Bun Cha: Be prepared

It was my first meal is Vietnam. I ordered bun cha at Bun Cha Dac Kim (1 Hang Manh) in Hanoi. An almighty bowl of lemongrass-rubbed pork belly slices and grilled meatballs in a slightly sweet sauce, a bigger heap of rice vermicelli noodles (bun) and a jungle of Vietnamese herbs (mint, basil amongst many others) were presented before me and my friends. The photos don't really do the portion size, nor the taste, justice. It was a colossus of a meal, one which took me half an hour to attempt to finish, but one I'd happily enjoy many times again. So I am writing this post not only to promote the deliciousness of this meal, but also to recommend that you should leave space aplenty for this noodle and pork medley.

Hanoi Pho: A very different animal

Most Vietnamese restaurants in Western countries will put in front of you a rather different incarnation of pho. Before setting foot in Vietnamese lands, I was used to a clearer, less viscous broth, with beansprouts, lime, chilli and herbs served alongside the bowl... in Hanoi, I encountered what I think is a superior creation: thicker broth exploding with beef notes, crunchy chinese greens, slightly rare beef and featherweight rice noodles.

So if in Hanoi, head down to Cafe 47 on 47 Bat Dan, order pho tai (their mango smoothie-esque drink is not too bad either), wait a few minutes and then slurp away.

Food + travel = Gastro-tourism

In my blog, I aim to document every gastronomically-oriented adventure I've had recently. I'll start by making what I think is a pretty comprehensive guide to streetfood in Vietnam, soon followed by restaurant reviews in the three cities I've been lucky enough to have lived in; London, Melbourne and Amsterdam (where I'm now based). Then I guess I'll add some stuff about Grenada and Burma, and have a little page for one of my other hobbies, photography. And also recipes of quick and tasty creations of the not necessarily healthy kind...