Monday, August 31, 2009
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
A street named Bui Vien & Birdy
a street named Bui Vien & Birdy
By Aly Abaquin
It was half past 11 when i and a friend decidely go to the backpackers area to
see the vast neon billboards, zooming in with our crazy cyclo driver cruising past the haute couture Dong Khoi St to the foreigner housed backpackers in Pham Ngu Lao. Welcome to Ho Chi Minh City -- Vietnam's largest and most exciting city. I told my friend as he was a first timer in this Paris of the orient.
That neon Crazy eyed Buffalo greeted as in Bui Vien... just infront of the equally bright rainbow colored NEON lighted GO Go disco tecnoh sounding bar with so many foreigners enjoying a cold drink of either with a 333 or tiger beer on hand.
Everything not sleepy here...how things have change as this district is more alive as its neighboring district who we've seen snorringly loudly in its dreamstate unaffected by this two streets in the heart of HCMC...
Great things to see in this night as it appears a lot of foreigners do their stuff. drink and be merry . Booze and be looze sort of thing here. For me it considered a tourist spot as well.....we see a lot of action .... if you are suffering insomia this is the best placed to be.... cause you can PARTEHHHH!!! no sleep walking allowed... the smell of pho being cooked in the side streets and the entreprenuerial vietnamese prepares their stall of banh mi heaven as the morning approaches ......scattered outside children with flowers and chewing gum selling to foreigners.....all this in a moments notice but beautifully adding character & color to this street called bui vien.
...as dawn is now just peeking to open its eyelids we are in the grocery store wandering what to drink to keep awake.... as we chance upon a BIRDY ca phe da...A CANNED coffee conccoction.....as we where about to purchase this quirkyly named drink..... An australian saw his buddy drinking it outside and told him HEY MATEYYYY!!! WHATTA YOU DRINKING.... the young bud answered my BIRDYYYYY!!!! the he shouted WHOAAA your birdy what hell matteyyyy a BLOW JOB IN CAN!!! then everybody laugh me too can't stop laughing...intrigue whatta hell we might as well try it for only 15.000 dong and BOOm BOOM included LOL..... Arggguelably the taste of the robusta coffee was not right and bitter at that.. just right for hang overs...i told myself ..so Mateyyy or not this abroginal just like plain water.... turns out to be simple thrist quencher.... but was still giggly in the way this birdy thing is about....so we decided to stay put in one of the watering holes, beside our birdy is all up anyways..... ;)
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Saigon Bar: Magnificently Vietnamese w/ a Samba Beat
Saigon Bar : Magnificently Vietnamese with a Samba Beat.
By: Aly Abaquin
Saigon Bar is one of the jewels of Old Saigon. It is located on the rooftop of this historic building of Caravelle Hotel which opened during 1959 and was the former home of the Australian Embassy & New Zealand Embassy, as well as the Saigon Bureaus of NBC, ABC & CBS. Journalist, Writers & Correspondents use this Bar as station to cover the end of the war. It is the centre of operations for international media back then.
Now with its five (5) star classification and the hotel offer rooms with magnificent view of vibrant, historic Opera House and the new shopping destination that is Dong Khoi St.
The site is all imbued with the charm of the historic building and beautifully appointed with contemporary style furnishings.
The cachet of the 60’s retro vibe, the warmth of the Retro black & white photos, the perfumes of history, every detail contributes to the refinement of the experience as you enter the enclaves of the Bar, in which you are invited to immerse yourself….
Saigon Saigon Bar promises you a memorable adventure in the heart of Saigon where the past meets the present. Come and see for your self as I did taste and seen .
Here’s my experience…..
Imagine….comfortable armchairs made of wood that invites you to settle in for that
lunch with friends or business executives for that informal business lunch…chopping away while discussing dollars & cents or just simple catching up with your loved ones is welcome treat in this Bar.
Happy people makes you at ease with their “Relaxed Conviviality” for an intimate talk and that contemporary décor within the enclaves of the historic rooftop makes you feel at ease.
