Although we travel with a guidebook, it is often used to decide where not to eat, where to go to get away from the touristy hoards. So it is a bit of a shock that we searched out Bánh Xèo 46A for lunch yesterday. It is listed in the lonely planet, but has had tremendous reviews all over the internet. So why not?

Bánh Xèo is a crispy pancake filled with bean shoots, prawns and fatty slivers of flavourful pork (and in this case, weird mung beany things), and it is delicious. Crunchy, shot through with tasty treats, perfect with the dipping sauce spiked with a little chilli.

We wondered if there was some sort of fancy technique for eating these unweildy beasts with chopsticks, but picking the locals out of the crowd proved that everyone messed about with them a little, before wrapping them in some of the generous greenery, dipping and eating.

The spring rolls were delicious too, but the pancakes are the winner here, so much so that we ordered another, lingered, and watched the crowd.

This outdoor eatery is down a little alley off Hai Ba Trung, opposite a cavernous, empty competitor. It has an english menu and is frequented by tourists, so is easy to handle. Ignore the write up in the lonely planet, come here anyway.

46A Dinh Cong Trang Street
District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

(we had 2xsmall pancake, 1xcha gio, 2xwater = 118,000d / $9.50AU).

Vietnam seems filled with lunch time eateries serving a variety of pre-cooked meals with steaming hot rice. A few days ago we waddled down this street, full of pho and banana fritters and saw a roaring trade at two side-by-side com joints. I knew we had to return.

And return we did. Between 11:30am and midday seems the best time to eat. This place was full, new steaming bowlfuls of dishes being brought to the front from a hidden kitchen.

After discussions (me in english, them in vietnamese), little plates of vegetables and pork and a big bowl of green soup lands on our table. We clean our chopsticks and spoons and wait for the rice. And wait. I take little tastes, and wonder if our waiting is in vain, have I even managed to order any rice?

I see a few other lone diners around the room playing this same game, little tastes, holding back, waiting for the real lunch to begin, because you can’t eat this food without rice.

Finally it lands and we dig in. There are soft sheets of saffrony potato, garlicy green vegetables and roasted pork so delicious I could have eaten a triple serve. Felix said “this pork is amazing, just like a licorice allsort!”. And it was. Layers of meat and juicy fat topped off with a delightfully crisp, shattering skin. So fatty but not tasting of fat, or cloying in the least. This roast pork was so delicious that it deserves two photos.

Minutes later we have finished eating. I have managed to make a baby cry (real tears, too), and we are paying our 40,000d ($3.20AU), and leaving.

Com Joint
Yen Phu Rd
just opposite Sofitel Plaza Hanoi.

My Mum lives in Hanoi. How cool is that?

We are staying with her in Nghi Tam, giving us opportunity to explore other parts of this great city than just the Old Quarter. So yesterday we trekked out to Truc Bach Lake, though we didn’t get terribly far before we hit fritter-ville and had to stop and sample some deep-fried treats.

A crispy, hot banana fritter each, wrapped in a little square of newspaper, like I hear fish and chips used to be. Delicious, but best to stop at just one, i think.

Also on offer were what looked like corn fritters, and something else, stick like with a slice of banana in the midst.

2 Banana Fritters,  4000D ($0.33AU)

Kaya, coconut jam, sounds revolting. I don’t normally like jam, and who ever thought that making it from coconut was winning any favours, from me, at least. Well, I was wrong, they were right, Kaya is a delicious coconutty breakfast treat.

Here on out first morning in Singapore, we trekked out to Killiney Kopitiam, supposedly famous for its Kaya Toast. We had to do it this morning, as all our other Singaporean mornings are booked up with buffet breakfasts (I -love- a buffet breakfast), but back to the Kaya.

We ordered two french toasts with kaya, one soft boiled egg and coffees (though, my coffee morphed into a tea the moment it touched down at the table).

After sniffings for hints of peanut, we dove in and were not disappointed.

The bread was cakey, but paired with the super salty cold butter and rich, creamy coconutty jam, it was delicious. Add some runny soft boiled egg (mine was a little too soft boiled, so I only ate the yolk), and this breakfast was a delight.

After initial skepticism, we both became Kaya converts. F even ordered another portion. Minutes after finishing we payed our bill ($7.50sg) and vacated our table for the first person in line, this place is popular, and worthy of it.

Suggestions have already been made that we shall come back here when we get back to Singapore in a
few weeks time, but maybe just to buy some of these beautifully boxed meal kits, or maybe for lunch.

Killiney Kopitiam
67 Killiney Road
Singapore 239525
Tel: 6734 9648 / 6734 3910
Fax: 6735 6731

Mon, Wed to Sat - 6am to 11pm
Tues, Sun & PH - 6am to 6 pm

Okra

I am not a fan of markets. After a childhood of the Lismore Car Boot Market, buying trinkets and revolting snacks, markets don’t hold fond memories for me. So when visiting home I am never too excited about getting up at the crack of dawn and visiting the organic market where my Dad sells his produce.

Lucky for me, though, this market is nothing like my memories. Starting early, this small fresh food market only allows certified organic produce to be sold. This means that the offerings are exceeding fresh and in season. Most of the stall-holders grow their wares, which have often been harvested only hours before.

Tiny ladyfinger banana

This market will be the last of the season for some of the stalls, including my Dad.  Some crops are ending, water is running low and the weather is sizzling. The idea of having no avocado’s til Anzac Day horrified some customers, but the sad specimens left on the trees weren’t worth eating, let alone selling. So he just sold beetroot and rhubarb, which quickly sold out. While visiting I ate many beetroot, steamed, pickled, and raw, grated (interestingly whole beetroot were sold to the local health food shop then purchased back in a delicious vegetable wrap from lunch).

Dad’s rhubarb

Today’s market saw reams of herbs, lettuce, rhubarb, garlic, fresh vegetables, as well as coffee, cakes and delicious vegetarian dosa.

Crispy and Thin Dosa served with dahl and spicy coconut chutney (delicious)

Freshly picked herbs, 3 bunches for $5!

curly kale

delicious fresh radishes

The market is full of friends and it really feels like a community. Kids are running around, jokes exchanged and people coming up just to chat and see what’s new. Chairs and tables set up in the middle of the space with people sipping latte’s in mismatched cups, it feels a little like a friendly neighbours living room.

Tiny, fragrant and juicy russian purple garlic

I would recommend that anyone who is in the area should visit, support local organic food production and sample some local specialities.

amazing heirloom tomato varieties

I would recommend the avocados (April to November), chokos (for a sustainable powerhouse), sunflower sprouts, and delicious dosa.

Luscious fresh sweet potato shoots (apparently delicious stir fried)

The Rainbow Region Organic Market
is on every Tuesday morning (until the end of the world)
7am - 11am
Lismore Showgrounds