Recently in Vietnamese Category

Childhood memories of Chinese New Year have always featured elaborate homemade banquets on the eve of the New Year followed by a day witnessing the roaring of firecrackers and drums as the lion dance parades through masses of crowds in Sydney's Chinatown.

This year however was different. I had taken on an ambitious project with Asian Home Gourmet at the City Of Sydney Chinese New Year festival markets (12 - 14 February 2010), to present a line-up of delicious kitchen demonstrations on a live stage, and hence wasn't home when families across the globe were reuniting with a feast.

Lots of love goes out to all the friends and fans who stopped by. If you missed it, you can check out a snippet of the action at the kitchen demonstrations here:

So my lovely parents agreed to celebrate a week in advance and decided that we take a year off from our usual banquet of seafood delicacies.

Instead, we would have a simple kind of Chinese New Year, celebrating with a decent sized suckling pig, served Vietnamese DIY style which I think brilliantly showcases the cultural background of my family (both my parents were born & raised in Vietnam with a Chinese Teochew heritage - while my siblings and I were all born & raised here, in Sydney).

Whole roasted suckling pig from Good Luck BBQ House

The delicate crunch of crackling on a whole roasted suckling pig

While I adore a slow braised abalone or a rich lobster stir-fry, nothing quite gets my heart pumping and my mouth drooling as much as the glossy delicate crisp layer of crackling on a juicy tender suckling pig.

Suckling pigs often need to be pre-ordered from local Siu Mei establishments (Asian BBQ Houses) weeks in advance if required during popular celebratory occasions such as Chinese New Year. Otherwise, I think three days is the general rule of thumb. The suckling pig is 2 - 6 weeks of age and are roasted whole with a generous rub of five spice powder, red and white vinegar, Chinese rice wine, garlic and maltose. The cost of a suckling pig is only confirmed once it has been cooked and weighed and will generally cost between $200 - $300.

Pieces of suckling pig - crunchy thin glossy crackling with juicy bites of meat

Deep-fried buns are the perfect accompaniment with suckling pig

Ours was ordered from Good Luck BBQ this year as they were much more flexible on our last minute timings than Emperor's Garden.

We served this with deep-fried buns which are crunchy on the outside and fluffy within, a crisp jelly fish salad fragrant with sesame oil, a zesty fresh lotus root salad, lettuce leaves, an array of garden mints, banh hoi (woven rice vermicelli noodle sheets), hoisin sauce and nuoc mam (fish sauce).

Our simple feast, a fusion of Vietnamese and Chinese

Traditional Chinese New Year treats: candied fruits in a circular tray and dried abalone

While a whole suckling pig is usually reserved for the main course of a celebratory banquet, you don't really need an excuse to buy just a cut to treat yourself today. So here are two of my preferred Asian BBQ houses where you can buy/order the best roasted suckling pig in Sydney:

Emperor's Garden
213-215 Thomas St
Haymarket NSW 2000
Phone (02) 9281 9899

Good Luck BBQ House
Shop 18, 24-28 Hughes St
Cabramatta NSW 2166
Phone (02) 9724 0661

With Australia Day coming up and the end of summer approaching, I thought I would share my special chicken wing marinade recipe which is always a winner at BBQs. I'm already dreading the upcoming shorter days (without daylight saving) so will be BBQing at every given chance.

The flavours in this are vibrant and zesty and will help you appreciate the simplicity of Vietnamese cuisine. With nothing more than a stalk of lemongrass, a bulb of garlic, some fish sauce and sugar, this marinade punches and kicks the liveliness of Saigon in your mouth. It can be served alongside a fresh green mango salad or even just a bowl of fluffy white rice. Or as I have done, within a meat-fest of marinated beef, sausages and nem nuong (grilled pork patties).