The Place plays Latin Salsa Music and every Saturday & Sunday Hosts dancing classes of the Samba & Salsa…while the night Cuban songs are king here. Cuba is now in Saigon.
The cuisine is a fusion of Spanish & Mexican with a touch of Asian flavors as dishes of Tapas, Porklion wrap with Tacos, dip it in sauce of avocado guacamole,& finish it with deep fried meat rolls of Asian & its Vietnamese cousins are evident in the menu list.
The Lunch: I ordered the Prawn Mango salad & The Giant Meat Combo & the Peach Green Tea a smoothie..
The Taste :
The Prawn Salad: Prepared with savior-faire and showcasing the finest fresh regional products that is pleasing in the eye. The ceramic plate put a smile to your face as it evokes the sunny disposition of the bar. The yellow & blue colors of the plate did not distract your taste either as it compliments the dish.
As the chunky diced yellow ripe mangos goes well with the 4 different types of romaine lettuce and fresh cherry tomatoes drizzled with the mango cocktail sauce that melts in the mouth and that certain crunch of fresh lettuce makes that perfect Ummp that you get from every slice and bite.
The salad was just the beginning. The Prawns was not disappointing either that succulently pinkish fresh beheaded de-veined prawns was impeccably delicious as its
topped off with the cocktail mango sauce made it appear sweet and not tangy .
Each morsel is excitingly tasty. Second rounds please!!!!
The Great Meat Combo is an ensemble of:
Spicy Fried Buffalo Chicken wings, Barbeque Pork ribs & Tortilla Flour wraps w/
Peppered beef strips served with Tomato Salsa, Sour Cream & Avocado guacamole.
The BBQ pork ribs are tender & juicy topped of with sesame seeds and drizzled with
that divine barbecue sauce its marinate of course. While the Tortilla flour is topped with melted cheese and sprinkled with chopped green slick onions while inside it is embraced with green & red roasted pepper with julienne onions oozing with strips of beef.
The Buffalo wings is good with the sour cream and is crunchy to the bite.
The spicy corn tacos makes that the dish appealingly spicy with a twist once dip with avocado puree.
An original menu prepared by passionate artists, a warm atmosphere, perfectly fresh products and some of the most experienced artisan made this delectable dish.
Remember this is a laid back sort of lunch that will last till the late nights for cocktails
As this is originally a bar mind you as this eater outer foodie will socialize with other artist, writers, expat & foreigners who lived visited and liked Saigon.
Not your kind of Power lunch indeed but make me feel to relax with your newspaper in the shallow dream state as you admire the hustle & bustle that is HCMC. Or take a
Few of lesson of that Samba & Salsa dance as you can dance the night away.
Shrimp Bruschetta
Shrimp Bruschetta
By Aly Abaquin
This simple bruschetta is not as simple as it looks . I was inspired by this picture... Really ....Going to the market to get that fresh shrimps was a wake -up call.....choices choices choices.....make sure the shrimps are as fresh as the morning dew.. or else you get that smell.. foul smell of a day old shrimp trying to be fresh in that wet market.
But anyways i got the idea to do a sursprise bruschetta but hold and behold i was the one surprise.. as the shrimp needs to be de-viened & of course..... off with his head sort of thing... hayyyyyyy....labor intensive ....but i got help on this one so step one is easy.. i gotten the shrimp drunk by marinated it for at least an hour in beer & sprite for the quick sweet & spicy wheat flavored kick thing.
Placed them in the fridge and let them swim for at least an hour... then get your wok an work out... Flame those shrimps as they turn orangy with a little oil... get them out quickly.. remember you need them soft & chewy. a brush of olive oil will
also do....
The BREAD: The Banh mi... the sliced baquette i rubbed garlic & spread deliriously with butter ( low fat butter)... with some VOO in the side... presto pristine shrimp bruschetta an interlude to dinner.. good thing i got some chardonnay put in some flute glass... borrowed from the neighbors.. the glass not the drink...mind you...
okey did something spectacular today.. i need to cook more i told myself....
Soon .... i told myself okey need time to cook..... nahhhhhh better get dinner at a nearby resto..... may be next week i'll try my mom's bolognese ala abaquin....
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