Art saw a write up in the Star Advertiser recently about a Vietnamese restaurant in our area. We decided to introduce Mom to this new cuisine that she said she'd never tried before. We have Vietnamese friends and had a favorite restaurant in Illinois that we went to often so we really enjoy Vietnamese dishes.
Please excuse the poor quality of these photos.
We ordered a double serving of these fried spring rolls to share between us. It was much too much. We should have ordered just one. It filled us up too much before we had our main Pho dish.
You are supposed to wrap the rolls, mint leaves, cucumber slices, and noodles with the lettuce and dip it in the sauce.
Mom really liked it. We were OK with it, but the memory of the homemade ones we had were better.
Actually, I was surprised at how willing Mom is to try something different. We thought she preferred Japanese restaurants but we discovered that she likes Italian food too. In fact, she's enjoyed all the different kinds of foods we've introduced to her so far. That's been a surprise.
When the pho arrived, Mom put in a whole lot of the bean sprouts and Thai basil. Then she proceeded to try the various hot sauces that were offered on the table.
Good gracious!
We saw the owner clearing other tables where the dish of bean sprouts and Thai basil were left untouched.
The pho was just OK again for Art and me, but Mom liked it a lot.
Hmmm... I wonder where we should take her next?
Maybe Mexican?
Please excuse the poor quality of these photos.
We ordered a double serving of these fried spring rolls to share between us. It was much too much. We should have ordered just one. It filled us up too much before we had our main Pho dish.
You are supposed to wrap the rolls, mint leaves, cucumber slices, and noodles with the lettuce and dip it in the sauce.
Mom really liked it. We were OK with it, but the memory of the homemade ones we had were better.
Actually, I was surprised at how willing Mom is to try something different. We thought she preferred Japanese restaurants but we discovered that she likes Italian food too. In fact, she's enjoyed all the different kinds of foods we've introduced to her so far. That's been a surprise.
When the pho arrived, Mom put in a whole lot of the bean sprouts and Thai basil. Then she proceeded to try the various hot sauces that were offered on the table.
Good gracious!
We saw the owner clearing other tables where the dish of bean sprouts and Thai basil were left untouched.
The pho was just OK again for Art and me, but Mom liked it a lot.
Hmmm... I wonder where we should take her next?
Maybe Mexican?
How cool she is willing to try new things. Wish I had that adventuresome spirit. Definitely try Mexican.
ReplyDeleteyour Mom is a cool lady, very adventure seeking, so many elders are forgotten or ignored by their children, you are such a good daughter and son in law.
ReplyDeletePerhaps your mother is like mine always was. My mom loved anything she didn't have to cook! Yes Mexican or Indian or Greek.... You've got lots of options.
ReplyDeletehow fun, think I've tried vietnamese food once only years ago-
ReplyDeleteI love vietnamese, good for your mom!
ReplyDeleteI had a favorite Vietnamese restaurant in Boulder but I haven't found one here in Bellingham. We don't eat out all that often any more and usually go for places that serve fish when we do. There is a Thai restaurant here that I enjoy a lot, though. Your mom is adventurous when it comes to food!
ReplyDeleteIf you want to introduce your Mom to new cuisines, I say ANY excuse for a meal out :-)
ReplyDeleteSeveral Pho places have opened around here lately and I have enjoyed giving them a try. I love how open your mom is to new things and how good you and Art are at giving her a chance to try them.
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful that she's so open to trying new foods. Good for her. Most of us are stuck eating a select few things we've decided we like. We have no idea the good experiences we miss by being unwilling to eat foods that are new to us.
ReplyDeleteYum. I love Vietnamese food. Like you, I like it better when it is all homemade. I love how adventurous your mom is in so many areas of life. Her willingness to try to new foods speaks much to her approach to life. Yes, take her out for Mexican food. I will be interested in seeing what she thinks.
