Nha Trang in Pictures

Nha Trang- after a storm :(

We were very excited for our trip to Nha Trang. When I was planning for the trip, Google Search gave me very nice beach pictures... but on our way there, it was raining crazily and we saw that everywhere was flooded! True enough, this was the scene that welcomed us :( We could neither chill out at the beach or get a tan as the whole day was drizzling and the roads were wet and muddy. We spoke to a bar owner and was told that the storm came 2 days ago... Darn! What a disappointment!


Pho Vietcali Restaurant
Clockwise Top Left: Beef Noodle Special (30.000 vnd- RM6), Cafe Sua Inha trang- vietnamced (12.000 vnd- RM2.40), Menu, Beef Rice Noodle (35.000 vnd- RM7)

Without any sun and swim, we just walked around and ate all day. The noodles at Pho Vietcali was surprisingly good eventhough calling itself a 'restaurant' is abit misleading as it is just a small little shop.


Fanny Ice Cream @ Pho Vietcali
Cafe Liegeois (45.000 vnd- RM9) and Dame Blanche (55.000 vnd- RM11)

Having read about Fanny Ice Cream on the net, it was a coincidence we found this at the same shop and decided to give it a try. We had the Cafe Liegeois (coffee ice cream, coffee liquor, kahlua and whipped cream) and Dame Blanche (coconut and stracciatella ice cream, malibu, chocolate sauce and whipped cream). It was disappointing, and not cheap too - the whipped cream tasted funny and there were barely any alcohol taste :/


Khanh Kat Restaurant
Clockwise from Top Left: Fried Mackerel with Lemon Butter Garlic Sauce, Fruit Platter, Khanh Kat Restaurant- nice and cosy, Larue Beer and Dalat Wine

Lunch at Khanh Kat Restaurant where we headed for the value for money set lunch, consisting of a soup, appetizer, mains, fruits and alco drink of either the local Larue BGI beer or Dalat Wine.


Khanh Kat Restaurant- Set Lunch (95.000 vnd- RM19)
Clockwise Top Left: Tom Yum Koong Soup, Calamari Rings, Cream Mushroom Soup, Pan Fried Pork Chop, Spring Rolls

The pork chop was actually pretty good! Also, we met a waiter who could speak considerably well English and helped us with our train ticket booking to get back to Saigon.


Truc Linh 1 Restaurant
Clockwise from Top Left: VN handrolls (42.000 vnd- RM8.40), Truc Linh Restaurant, Grilled Snapper Fish, Seafood Basket (248.000 vnd- RM49.60)

Seafood dinner at Truc Linh Restaurant was so-so but looking at the Seafood Basket (clam, scallops, mussels, squid, prawn, snapper fish), it is quite worth it.


Asian Lounge

We stumbled upon Asian Lounge on the first morning. The place is very nice and cosy and makes a great place to have drinks. I love the deco of the place!


Asian Lounge Food
Clockwise from Top Left: Stir Fried Ostrich Noodles (50.000 vnd- RM10), Pork & Shrimp Siu Mai (30.000 vnd- RM6), Stir Fried Crocodile Noodles (50.000 vnd- RM10), Nice dining environment

We decided to be adventurous when we spotted 'crocodile' on the menu! Of course we were hesitant at first, reptiles give me the creeps :/ Well, you've probably heard it before and it's true that crocodile meat taste like chicken, but stiffer.

How to get there:
Saigon to Nha Trang via bus @ USD7 per person. Bus tickets available at Tam Hanh Travel, departure daily at 8.15am, 9am, 8.15pm and 9.30pm.



