Satisfied with Banh Cuon
You really can’t go wrong with this meal. It’s cheap, satisfying and it’s called Banh Cuon: the perfect midday nosh. Savory and delicate – pan fried minced pork and wood ear mushrooms scattered through translucent layers rice crepes are doused in nuoc mam (fish sauce). Mouthwatering just describing it… Read more.
What can you get to eat for $2.25 these days? Not a hot dog. Not a shawarma. Nothing outside of the value menu at fast food restaurants. Not much outside a Vietnamese sandwich shop! I’m sure by now you’ve all heard of the widely known Vietnamese sub sandwich, or banh mi. But have you tried some of the better ones in Toronto?
I stopped by just a little before they opened
Hu Tieu My Tho
I was so delighted to see this arrive at my table. Colourful ingredients piled high upon a soft mound of noodles in a clear flavourful broth. On this occasion I was feeling adventurous and decided to veer from the usual suspect. Seafood is always a good alternative when the palette desires a change from the ordinary. This meal definitely satisfied my expectations… Read more.
–Sigh–. Vietnamese vermicelli. This is by far one of my favourite dishes in Vietnamese cuisine. It’s simple, fresh, colourful, tasty and healthy. It’s also one of the dishes where I find newbies to Viet food are wary to try unless a friend in the know suggest it, which is why I am recommending it to all of you!
Grilled pork vermicelli
So what are vermicelli dishes? In a nutshell, it is a combination meat/salad dish over thin rice vermicelli noodles, where the vermicelli (usually cold or room temperature) is topped with charcoal-grilled, thinly-sliced marinated meats or seafood such as chicken, pork, beef, meatballs, shrimp, or calamari, and then finished with fresh salad greens, bean sprouts, fresh herbs including mint and coriander, chopped peanuts (beware allergies!!) and a pickled assortment of carrots, cucumber and daikon radishes.
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When you decide to have Vietnamese what is the first thing that comes to mind? Could it be pho, or some grilled chicken with rice and fish sauce? Have you thought of fish? Considering Vietnam is a peninsula, one would imagine fish being a prominent ingredient.
Salt and pepper fried mackeral with steamed quiche on rice
Mackerel is extremely versatile and tasty. Lightly fried with salt and pepper with a side of quiche, rice and of course some carrot and radish slaw; it’s a balance of flavors that is quite unexpected to taste so right. Simple and satisfying, the combination of these ingredients mingles to create another classic in my repertoire. Read more.
Pho
For me, a bowl of Pho (sounds like ‘fuh’) noodle soup is the ultimate comfort food. The Pho with which you are likely associated with (and the one I grew up eating) likely includes lightly chewy, thin rice noodles covered in a rich but clear meat broth and topped with assorted meats of your choice (thinly sliced rare or cooked beef, brisket, tendon, tripe, meatballs, chicken), scallions, onions and is accompanied by fresh bean sprouts, cilantro, Thai sweet basil, chili peppers, mint, and lime.
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Casey: Thanks! Some of my fave places are in Chinatown. I’m in the area so I really get to know the restaurants...
Tomato Snob: I love Pho too. You pictures are fab! Where is you favorite place in the city? I’m addicted to the...
S Lloyd: Folks, Submitted also: http://www.xanga.com/aromes The more tools/ressources/infos we have, the better that...
Lucy: This is my favourite Vietnamese restaurant in Toronto! The have the best PHO in town.