A killer chicken wing marinade

1kg chicken wings
2 stalks of lemongrass, chopped finely (using only the main part of the stalk)
⅓ cup coriander, chopped coarsely
⅓ cup fresh ginger, chopped finely
2 tablespoons brown sugar
½ cup fish sauce
3 tablespoons lime juice
3 tablespoons oil
2 teaspoons salt

1. Combine all ingredients except for salt.
2. Clean chicken wings, removing the tip if preferred and sprinkle salt all over.
3. Rub the marinade into the chicken wings.
4. If you have time, pour the leftover marinade over the wings and store in the fridge for several hours or even overnight.
5. If you're in a hurry, then keep the leftover marinade on the side and while cooking the chicken wings, baste them with the sauce every few minutes.
6. Cook the chicken wings in the oven, grill or barbecue.

In celebration of the new year, I thought it would be suitable to look back at all of my best eats in 2009. Here, I've included some of my most frequently visited restaurants as well as a few memorable favourites.

Most Visited Casual Restaurant: Dong Ba Bun Bo Hue, Bankstown, NSW
I think I have honestly dined at Dong Ba at least once every fortnight in 2009 - joining the regular local slurpers of Bun Bo Hue, a Hue-style spicy noodle soup. It is only $7 and the food (they also serve plenty of other traditional Vietnamese eats such as my second most ordered dish here, the Cambodian Rice Noodle Soup) is served at lightening fast speed. Dining at Dong Ba in Bankstown is always a guaranteed fuss-free cheap and cheerful eat. Another bonus is that the menu caters for all possible cravings of anything Vietnamese so is sure to satisfy everyone. But the best part would probably be their drinks menu which includes the iced black coffee and the avocado milkshake.

Dong Ba
296 Chapel Rd South, Bankstown, NSW

Bun bo hue (Hue-style spicy noodle soup) at Dong Ba, Bankstown - My most visited casual restaurant of 2009

Most Expensive: Le Cinq, Paris
In May 2009, I left home for my first eating extravaganza in Europe. Let me just start off by confessing that I have a really bad habit of not checking prices whether it be shopping or food. My boyfriend almost passed out when he browsed through the 'host' menu at Le Cinq, which I had booked many months in advance. Thankfully I had the 'guest' menu which didn't have the prices so he was able to break the shock to me slowly. We soon justified to ourselves that because we had travelled all the way from Sydney to Paris, it would only be right if we allowed this one splurge and promised to be sensible throughout the rest of the trip. Le Cinq sits within Paris' most luxurious hotel - Four Seasons George V, and is the most elegant space I've ever dined in. Something like 440€ (AU$900 at the exchange rate during that time) excluding drinks and service charge and almost six hours later, we left gleefully with a massive dent on my credit card.

Le Cinq
Four Seasons Hotel George V
31, Avenue George V, Paris, France
www.fourseasons.com/paris/dining

Best Surprise: Wiseman Park Wollongong City Bowling Club
My boyfriend was transferred to Wollongong for six months for work, a few years ago. During a visit to some of his old workmates earlier in 2009, we were introduced to Wiseman Park Bowling Club. Tucked within a senior's bowling club bistro is this spectacular down-to-earth yet slightly fancy restaurant. Think traditional Mediterranean and remember to make a reservation if dining on a Friday or Saturday night as the secret is out, and this place is hawt!

Wiseman Park Wollongong City Bowling Club
Gipps Road, Wollongong, NSW

Favourite City Travelled To: Barcelona
My time in Barcelona can easily be summarized with daily visits to the Boqueria Market - the best market I have ever been to. The vivid display of fruits, seafood and jamon was an amazing sight and simply drool-worthy. The friendliness of locals shouting "hola" and the buzz in eating paella after paella, oh, and the shoes made Barcelona my favourite city visited in 2009. Hopefully I'll get a chance to visit it again soon.

Boqueria Market
www.boqueria.info

Fruit drinks display at Boqueria Markets, close up of paella and tapas in Barcelona

Most Visited Seafood Outlet: Ocean Foods, Drummoyne, NSW
Almost every drive on Lyons Road in Drummoyne has resulted in me stopping by at Ocean Foods. Their floor to ceiling glass walls means there's no running away from the grand display of fresh and ready to cook seafood and salads.

