Just before heading to SGN airport coming back to Malaysia during the last trip at HCMC, I decided to have some Japanese food instead of traditional Vietnamese Food. Instead of catching a cab, I just started to walk down the busy Hai Ba Trung Street to check out the numerous Japanese restaurant around the city.

Angler Fish Liver and Sashimi

After passing a handful of Japanese restaurants that are either too expensive or offering only a limited menu, I decided to go into Akatonbo as the menu displayed outside the door looks enticing, and reasonably priced as well.

After scanning through the rather extensive menu, I ordered a sashimi set and a serving of ankimo (Angler fish liver).

very extensive menu

The sashimi, consisting of salmon, tuna, squid, octopus tentacles, and two other types of fish, were very fresh and properly cut. Though the serving was somewhat small and rice were not included, it was still pretty good. The Angler fish liver, though, was quite interesting. I had actually wanted to order it at Zen sushi at Subang Jaya once but it was a seasonal offering and they had run out of it, so this was actually the first time I tasted this Japanese delicacy. The texture of the liver is similar to pickled tofu, but slightly tougher, it has a rich and fatty taste to it, often described to be similar to foie gras. It was really good, and served exactly like how it’s meant to.

More on Ankimo:

The liver is first rubbed with salt, then rinsed with sake. Then its veins are picked out and the liver is rolled into a cylinder and steamed. Ankimo is often served with chili-tinted grated daikon radish, thinly sliced green onions and ponzu sauce.

Akatonbo restaurant is at the heart of District 1, HCMC

The total damage was less than $14 USD (less than RM 50). Pretty good value for the interesting Ankimo and the good quality sashmi. Yogurt is served after the meal too, a pretty good concept that no Japanese restaurants in Malaysia that I am aware of follows.

Address:
38 Hai Ba Trung Street,
District 1, HCMC, Vietnam
Tel:8-244-928

Tags:  Angler-Fish,  hcmc,  ho-chi-minh-city,  Japanese-Food,  Monk-Fish,  sashimi,  sushi,  Vietnam

Posted by KY | 4 Comments »

After the interesting grilled frog at my favorite foreign city, I headed to a Vietnamese seafood restaurant for dinner the following night. At the heart of the city, the Hong Hai (pronounced as 红海, or red sea, in Mandarin) restaurant is not particularly lavish nor it is very eye catching. However, judging by the crowd of locals congregating at this place, it must offer some pretty good and authentic seafood.

fresh fish, shrimps, and various types of clam

The restaurant was quite packed, but luckily we managed to secure a table at the balcony on the second level. My friend made the order as I would have no idea how to go about reading the 100% Vietnamese menu, with no translation nor any pictures. I doubt any of the servers speak English either.

three types of clam, including cockle (blood clam)

The first four dishes that came consists of the various types of clam. The boiled cockles (I think) were very delicious, and goes extremely well with the fried garlic (including skin) and vegetable garnish. The fresh and somewhat bloody cockles with the slightly salty but strong tasting garlic was just perfect. A salt + dried pepper + dried plum + lime dipping sauce accompany the dishes.

We also had a grilled clam and a plum sauce clam dishes. While the grilled clam is best enjoyed with the dipping, the plum sauce actually goes well with some bread. Pretty interesting contrasting taste among these three dishes, the bloody cockles, the dry grilled clam, and the sourish plum sauce clam.

oyster with cheese, and a great tasting hot pot with eel

Next in line were the two huge oyster with cheese. Though this dish isn’t something that is unique to this part of the world, the oyster served were the size of my palm. Needless to say, you can guess if I enjoyed it from the photo above.

Other than all the shell fish dishes, we ordered a hot pot with eel. As with most Vietnamese dishes, the pot came with a huge serving of vegetable consisting spring onion, bean sprout, okra, and interestingly, shredded banana flower, all arranged in a neat and pretty presentation. The soup tasted a little spicy and salty, but compliment the vermicelli noodle and the fresh vegetables. It was a very good dinner.

Pham Ngoc Thach road is located at the heart of Ho Chi Minh City

Hong Hai is located at the heart of the city, not more than US $2 taxi ride away from any major hotels in District 1. The dinner itself was somewhere around RM 50-60, value for money indeed.

