in Da Nang, another banh xeo joint. Life is good.

Our friend, colleague, and Da Nang resident Cathy took us to Phu Hong for our second lunch in the city. Dining options are a bit more limited in Da Nang than in Saigon, so Cathy has eaten at this place five times. She highly recommended that we order the bo la lot, and since I was still craving banh xeo, we ordered a big plate of those to round out our meal.

I won’t go into much detail about the banh xeo since they were fairly similar to the ones I had the day before on Pasteur Street. Let’s just say they were super and leave it at that.

Bo la lot is my favorite course of Seven Course Beef, so it was a fine treat to have a huge plate of them! Similar to banh xeo, the local way to eat it entails wrapping the meat in rice paper with some greenery. But once again, my laziness got the best of me and I just popped ’em in my mouth. Bo la lot has a nutty flavor and texture that’s truly unique; I’m not sure if it’s due to the leaf (la lot) or something mixed in with the meat, but anyway, it’s excellent. The Astronomer loved the bite-size bo la lot as well and is more stoked than ever to try all seven courses of beef.

Nice call, Cathy.

Restaurant Review

18 Sep 2007

Bà Ngọc – Da Nang

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August 28, 2007
Cuisine: Vietnamese

24 Pasteur Street
Da Nang, Vietnam

Phone: 0511817080
Website: none

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Bun Thit Nuong (10,000 VND)

Banh Xeo (9,000 VND)

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Following the staff retreat, The Astronomer and I spent several days in Da Nang visiting EMW programs and beneficiaries. Ba Ngoc is located a hop, skip, and a jump away from the office. We bounced in there for a quick bite to eat before heading off to see good works.

The Astronomer had one of his favorite dishes—bun thit nuong—vermicelli noodles topped with grilled pork, herbs, lettuce, and nouc mam. Vietnamese BBQ isn’t saucy like Alabama ‘cue. The typical marinade consists of shallots, garlic, fish sauce, salt, sugar, and black pepper. The result of these simple ingredients is a smoky meat that’s sweet and delicious. I love how the smell of grilled meats fills the air outside restaurants serving up this style of ‘cue.

Note to self: learn how to make thit nuong ASAP upon returning to the states.

I ordered three banh xeo, which are often referred to as Vietnamese crepes. These “crepes” consist of rice flour, unsweetened coconut milk, tumeric, sugar, salt, and water and are stuffed with shrimp, pork, onions, and bean sprouts.

When my grandma cooks banh xeo, she prepares them in a huge frying pan, which results in a dinner plate-sized crepe. The ones served at Ba Ngoc were itty bitty in comparison and contained little meat (one shrimp, one piece of pork), but were yummy nevertheless. The banh xeo were crispy around the edges, just the way I like ’em.

Back at home we pour some nouc mam on top of the banh xeo and dig in, but in these here parts, the banh xeo is wrapped in rice paper, lettuce, and herbs and dipped in nouc mam. I must admit that wrapping the banh xeo is pretty good, but it’s just too much work! I enjoyed the banh xeo so much that I sought out more the following day.