Pho Vietcali Restaurant
7G Hung Vuong, Nha Trang
Tel: 058. 352 5885

Khanh Kat Restaurant
22B, Tran Quang Khai Street, Nha Trang
Tel: 058. 352 6287

Truc Linh 1 Restaurant
11, Biet Thu Street, Nha Trang
Tel: 058. 3526 6742

Asian Lounge
1/8, Tran Quang Khai, Nha Trang

Tam Hanh Travel
199, Pham Ngu Lao St., Q.1 HCMC
Tel: 08. 3920 5653/ 3295 8818

Vietnam House and Other Food

Vietnam House- Set Menu for 1 person (400.000 vnd- RM80)
Clockwise from Top Left: Deep Fried Duck Breast with Orange Sauce, Prawns Meat on Sugarcane Stick, Caramel Custard, Sauteed Glass Noodles with Crab (109.000 vnd- RM22), Vietnam House Sampler, Steamboat, Spicy Squid Salad, Seafood Kebab with Ginger Sauce

Just like Quan An Ngon, Vietnam House appears in the Google search of 'food in HCMC'. Vietnam House is said to be one of the best restaurants specializing in Vietnamese and International cuisine. The restaurant is somewhat historical as it is actually in a restored French colonial house with French deco and gives you a nostalgic feel while you dine. The best way to sample a little bit of everything would be the Set Menu consisting of 7 courses and prices vary for the type of food you'd like to sample. Vietnam House is the only place we dined that charges service tax and VAT...


Assorted Rice Dishes @ Dai Do Mi and Com Tam Moc
Clockwise Top Left: Crispy Skin Chicken with Tomato Rice (39.000 vnd- RM7.80), Pork BBQ and Pork Skin Rice Set (49.000 vnd- RM9.80), Stir Fried Beef Lemongrass Chilli and Steamed Rice (42.000 vnd- RM8.40), Pork BBQ and Pork Pie Rice Set (49.000 vnd- RM9.80)

My travelling buddy, Alex was determined to get his rice dish so we dropped by at random restaurants to sample some. I would say there's nothing much to shout about except that they are pretty value for money.


Assorted Noodles
Clockwise Left: Pork Noodles in Nha Trang, Vemicelli with Pork and Fish Fillets, Wanton Noodles with Pork and Fish Fillets @ Calimette Street

We also tried some simple noodle dishes at a random stall but was very disappointed with it as they were as simple as the instant meehoon you get in supermarkets (and not cheap too, perhaps because we were tourists??).


Bahn Mi (Pork Sandwich)- 10.000 vnd or RM2
Pork liver pate, pickles, vege, pork ham, char siew in a Vietnamese baguette

The Bahn Mi or Pork Sandwich is a must try as it is the staple breakfast of many Vietnamese. Served in a Vietnamese Baguette (to be honest, I love this bread- it's so soft and fluffy!), buttered with pork liver pate, Vietnamese mayo, cold pork cuts like ham and 'char siew', pickles, tomato slices, and garnished with coriander. It's cheap and good!


Cafe Sua Da (7.000 vnd- RM1.40)
Strong iced coffee with sweetened condensed milk

If 'teh tarik' is the national drink of Malaysia (or is it not?), then Cafe Sua Da or Iced Coffee with Sweetened Condensed Milk is the national drink of Vietnam. Almost every cafe, restaurant and street side stall will offer this drink in their menu and I can see why- it's goooooooooood! This will surely delight all caffeine addicts as this is the Starbucks of Vietnam! And again, it's cheap and gooooooooooood!


Banana in Ice Cream @ Diamond Plaza

A different kind of ice cream potong with banana in it.



Vietnam House
93-95, Dong Khoi St,
District 1, HCMC.
Tel: (84-8) 3829 1623

Dai Do Mi
67, Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, P.Ben Thanh,
Q.1, HCMC.
Tel: 08 3915 2334

Com Tam Moc (Vietnamese Broken Rice)
48, Le Thanh Ton
85, Ly Tu Trong
www.comtammoc.com

The Famous Pho 24

Clockwise from Top Left:
Lamp-terns, traditional Vietnamese coffee, gwai lohs, packed with people!

Yes, still on the same subject of Vietnam.