ReplyDeleteI am glad your mom had a good experience. We tried the pho at Pearl Kai, but didn't care for it, because it was so bland. The beef soup tasted like plain water. No beef flavor at all. We enjoyed the spring rolls, though.
ReplyDeleteso glad your mom liked the Vietnamese food... sounds like you all will be able to try out many different dishes... have a great day~
ReplyDeleteOur eating out consists of Entertainment Book trials and errors, other than the same old same old lol We tried a Vietnamese restaurant in Kunia (Thai Village) recently and the food was pretty tasty. We love the wraps too and make them at home often. Our version would probably not pass muster but it is fun to eat and easy to prepare. Long ago, my husband saw a recipe in the paper for the rice paper rolls using ground pork and it was a hit with our kids. Instead of making the pork rolls, nowadays we conveniently use Chinese style sliced roast pork or even frozen battered fish sticks. Our kids really loved the wraps back then. I think I'll try it on our grandkids since it is fun to wrap food at the table.
ReplyDeleteYou're fortunate to have such a good natured mother!!
L. from W.
I love those wraps too, but can't make them because they make my blood glucose jump...high. Sigh...
DeleteI never did check the carbohydrates on the nutrition label. Here goes...one serving about 2.4 oz (maybe 6 small size) is 59g carbohydrate (19%), the noodles (vermicelli) about 56g (19%) carbohydrate per serving...yikes. And I thought no bowls of rice so I'm good. Thanks for pointing this out.
DeleteL. from W.
I don't blame your mom-- it looks like what I'd call a serious yum!
ReplyDeleteInteresting blog! cheers!
ReplyDeleteThe Vietnamese food looked good to me...I've never tried it before. I love Thai food and Mexican food very much. Its great that your mom is open to trying different foods!
ReplyDeleteVietnamese is one of my absolute favorites. I love the summer rolls with peanut sauce and the cellophane noodles too. Dianne
ReplyDeleteI don't see my posting, so here goes with the Reader's Digest version. Pho is good, very good. I recommend it. Alas, it is often accompanied by discussions that go nowhere on HOW to pronounce the word. In Vietnamese it's pronounced PHA, as in do re mi FA. English speakers often pronounce it FOE, and why not? -- look at the spelling: PHO. My granddaughter, Deanna, corrected my pronunciation once. So, always the smart Alec, I said, "How would you know? Have you ever been in Vietnam?" This allowed her to trump me big time and WIN the debate by saying, "Yes, I have been in Vietnam." (Full disclosure: of course I knew she had been in Vietnam, I'm her grandfather for cryin' out loud.)
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you persevered and wrote your comment again although I wish we had the uncondensed version too. I was wondering how you were supposed to pronounce that dish.
DeleteYes, Kay, I think your Mom quietly wants to enjoy a meal in which she doesn't have / want to prepare at home. Mexican food might weigh down her little frame! Greek gyros sandwiches are a nice treat that many oldish folks didn't know they like. Explaining that it's a mixture of lamb and beef is intriging for some, but others won't try.
ReplyDeleteDrumMajor
Ah . . . something I've never tried. But now I will. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteMoM is super cool!
ReplyDeleteHave a GREAT Week, you folks :-)
Aloha from Waikiki-side
Comfort Spiral
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I think the French had some influence on the Vietnam dishes. Dunno what, just theory.
ReplyDeleteI've been to one Vietnamese restaurant years ago and didn't care for it, but I would definitely try another again.
ReplyDeleteMexican is my fave! Still trying to find a good one though since Bandito's closed down =).
I am not an adventuresome eater, preferring simple foods. I do wish I had someone who could teach me how to order in Thai and Vietnamese restaurants, and other ethnic places.
ReplyDeleteYour blog about Vietnamese food is really awesome and this food looks delicious . Thanks for sharing your experiences with us. I like Vietnamese cuisine food very much and i have tried many vietnamese recipes which i got from youtube and many other website. I like visiting Vietnamese restaurants in weekend.
ReplyDelete