Address:
54, Pham Ngoc Thach,
District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Vietnam
Tel: 8.292977, 0908-103547

Tags:  clam,  cockle,  eel,  grilled,  hcmc,  ho-chi-minh-city,  hot-pot,  seafood,  shell-fish

Posted by KY | 7 Comments »

I have actually been to Ho Chi Minh City on business trip for more than half a dozen times since some three years ago, it is alway such a delightful place to visit. The Vietnamese people really does offer the very best of hospitality anywhere, and of course, the city offers some interesting food too.

clam with pork, bbq frog with skin, and bbq prawns

I managed to contact an old pal of mine, Trinh, for some drinks on Sunday night. The last I met this guy was back in August 2005 for some Banh Xeo, more than one and a half year ago. We rode to one of the nearby seafood and beer restaurant to catch up on old times.

The host ordered a plate of BBQ prawn, some interesting “grilled clam rolled with Pig’s omental fat”, and BBQ frog with skin. Of course, a few bottles of chilled Heineken to go along with these local delights.

The words mean “welcome” and “see you”.. or something like that

The food were certainly very good. The BBQ prawn was marinated with some pretty spicy seasoning, and packs a kick even if you don’t dip it into the traditional lime + salt + chili paste. The locals usually chew down everything, including the head and shell.

The grilled clam was an interesting dish that tasted kinda like bacon and clam meat, except in a bigger and juicier bite. It went very well with beer, and definitely one of the heart surgeon’s worst nightmares.

Thought I’ve had frogs before, this is the first time I’ve had it with skin intact. The texture is similar to fish skin, but tougher and slightly sticky. The aroma of the frog meat was very good as well. Fresh vegetable is featured in every dish, not very different from the Malay ulam. It is actually a very nice concept, you have some meat or seafood, then some vegetables to freshen up the tongue, repeat.

this place is just right next to Legend Hotel in District 1, HCMC

It was a very good supper, and nothing beats meeting old friends from far away places. I’m not exactly sure how much the food costs, but the pork with clam was about 55,000 VND, with another 10% tax. One ringgit equals to around 4,500 VND.

This particular restaurant is situated on
3C, Ton Duc Thang
District 1, HCMC
Vietnam

Tags:  BBQ,  beer,  clam-with-pork,  Eats,  frog,  hcmc,  ho-chi-minh-city,  legend-hotel,  supper,  Vietnam

Posted by KY | 6 Comments »

Firstly, I gotta give a million thanks to Pinkpau for having her friend brought a pack of heaven from the States for me. Ladies and Gentlemen, if you have never tasted this before, don’t. Once you go Reese’s, you’ll get hooked and live an agonizing rest-of-life here since they are not available locally.

this stuff is godsend

The Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups is actually made of only two simple ingredients, milk chocolates wrapping soft peanut butter in a “cup” shape. No tricks to it really. Somehow the combination tasted absolutely awesome, and at 110 calories a piece, a dieter’s nightmare (since you can easily have half a dozen in 10 mins.)

According to this wikipedia article, the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups were created by H. B. Reese in 1928 and own by the Hershey Company.

milk chocolate + peanut butter = tastebud pwnage!

Though these peanut butter cups were abit melted and slightly out of shape due to the Malaysian weather, they still tasted just as great as I remembered them. It was awesome. Thanks again Pinkpau!

Btw, anyone coming back to Malaysia from anywhere that sells this stuff, buy me a huge pack or three please!

Tags:  candy,  peanut-butter-cups,  pinkpau,  reeses

Posted by KY | 39 Comments »

As some of you might aware, I have written quite abit about Vietnamese food such as the BBQ & steamboat. The latest installation, I bring you Banh Xeo, something akin to crepe.

We went to this place called Banh Xeo 46A, an old school place by the roadside, with extended roof however. The place is packed with mostly Vietnamese, but I did see a table of mat salleh smacked somewhere in there tho.

As you can see on the bottom 2 pictures, they serve BBQ prawn and fish too.

This is what we came for, Banh Xeo, it’s got shrimp, bean sprout, and some other stuff in it. As with most Vietnamese dishes, it came with a generous serving of fresh vegetables. We also ordered fish, and some fried pork that came with something like very soft pohpiah wrapper.

The way you eat Banh Xeo, as shown by my Vietnamese colleague.

• Tear a serving of the “crepe”
• Wrap some fresh vege over it
• Add some sauce and maybe some chilli
• Indulge your senses

Typical tourists never get these kinda true Vietnamese food, it was awesome.

Posted by KY_a | 1 Comment »