Pho 24 is a very famous pho joint as it's not only available in Vietnam but have also spreaded its wings to other parts of the world such as Hong Kong, US, Australia, Indonesia, Korea, and Cambodia. It's like the Vietnamese version of McD! It's hard not to spot a Pho 24 outlet due to the theme vibrant green colour.


Clockwise from Top Left:
Pho with Chicken (38.000vnd- RM7.60), Deep Fried Spring Rolls (32.000vnd- RM6.40), Iced Coffee with Condensed Milk (24.000vnd- RM4.80), Pho Special- Fillet, well done flank, fat brisket, soft tendon, tripe muscle and well done brisket (45.000vnd- RM9)

The Pho-s were good, we especially enjoyed the Pho Special which has everything and anything you could ever want in your beef noodles. And a great Vietnamese meal cannot be complete without an iced coffee!


Clockwise from Top Left:
The Saigon Opera House, the famous Vietnam House at night, a gallery with Eiling's initials and the HCMC Louis Vuitton

The city of Ho Chi Minh has much to offer, besides being a historical place, it also boasts an upmarket area where the rich can still get their fair share of LVs and branded goods.


Snow Town
Green Tea with Red Bean Snow Ice (35.000vnd-RM7)

I also got to relive my memories of having green tea with red bean snow ice which I had in Perth! The one in Perth tastes better and I can't believe why this isn't in Malaysia yet! (Or if anyone knows if it's in Malaysia already???)


Clockwise from Top Left:
Alex buying some fried snacks, Diamond Plaza where all the expensive things are, Riverside Hotel by the Saigon River, Fried Assorted Snacks

Diamond Plaza is the well known high class shopping center in HCMC. Coincidentally, I also met some international colleagues there as the Vietnam HQ is located at Diamond Plaza.


Clockwise from Top Left:
A monument in the city, motorcycles being the main form of transportation, HCMC Post Office


Pho 24
5, Nguyen Thiep Street,
District 2, HCMC.
Tel: 0084 8822 6278
www.pho24.com.vn

Snow Town
TTTM Parkson Q.1
35, Bis Le Thanh Ton- P.Ben Nghe- Q.1

Cheap Seafood at Hai Lua, Ben Thanh

Dinner for two on the first night

Besides the pho and spring rolls, we also discovered a cheap seafood place which only operates at night. When Ben Thanh market closes down in the evening, the whole market scene is shifted to the roadsides where you can find yourself in a pasar malam. There is also a street dedicated to food where stalls are set up with the whole kitchen transported from the lorry equipped with tables, chairs, utensils, table cloth and uniformed waiters!


Clockwise from Top Left:
Hotpot Seafood in Thailand's Taste (135.000 vnd- RM27), Clams Fried with Garlic (38.000 vnd- RM7.60), Harvested from the Hotpot, Red Snapper Grilled with Salt & Spicy (98.000 vnd- RM19.60), Spring Rolls for Display, Clams Roasted with Tamarind (42.000 vnd- RM8.40)

The menu was flourished with too many choices that we simply couldn't make up our mind. With only 2 stomachs, we tried to manage within our cravings and means ($$ and stomach space). On the first night, we ordered the hotpot seafood (aka steamboat), clams in two styles- garlic and tamarind and a big grilled fish! While I wouldn't say they were excellent, given the price it was well worth it.


Clockwise from Top Left:
Frog Fried with Butter (69.000 vnd- RM13.80), Frog Grilled with Five Tastes, Stir Fried (69.000 vnd- RM13.80), Grilled Mullet (98.000 vnd- RM19.60)

On the last night, we decided to give Hai Lua a revisit since there are so many other dishes we have not tried. This time, we had the frog done in 2 styles- fried with butter and grilled. Frogs, though they're quite yucky and sends chills down my spine when alive, tastes good when cooked! I love 'tin kai chuk' (frog porridge) as the meat is so smooth and tender. We had another fish, this time a grilled mullet. We did not enjoy this fish much as it has a lot of bones :(


Prawn Steamed with Coconut Water (85.000 vnd 1/2 kg- RM17, 165.000 vnd 1kg- RM33)

After seeing this dish on few others' tables, we jumped on the bandwagon as well. This one is really unique as the prawns are dipped in coconut water whilst the dried ice beneath it helps to 'fire up' the coconut. The waiter even provided peeling service so that we don't have to dirty our hands.


