Phong L.
Yelp
Recently, I discovered a hidden gem of a restaurant that prepares and serves one of my favorite traditional Vietnamese dishes...
Walking into the establishment while awaiting to be seated, I experienced the cool air from the ventilation, low dim lights (which provided a soft, relaxing, and calm atmosphere), and noticed the venue offered seats and tables for groups of 1-4 or family-style dinners (with round tables and seats around them)...
Shortly after I placed my order with the waiter, the first items to arrive were the sweet and tangy dipping sauce called "Nuoc Cham," and their fermented anchovy dipping sauce called "Mam Nem."
Momentarily after the arrival of the dipping sauces, out came a plate with an abundance of vegetables, consisting of lettuce, cucumbers, mint, and other herbs. Alongside with the vegetables was this monstrous, gigantic, mouth-watering sensation of a traditional Vietnamese crepe called "Banh Xeo." Anh Hong did not hold back with the generous pieces of shrimp and pork, along with the perfect amount of bean sprouts and mung beans. However, the highlight of the Banh Xeo was how it was cooked. The crepe was fried to perfection. Ohh! Myyy!! Goodneesssssss!!!!! The crispness of the edges was the most memorable part of all. WOWWWWW!!!!!!!!
Treating this dish as a lettuce wrap, I tore off a chunk of a lettuce leaf, stacked the other vegetables and herbs on top of it, and topped it with a piece of the Banh Xeo (along with everything inside it). I dipped the wrap into the fermented anchovy dipping sauce (Mam Nem), and as I took that first bite, the flavor and crunch created an inspiration for my taste buds, relaying a silent whisper to my brain with the message that stated,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, welcome to Vietnam.