A Few of my Tasty Faves

by Sally Clark

One of the greatest pleasures of travel is coming across things (edibles) that are totally novel (to me) and immensely satisfying (also to me)!

Here are but a few.....

Cordyceps Tea

This lovely delicate tea is made with Goji Berries, Jujube Fruit & Dried Longan Pulp and steeped in this pretty little teapot.

While in Nha Trang we drank a pot every day at our lovely hotel. It cost a whole $1 per pot & when you're friendly to the staff they throw in a few delicious shortbread cookies too!

Apparently, this delightful tea has medicinal properties. It detoxifies, nourishes the mind, boosts the immune system & my favorite.....aids with insomnia.

Come to think of it, we felt really great while we were there....hmmm......

Nu Eatery

A charming little restaurant in Hoi An in a tiny converted house located along a quaint narrow alley. The menu is deliciously creative - featuring tasty small dishes making it easy to order a variety of their offerings. Apparently, the owner/chef studied at a culinary school in Washington state and has crafted a most unusual fusion style menu.

My absolute favorites - and believe me, it was hard to choose!

Fish Tacos

The soft tortillas are homemade and filled with white fish in a light crunchy batter with dill, cucumber and a tasty crushed peanut sauce.

Cost- $2.25 (for 2)

Note: They also offer a version with BBQ pork.

Steamed Tofu Buns

Warm light doughy buns filled with tofu squares in a crunchy coating with shredded papaya & carrots and a small dollop of a lovely sweet soy sauce. My mouth is watering just writing about these - I could literally eat dozens!

Cost - $1.50 (for 2)

Other filling options: pork, white fish or sesame chicken

Specialty Coffees

Coffee is a BIG deal in Vietnam with both locals and visitors. Vietnamese coffee has a very distinct flavor; creativity with this locally grown commodity knows no bounds.

Coconut Coffee

Every cafe makes this specialty coffee a little differently and they are always scrumptious. I think this place was trying to kill us though! The frothy coconut on top seemed to contain ice cream (although it looks like marshmallows doesn't it?). I scooped most of mine off the top and dropped it into Michael's glass (when he wasn't looking) & yes, he devoured it. I won't go into details as to how he felt later in the day!

This one is the best! Pure coconut froth. I think I included this in an old post. Sorry for being repetitive...but that's how much I like it! A complimentary cold Vietnamese tea is often served with it. Actually, it's customary for this tea to be served with all coffee (for the locals) but the newer places seem to be departing from this custom - at least for the tourists.

Other offerings include: salt coffee, egg coffee, avocado coffee plus all the usuals ie cappucino, latte etc.

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"Ask not what you can do for your country - ask what's for lunch"

Orson Welles