Clockwise from Top Left:
Edible Snail Steamed with Citronella (98.000 vnd- RM19.60), Papaya Shake and Sweet Pamelo Juice (15.000 vnd and 24.000 vnd- RM3 and RM4.80), Clam Boiled and Steamed (40.000 vnd- RM8), Loadsa people at Hai Lua

To max our experience at Hai Lua, we ordered 2 types of shellfish that night- escargots and clams, both of which were so-so only. Hai Lua is a popular dine out place at night amongst the locals and tourists alike, thanks to it's marketing strategy of putting a bbq pit outside to attract passersby of the grilled seafood smell.

All these food for less than RM100 per pax for 2 nights.



Hai Lua Restaurant
Crossroads of Luu Van Lang and Phan Boi Chau St
Next to Ben Thanh Market

Tutti Frutti Frozen Yogurt

Tutti Frutti colours

While waiting for dinner time to arrive, we stopped briefly at Ben Thanh area to kill time. We spotted this Tutti Frutti outlet and gave it a shot- and also to rest our tired feet.

They were self-service machines with different flavoured frozen yogurt (much less like the sundae churning machine at McD, only that they're all frutti flavours). This is more fun as you get to control how much frozen yogurt you want. After that, proceed to the counter where they have a variety of toppings- dried fruits, nuts, chocs, fresh fruits, cereals etc. The price is dependent on the weight of the frozen yogurt- 25.000vnd for 100g (RM5).

Do check out their website below- it's very interactive and vibrant!

p/s: Tutti Frutti is now available in Malaysia too @Sunway Pyramid, IOI Mall, BSC, TTDI, Times Square and Capital Square!

Now, here's something for those who are weight conscious but still want to indulge....... ;-)


Tutti Frutti
Available @
114, Nguyen Hue, Q1
19, Han Thuyen, Q1
15-17, Phan Chu Trinh, Q1
469 Nguyen Huru Thy, Q7
Ho Chi Minh City
www.tfyogurt.com

[disclaimer: the opinions expressed here are based on my personal views, tastebuds and preference and may vary for others. please dont sue me, i dont have money. kthxbye.]

You Haven't Been to Vietnam...

... if you've never been to these places!


Clockwise from Top-
Reunification Palace; Ho Chi Minh City Center; Notre Dame Cathedral


Behind the scenes of making lacquerware, clockwise from Top Right-
Roasted egg shells paints the picture; applying layers of lacquer; sand papering action; polishing the finishing goods; up for sale!

Lacquerware is the signature Vietnamese souvenir. However they can be very pricey especially when you purchase them off the 'factory'. If you want to buy some souvenirs home, I would suggest you head on to Ben Thanh Market as there are plenty to choose from there and you can put your bargaining skills to use too!


War Remnants Museum-
Fighter jets, submarines, tanks, machine guns, bullets... and the names of those perished in the war


Such an obscene bomb heehee


My first & last time handling a gun- M16 and AK47!

Explains why I will never be a soldier/ able to fight the war. The 1 minute needed to fire all 5 bullets took me almost forever as I stood there shaking from the deafening gun shots, pulling the trigger and waiting for the recoil to hit my shoulders and the bullet shell to shoot out. It was scary. Glad to say I can now have that tick off my checklist of things to do before I die!


You Don't Wanna Mess with Alex-

My travel buddy Alex is a pro when it comes to killer machines. He's in the Selangor shooting team! What a lousy friend I am that I only found out about this during the trip :S

To have the experience of a lifetime with these mankiller machines, you'll have to purchase 10 bullets at once- 30.000vnd (RM6/USD1.60) per bullet for M16/M60, 26.000vnd (RM5/USD1.40) per bullet for AK47, 24.000vnd (RM4/USD1.30) per bullet for M30/M1 Carbine and 25.000vnd (RM4.50/USD1.40) per bullet for K54/K59.


