Unique odor is right. Durians are prohibited on most public transport in Asia, with signs as ubiquitous as No Smoking.RouxTheDay wrote: the fruit is distinctive for its large size, unique odour, and formidable thorn-covered husk
Banh Mi
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Low-N-Slow
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Re: Banh Mi
"I find the pastrami to be the most sensual of all the salted cured meats. Hungry?"
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Dark and Stormy
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Re: Banh Mi
...unique odour...
Unique if you consider eau de latrine unique. Those things stink so bad they are practically illegal in Singapore. Supposedly "smell like a sewer but taste like heaven." They have some sort of protien that starts rotting from before they drop off the tree IIRC.
Unique if you consider eau de latrine unique. Those things stink so bad they are practically illegal in Singapore. Supposedly "smell like a sewer but taste like heaven." They have some sort of protien that starts rotting from before they drop off the tree IIRC.
Re: Banh Mi
I never got the durian thing. You just have to grow up with it, I guess. When traveling in some parts of Asia, hiring a driver can smooth the travel experience a bit and is not prohibitively expensive. I had a couple of drivers in Indonesia and Thailand hack some durians apart for me, extolling the virtues of the fruit like it was some rare vintage champagne or something. It was repulsive. Knowing the typical Westerner's reaction, my Indonesian driver, Nyoman, snapped my pic just as the full aroma hit my brain. A nice souvenir. The experience reminds me of Kipling's take on ngapi, one of the staples in Burma: "fish pickled when it ought to have buried long ago". The other fruit over there is heavenly however...lichee, starfruit, mangosteen, salak...yum.
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Isabella Maja
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Re: Banh Mi
To answer your original question, I had a nice garlic beef one at Cafe Minh this week. Nice atmosphere, etc. I wish I would remember this place more often.
Oh, and the banana creme brulee was out of this world!
Oh, and the banana creme brulee was out of this world!
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kcdixiecat
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Re: Banh Mi
mmmm banana creme brulee...sounds wonderfulIsabella Maja wrote:To answer your original question, I had a nice garlic beef one at Cafe Minh this week. Nice atmosphere, etc. I wish I would remember this place more often.
Oh, and the banana creme brulee was out of this world!
Re: Banh Mi
quote should read "...when it ought to have been buried long ago".
Cafe Minh is great. I try to eat there once a week. A friend and I had lunch there Friday - viet bbq catfish for me and the grilled mahi for him. It is my favorite lunch place since I started having a Mid-City office last year. Great ingredients, artful presentation , good service, nice space, great flavors - what's not to like? I didn't know he had bahn mi, but that is of course no surprise - I will look for that. Last week I had his beef pho - in addition to tasting wonderful, it cured my cold.
Cafe Minh is great. I try to eat there once a week. A friend and I had lunch there Friday - viet bbq catfish for me and the grilled mahi for him. It is my favorite lunch place since I started having a Mid-City office last year. Great ingredients, artful presentation , good service, nice space, great flavors - what's not to like? I didn't know he had bahn mi, but that is of course no surprise - I will look for that. Last week I had his beef pho - in addition to tasting wonderful, it cured my cold.
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Isabella Maja
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Re: Banh Mi
One thing that was wonderful about the creme brulee was that it was a vanilla with thin ripe banana slices. So it was banana, but not artificially banana.
But enough real banana flavor. It was incredible. I was kinda sorry we were sharing it 3 ways. But ya know . . .
Gourmondo, ah, every week? You're lucky!
I need to put Lemon Grass on my radar.
BTW, on the menu it's not actually called a Bahn Mi, it's called a Garlic Beef Sandwich. But that's what it is. Oh . . . one thing, they served it with lettuce & tomatoes on the sandwich along with pickled carrots, daikon & cilantro.
IMHO, please not all of the above! Next time I would ask for the lettuce & tomato on the side. Is it an authentic Bahn Mi? I have no idea if they eat garlic beef in Vietnam, but have had similar flavored but different cut of beef @ 9 Roses. It was much bigger than a regular sized one.
I'm glad to hear your comments about the Pho.
I've never been able to get it elsewhere but inquired about ingredients at Cafe Minh & it appears it will be a-ok for me to get it! I've always wanted to have it, but never could. Do you know if they have it every week? I asked my waitress same question, but honestly her answers during the whole meal never really matched the questions!
I'd love to hear about any other items you have had there. Thanks!
But enough real banana flavor. It was incredible. I was kinda sorry we were sharing it 3 ways. But ya know . . .
Gourmondo, ah, every week? You're lucky!
I need to put Lemon Grass on my radar.
BTW, on the menu it's not actually called a Bahn Mi, it's called a Garlic Beef Sandwich. But that's what it is. Oh . . . one thing, they served it with lettuce & tomatoes on the sandwich along with pickled carrots, daikon & cilantro.
IMHO, please not all of the above! Next time I would ask for the lettuce & tomato on the side. Is it an authentic Bahn Mi? I have no idea if they eat garlic beef in Vietnam, but have had similar flavored but different cut of beef @ 9 Roses. It was much bigger than a regular sized one.
I'm glad to hear your comments about the Pho.
I've never been able to get it elsewhere but inquired about ingredients at Cafe Minh & it appears it will be a-ok for me to get it! I've always wanted to have it, but never could. Do you know if they have it every week? I asked my waitress same question, but honestly her answers during the whole meal never really matched the questions!
I'd love to hear about any other items you have had there. Thanks!
Re: Banh Mi
What ingredient(s) are you avoiding?Isabella Maja wrote:I'm glad to hear your comments about the Pho.
I've never been able to get it elsewhere but inquired about ingredients at Cafe Minh & it appears it will be a-ok for me to get it! I've always wanted to have it, but never could.
Re: Banh Mi
Great place for seafood and meats. Yellowfin Tuna, Pompano, Redfish, Trout, Live Dungeness Crab, 4lb. lobsters, live Blue Crabs, etc.
I have to restock my fridge with my Chinese staples, and they have a huge selection of Lee Kum Kee products which are my favorites.
Also, great selection of fresh mushrooms which are hard to find, as they are at the far end of the produce on the left side as you walk toward the back.
In the right side where they do the take out, you can order whole pigs if you like. Plenty of duck heads and chicken heads available too. Always think of Chef Pete when I go there. He loved this place!
I have to restock my fridge with my Chinese staples, and they have a huge selection of Lee Kum Kee products which are my favorites.
Also, great selection of fresh mushrooms which are hard to find, as they are at the far end of the produce on the left side as you walk toward the back.
In the right side where they do the take out, you can order whole pigs if you like. Plenty of duck heads and chicken heads available too. Always think of Chef Pete when I go there. He loved this place!