Tag Archives: Vietnamese Cuisine

Hanoi 1991

Posted on by
Reply

No, this post isn’t going to be about a historic event… or even a memorable holiday trip. This is one of those moments when you realise you’ve been occasionally walking past a culinary gem in a Cardiff city centre arcade for five years. Then, a random look at Google maps reviews brings the shocking truth about what you’ve been missing. It’s 11.30am on a Thursday morning as you realise there is only one place lunch is going to happen… it’s time to visit Hanoi 1991 in Cardiff’s enchanting Royal Arcade.

As with so many gems the menu is pleasingly short… as displayed near the entrance and above the counter. This is Hanoi street food authentically presented and deliciously flavoured.

Grilled Pork ‘Banh My’ with a Vietnamese Egg Coffee… was the choice for a fist visit. But in no more than 48 hours I was drawn back to try the equally appetising Lemongrass Beef ‘Banh My‘.

Until we speak again, I’ll just have to stay mesmerised by that Vietnamese Egg Coffee! If you think a cappuccino style presentation coffee with deep foam made of egg yolk, milk and sugar sounds like a strange combination you would be technically correct. But, one taste and you suddenly know your coffee has just doubled up as your dessert. This was the real reason for returning a second time within 48 hours. The third visit will not be too far away.

Dreaming of The Hamptons

Posted on by
Reply

My ‘surrogate nomad‘ tends to go off on rather strange trips, and thinks it is funny to ask me where I have been immediately when they return home. Even the menacing laser look doesn’t seem to stem the flow of nonsense from the failed comedian…

The eyes again

Chillout cat

So, the best I can do is curl up and dream of exotic places based on the incoherent mutterings of the ‘resident worker bee‘ with these destinations attributed to me despite the fact I haven’t left home. Forgive me on this occasion for dreaming of life in The Hamptons… the exclusive summer home of wealthy Manhattan cats amongst others. Exotic food immediately comes to mind, after all what am I supposed to do with this nouveau plastic cuisine?

Cat Mate

Meanwhile, my ‘culinary torturer‘ is happily socialising with fabulous company in somewhere called Dangs Vietnamese Restaurant

Dangs Vietnameseeating sumptuous salmon complete with green stuff and a side dish of white stuff, and a decorative pineapple (which should be a feast for a more deserving cat stuck here in Guantanamo/Cardiff Bay).

I am dreaming of a dramatic and welcoming skyline…

 

   … but then find I am engaged in a bit of the cognitive dissonance thing, as the best Cardiff can offer is the dreaming spires of the Millenium Stadium:

City centre skyline [2]

But this is nothing compared with the reports from the ‘lost wanderer‘ who speaks of such a warm welcome in The Hamptons, only for the dominant vision to be one of a prominent middle finger to the world!

Northampton skylineMy dream comes to an unexpected close with the realisation that the middle finger is the iconic message from middle England… I had been vaguely remembering that my primary  ‘comfort provider‘ had droned on about visits to Southampton in recent months, and was now returning from Northampton… it was all a bit Hamptons-lite in the end!

Until we speak again I intend being an inquisitive Juno, wondering what Northampton has that keeps my so-called ‘intelligent one‘ returning for the last 17 years.