Cu Chi Tunnels- Look ma, I can fit in!

The tunnels is a very interesting historical yet touristy place indeed. We were brought into the woods (not scary cos there's so many tourists around) and the obligatory 'camouflaged' secret hiding places and underground tunnels made by the Viet Congs. The tour guide told us that the holes and tunnels were small because the Viets are very small sized people. I qualify to be a Viet too- I can fit in the hole!


Clockwise from Top Left-
The opening to the first level tunnel; empty bomb shells; no smoking sign; fellow tourists and tapioca tasting; bottled snake wine for the bravehearted; booby traps; Mr Tour Guide; Alex in the tank

Overall it was a very interesting, yet educational tour as it brings one closer to the historical side of Vietnam. One can never truly relive the feelings of what the Viets felt during the war but it brought us a step closer to understand their suffering and pain. If eating tapioca everyday doesn't kill you, the thought of hiding in the tunnel not knowing when bombs will be dropped will be enough to traumatize you forever.

And for that, I truly respect the Viets & the Congs.

Kobe Gyu Taku Yakiniku & Steak

Kobe Gyu Yakiniku & Steak

After a bit of scavenging in my drawer, I found the receipt to this... it was dated Aug 19th 2009! So this review is almost 6 months overdue haha. To make things worst, I actually went there on their first week of opening (as you can see in the pic- congratulatory flower stands) but am now probably one of the latest to write on this :S Anyway, better late than never!

Yakiniku Teisyoku (BBQ Set)- RM28

This new (ok not so new, by now...) Japanese restaurant specializes in BBQ- the Jap way, rather than your usual Jap restaurants which has a variation of sushies, sashimies, bento sets etc. The meat selection are skewed towards beef, so if you don't/can't take beef, my advise is this is not the restaurant for you. Luckily for me, I LOVE beef! I had the cheapest Yakiniku Teisyoku set, which comes with the usual sides- kobachi, kimchee, vege salad, rice, beef tendon soup and a few raw beef cuts.


Grill it the way you like it!

As with Korean BBQs or the usual all you can eat buffet BBQs, you can grill your dinner the way you like it- rare, medium rare, medium well, well done etc. I like my beef to be medium, not too well done while still retaining some of the juices and pinkish meat. The grilled meat was tender and yummeh. The juices from the meat complements the rice very well too.


Seats- Tatami or chairs?

You can also choose to have your dinner the authentic Japanese way of Tatami-ing or proper table and chair. Either way, the ambience of the restaurant is very inviting and cosy.


Cheeeeeeers!

The only grouse I have is the prices are a bit too steep for the normal lunch/dinner affair. However, it may be another new 'hangout' joint for the Japanese expatriates who are known to patronize the Jap restaurants around Subang Jaya.

*I'm trying out a new photo editor. Let me know if you guys prefer my photos to be 'fancy' or unedited :)


Kobe Gyu Taku Yakiniku & Steak
No. 52, Jalan SS15/4,
47500 Subang Jaya,
Selangor.
Tel: 03-5638 2923

[disclaimer: the opinions expressed here are based on my personal views, tastebuds and preference and may vary for others. please dont sue me, i dont have money. kthxbye.]

Ben Thanh Market- Food & Fare

Ben Thanh Market

Ben Thanh Market is a *must* visit when in Ho Chi Minh City. Just like it's neighbouring cousin in Bangkok- the Chatuchak Market, Ben Thanh Market offers a piece of Vietnam experience (food and fare) for the locals and tourists alike.

Ben Thanh Market is strategically located at District 1 of HCMC. We were fortunate that the backpackers hostel we were staying in was just about 15 mins of walking distance from Ben Thanh.


