Brrrr...brrr....brrr...this had been my favorite expression since the temperature drop to 0. A tropical-blooded human being trying to fight her way over the winter. And an enjoyable and effective way is to keep on eating to bring up the heat in you. Yes!!!
We visited this always full-packed restaurant beside the Japanese hole-in-the-wall and was lucky enough to secure a table for 2. It was already 9 pm and the place was still very busy. Observing the diners on what they have ordered, everyone was into the DIY spring rolls or what they called "gegrild specialiteiten met rijstpapier" (grilled items with rice paper). As I have made up my mind that I wanted a vietnamese soup bowl for dinner and in a cold weather like this, laziness do kick in easily (good excuse)...so here's what we got for an adventure...(yeah right)
Mains: Grilled beef in black bean sauce (Bo Xao Tuong Den) - This beef dish was delicious. It goes very well with fragrant rice. (All along I thought HT hubbie didn't like black bean sauce...so it was good to know that my assumption was wrong...trying this out at home).
After a satisfying meal, we can't leave the place without hubby ordering this (TRIVIA: night doesn't end if HT hubbie didn't get his 4th or 5th dose of caffeine for the day):
We visited this always full-packed restaurant beside the Japanese hole-in-the-wall and was lucky enough to secure a table for 2. It was already 9 pm and the place was still very busy. Observing the diners on what they have ordered, everyone was into the DIY spring rolls or what they called "gegrild specialiteiten met rijstpapier" (grilled items with rice paper). As I have made up my mind that I wanted a vietnamese soup bowl for dinner and in a cold weather like this, laziness do kick in easily (good excuse)...so here's what we got for an adventure...(yeah right)
Appetizer: Fresh Spring Rolls (Goi Cuon) - enough fillings of vermicelli, vegetables, shrimps(garnalen) and pork slices (varkensvlees). The sweet chili sauce, of course, always give extra taste to this dish. HT hubbie wanted to get the fried ones but after tasting this, he agreed we ordered right...healthy and tasty.
Mains: Pho (Pho Bo Tai)- my much-awaited vietnamese soup bowl! There's something in this soup that after the first sip it always gives me the comfort that I need and even more comforting in this cold and gloomy weather. The rice noodle soup was such a delight and the beef slices were all tender and take note "medium rare", so the beefy taste was retained. One word: excellent!
these fresh herbs (ok they were not that fresh) - mints, chili, lemon and big stalks of coriander...completed my pho! Though, i know some prefer it without the herbs...and that black bean sauce reminded me of yong tau foo (haay, Singapore) :D
After a satisfying meal, we can't leave the place without hubby ordering this (TRIVIA: night doesn't end if HT hubbie didn't get his 4th or 5th dose of caffeine for the day):
The famous Vietnamese drip coffee! It's not as strong as how hubby wants it (but for me it's strong enough), but we both agreed it's very aromatic. You can get it cold too!
Overall, it was a good yet simple dinner.
Price Summary in Euro:
Fresh Spring Rolls = 5.50
Pho = 13.25
Grilled beef in black bean sauce = 14.25
Vietnamese drip coffee = 3.00
Saigon Vietnamees Restaurant
Voorstraat 68
Utrecht, Netherlands
www.restaurantsaigon.nl/
^5! I prefer the fresh spring rolls to the fried ones too! :) And it's nice that the black bean sauce kinda reminded u of Singapore :P
ReplyDeleteyehey! We're the same! :) Health freaks! haha...Yes, i'm still missing Singapore a lot! :)
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