Cay Tre Dinner for two please...

DINNER FOR TWO PLEASE…
By Aly Abaquin


When in Saigon… going to dinner is such a mind boggling issue.. where to eat in this city???? Many an Options and many restos that I have not tried or …I've already tried and not good to be blog or raved about I tell you there are many…or .....other less desirable restos so what now…...

I told a friend I always heard of this Cay Tre bamboo resto so bravely my friend came to my rescue and we decided to dine there….. Equipped with our enthusiasm jump to a taxi off we go to dist 3 Cay Tre is located along Le Quy Don St. No. 37 to be exact….

Since he likes veggies we ordered the “Rau Muong Xao Toi” Kang Kong stirred fried with toasted garlic… Grilled beef in Bamboo. “Bo Nuong Ong Tre”, of course being called cay tre we went to taste the dish., “Com Hau Tay Cam” Oyster rice in Claypot and for dessert “Pan Xanh Banh Lot Huoc “ green beans with first extract of coconut..

As the servers are attentive but a little bit slow……
Of course the veggies went first to be served with our Cha Da (Organic green iced tea).

Deliciously crunchy and freshly munchies… we gobbled two plates actually to our amazement you can have dinner by this plate alone…. So while waiting for the rest to come in the rice is always the last to be delivered to our table…Chinese way of eating…
We thought…

So while we chatted I certainly see this unique al fresco dining or a griller thing as very homey open space and casual dining… .Bamboo mosaic tiles along side tile brick flooring, tegula Ceiling enclave with matching Vietnamese Yellow lanterns on a row with a dash of quirkiness a neon parrot/ sparrow in bamboo bird cages.. not chirping nor talking though but luminously present ….

No foreigners inside this resto but a favorite of the locals as they order beer with
Their chops…... Chopsticks clicking away the Barbeque Grilled beef with garlic on banana leaf on top bamboo shoot was not disappointing... while the rice with oysters is also good but few oyster found and we kept on digging in….

All smiles what the heck enjoy the food….as we exchange life stories and how long he stayed in Hanoi and Saigon… to be honest I am on the stage of shedding my tourist wardrobe and becoming localized….as my friend speaks the Vietnamese language not yet fluently but can converse….as yours truly is still in kinder garden mode….Laughing it out the dessert drinks came to cool as down this humid night… Green beans with first extract of coconut is just right not too sweet but very fulfilling…

Now with heavy stomach a good laugh and heard life stories this dinner is moving to its end and becoming memorable… And to top it all only 232,000 VND or $13 dollars...

Cay Tre like the bamboo is steadfast in this street and grew taller as its swings bending with the winds to come as the next door neighbors are opening up new modern dining options…...... and I think the Neon parrot should be there up in the alley walkways…..just a bubble thought.... ;)