Robyn Eckhardt writes: In Vietnam, sometimes things work, and very often they don't. We already knew this fact, of course, after two-plus years living in Saigon, but were reminded of it once again during our trip there last November. We'd asked our very resourceful friend M if she might be able to help us get access to a bun (rice flour vermicelli) workshop so that we could document how this staple is made. Via a friend of a friend of a family member M came up with an introduction to the owner of a small, twenty-year-old bun factory outside the center of town. So one afternoon we caught a cab and, after enduring some nasty ... read more

© Robyn Eckhardt (article) and David Hagerman (photographs) | original post at http://eatingasia.typepad.com/eatingasia/
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Robyn Eckhardt writes: Sago isn't the only palm that's mined for food in the Philippines. Nipa (Nypa fruticans) - and other palm varieties, including coconut and aren - are tapped to produce sukang (vinegar), a Filipino kitchen staple, mildly alcoholic tuba, and more alcoholic laksoy. Elsewhere in Southeast Asia this same sap is boiled to make sugar. Such may also have been the case in the Philippines before the Spanish introduced cane sugar cultivation. You'll often hear it said that coconut, aren, and nipa vinegar (and gula Melaka) are made from the sap of palm trees. That isn't quite the case - what's tapped are not the trunks of these ... read more

© Robyn Eckhardt (article) and David Hagerman (photographs) | original post at http://eatingasia.typepad.com/eatingasia/
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Lyrical Lemongrass writes: The ads for the Heart of KL were appearing in the newspapers on a very frequent basis, and frankly, they were more exciting that the skewed local news I had begun to flip over by the pile.  My husband, being the more diligent and patient reader (I read headlines in my quest to finish reading the newspapers within 59 minutes), spotted the ad for Zing and its visiting celebrity chef, Chan Kwok, from Singapore’s Hua Tin restaurant.  Chef Chan Kwok is described as “the winner of numerous awards including Best Asian Ethnic Chef at the 2005 World Gourmet Summit. He is also author of the recently released book ‘Chan Kwok - A ... read more

© Lyrical Lemongrass | original post at http://awhiffoflemongrass.blogspot.com/
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Robyn Eckhardt writes: For many food-obsessed travelers to Vietnam the Holy Grail is a fantastic pho. Which is a shame, really, because in the course of a single-minded quest for the ultimate version of this northern Vietnamese soup noodle many equally worthy noodle dishes are bound to be overlooked. Bun oc (snail and rice noodle soup), for instance, consistently flies under the foreign chowhound's radar. Yet this combination of thin rice noodles with one or another member of the molluscan class of Gastropoda in flavorful broth - also a specialty of the north - is brilliant, easily as delicious as the finest bowl of pho. It certainly was a favorite of a certain formerly Vietnam-based blogger. ... read more

© Robyn Eckhardt (article) and David Hagerman (photographs) | original post at http://eatingasia.typepad.com/eatingasia/
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boo_licious writes: Wagyu Beef PieStrangely enough when I first encountered the food at D'lish, I wasn't very impressed. However, after a few times of trying more menu items, I slowly discovered yummy stuff there. For us, we tend to dine here, when we want something quick especially before some grocery shopping at Village Grocer. It's also a relatively quiet here vs the more happening Delicious at Bangsar Village II. You select pre-packed items behind the glass counter and they will reheat it up. Alternatively, you can pack back the items.Wagyu Beef Pie RevealedVarious opinions about this place - some love it while others hate it calling it not worth ... read more

© boo_licious | original post at http://masak-masak.blogspot.com/
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babe_kl writes: LOL... sure would have captured your attention eh with that kind of title?? Actually it was just a simple dinner at the new errrmmm Asian food section at The Gardens but I thot the title was kinda appropriate when we practically shared a bowl of noodles, a piece of chicken, and dessert, well except for the drink last night. Seems like another mall crawl to me too hehe.I got the lead to check out sbread from Jocelyn who dropped me a mail yesterday informing of this place she had tried it in Bangkok serving a unique yam kaya (a type of coconut jam). Her description made my mouth waters that I decided to check it out ... read more

© babe_kl | original post at http://babeinthecitykl.blogspot.com/
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vkeong writes: Sake Room is a fusion restaurant in Seberang Jaya recommended by Mabel Lai for good sushi. As always I would try out my readers’ recommendations whenever possible and blog about it. If you didn’t know, fusion cuisine is a combination of different forms of cookery or traditions. It can be of a combination of Chinese and Japanese cuisine or Western and Vietnamese cuisine. The possible combinations are totally up to the chef’s creativity and culinary skill. So, there’s more than just Japanese food being offered in Sake Room. But who would pay RM16 to try a plate of Chinese fried rice right? That’s pretty crazy lol. Ordering ... read more

© vkeong | original post at http://www.vkeong.com
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teckiee writes: We have everything all planned out for the last day. Eat everything we have been eyeing for, eat everything that we like, and do our last minute shopping.We head to the market again hoping for that particular packed noodles stall to be open and with less people. We were in luck to find three empty seats for us to squat. I had the rounded noodles with minced pork balls and bambo shoots soup. (10,000 Dong) The soup was just so so but I like the bambos shoots itself. Some might not like the bamboo shoot smell as it might smell too pungent. I'm used to it because I love them in my ... read more

© teckiee | original post at http://eatfirstthinklater.blogspot.com/
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teckiee writes: This was sold just out front of out guest house. Crowded on Day 2. Crowded on Day 3. I eat on Day 4. Red rice (2,000 Dong)! That dark seed is from a red fruit that produce to dye for this rice. I have no idea what fruit is used to get the red color. The rice smelt a little different, but different good. Tasted good with the salty chicken floss.After the quick breakfast, we headed hours out of Hanoi to the jetty that will get us to the Perfume Pagoda. I sat in front of the row boat. It was an hour boat ride to reach the foot hill ... read more

© teckiee | original post at http://eatfirstthinklater.blogspot.com/
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teckiee writes: We walked pass one of the many Hanoi markets on Day 1 and saw not only market stuff, but also many food stalls. One of them, this porridge stall.We decided to have porridge but first, some BBQed pork (100g for 10,000 Dong) to add umph to it.Pork meat ball porridge with yau char queh (5,000 Dong). Simple but delicious breakfast. But not that filling? heheheSo when I saw this old lady selling rice steam glutinous rice, I wanted to have some. Everyone was crowing over her and cutting queue. It made things harder because ... read more

© teckiee | original post at http://eatfirstthinklater.blogspot.com/
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