Shoes, shoes, shoes and more shoes

Just like Chatuchak, Ben Thanh has many many many stalls (though not as many as Chatuchak) selling almost repetitive things- shoes, lacquerware, souvenirs, fake branded clothings, food, fruits, poultry etc.

Food Stalls



On our first visit to the BTM, we were attracted to the food section. It is similar to the foodcourt of some of our bigger markets (ie. Pasar Besar Ipoh). There were just too many tempting food- spring rolls, big prawns, noodles, rice dishes etc etc. We vowed to make a comeback for the food on the following day since we already had some pho for lunch at Pho 24.


Look ma, Big Shrimps!

On the following day, we revisited BTM. I chose this stall as our first stop as the BIG orangy shrimps were just too tempting!!


Rice with Baked Flank- 20.000 vnd (RM4)

The baked flank was really good- well roasted, tender and the accompanying gravy had us finishing the rice and licking the plate clean! I would come back for this over and over again.


Roast Shrimps- 50.000 vnd for 3 pcs (RM10)

I think these were fresh water prawns. They were roasted and then cooked with onion oil similar to that of the baked flank. They were awesome- Big, Fresh and Juicy!


Steamed Thin Rice Pancake (aka Chee Cheong Fun)

There are many similarities in food among Asian countries. For ie. when I was younger and hadn't the opportunity to travel, I always thought Malaysia originated satay. It was only later that I found out every Asian country has their own version of 'skewered meat'... and some of them are called 'sate' too.

Hence, when I saw this... I realized that the HK Chee Cheong Fun and Anson (Teluk Intan) Chee Cheong Fun has found their distant cousins!


Steaming the rice roll


And putting in the fillings- minced meat

Though similar to the HK and Anson versions, it is different in terms of fillings. The HK one comes with shrimps and char siew while the Anson version boasts a variety of ingredients, such as crispy shalots, dried shrimps, chopped turnips etc.



The Vietnamese version however comes with minced meat, bits of spring onions and topped off with a piece of fish cake, a few slices of Viet ham and fried shallots. There is also an accompanying sour plum sauce and julliened cucumber and bean sprouts.


Rice Paper Roll with Shrimps- 5.000 vnd each (RM1)

One can never have to much of rice paper rolls as they're not only yummy but also healthy!


Fried Spring Roll with Pork- 5.000 vnd each (RM1)

These fried spring rolls with pork fillings were nothing outstanding but fits the reputation of streetside food...


Vietnamese Iced Black Coffee- 8.000 vnd (RM1.60)

And there is no experience like having a mug of iced black coffee within the hot stuffy environment in Ben Thanh Market. Kauuuuu!


Shove the shaved ice

My travel partner-in-crime was more attracted to the local 'tong sui', so we made a quick move about the food court to this stall.


Che Chap Cam and Vietnamese Leng Chi Kang- 10.000 vnd each (RM2)

The popular orders were these two 'tong sui', which were basically the Vietnamese Cendol In a Cup and Vietnamese Leng Chi Kang. The other 2 cups are some local iced tea which were complimentary. Nothing much to shout about but definitely a cool drink for a hot day.

Fruits Stalls


Fruit Stalls

Fruit stalls are also aplenty and they are pretty cheap too. Mangoes, grapes, apples, oranges, avocadoes... you name it, they have it.


Do Not Disturb. Durian session ongoing

... including the Asian King of Fruits too! We had wanted to savour some durians too but forgotten about it.


Extra services- no, not that kind!

One of the services provided by the fruit stalls here is the peeling service.


All peeled and ready to be eaten!

We bought a box of jackfruits and ciku, all peeled and ready to be eaten at about RM10. After all the meat, vege and rice rolls eaten... here's some vitamin nutritions to get us going for the rest of the trip!


The Vietnamese Experience

To end today's post, here's a picture of a Gwai Lou family having their meal on stools and plastic chairs as table!

Click also to view-
Chatuchak- Fares,
Chatuchak-Food