Ocean Foods
154 Lyons Rd, Drummoyne, NSW

Most Visited For Dessert: Mamak, Sydney, NSW
Roti and condensed milk are just made for each other. After countless dinners at other restaurants across the city, Sydney food bloggers, myself included, seem to always end up at Mamak for dessert. The roti tisu is a golden cone encrusted with butter and sugar that tastes heavenly with a swirl of condensed milk and sometimes, even ice-cream. If that doesn't have you drooling, the roti pisang will - with freshly sliced banana that caramelizes within a thin buttery roti. Oh, so good.

Mamak
15 Goulburn St, Haymarket, NSW

Favourite Late Night Dining: Wagaya, Haymarket, NSW
With ridiculous trading hours (Wagaya opens until 2am on most nights), private booths and a quirky touch screen ordering system, late night dining at Wagaya is perfect for those night owls (like me) who want a decent feed. I can't get enough of their soft-shell crab hand rolls, lotus root chips or takoyaki gratin. Unfortunately, all this late night dining has contributed greatly to my growing waistline... Hmm... Did someone say New Years Resolution?

Wagaya
Level 1, 78-86 Harbour St, Haymarket, NSW

Dining at Wagaya - Most Visited Late Night Dining Restaurant of 2009

Best Discovery of a Hidden Gem: Uchi Lounge, Surry Hills, NSW
Uchi Lounge is only a street behind the chaotic Oxford Street but upon stepping inside, you're in a whole new world. It is soothing and peaceful, offering a selection of Japanese sake cocktails and some scrumptious food such as their grilled eggplant with miso and a sprinkle of parmesan.

Uchi Lounge
15 Brisbane St, Surry Hills, NSW

Favourite Bar: Water Bar at Blue, Woolloomooloo
I was introduced to Water Bar after my 25th birthday dinner in 2009. It's the fine dining of bars. As well as offering all the traditional cocktail favourites, Water Bar also features a range of new concept drinks that utilises some surprising and experimental techniques. Elderflower martini with a cucumber air, the kaffir lime dacquiri with coconut foam or the spiced fig whisky sour are just a few to name. The only downside here are their trading hours, closing at midnight on most nights and 10pm on Sundays and Mondays.

Water Bar
6 Cowper Wharf Rd, Woolloomooloo, NSW

Favourite Brunch: Rhodes Phoenix, Rhodes, NSW
Yum-Cha, Dim-Sum, whatever two words you use to call the fine art of eating dumplings and other Chinese delicacies over tea with friends or family, is a weekend hobby of mine. Having discovered the Phoenix group in 2007 - there's four of them: Sky Phoenix, Hilltop Phoenix, Manly Phoenix and Rhodes Phoenix, I quickly became a regular at the Rhodes restaurant which is only a short drive from my place. 2009 saw me dining at Rhodes Phoenix more than ever before. I have such a weakness for their prawn toast!

Rhodes Phoenix
1/5 Rider Blvd, Rhodes, NSW

Vietnamese-style coconut and pandan waffles

I grew up on these waffles. I remember sitting on the kitchen bench on many after school afternoons, eagerly waiting for my parents to pour batches of batter onto our Black and Decker Sweet Hearts Waffle Maker. The aromas of coconut and pandan filled the house with a delicious scent.

So recently, while spring cleaning, along with throwing out all of my old size 6 clothes (which I know I will never fit back into), I found this cute appliance and was thrilled to discover that it was still in working condition!

My Mum had lost her recipe but a quick search online led me to Andrea Nguyen's fantastic recipe which I have simplified here.

Coconut and Pandan Waffles
Makes 3 waffles

1 all-purpose flour
7 tablespoons sugar
1½ teaspoons cornstarch
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg, separated
1 cup coconut milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1½ teaspoons pandan (la dua) extract

1. Heat the waffle iron and have an electric mixer handy.
2. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cornstarch, salt and baking powder.
3. Use the whisk to combine the egg yolk, coconut milk, butter, and pandan extract.
4. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and use a rubber spatula to gently stir. Switch to a folding motion toward the end to incorporate all the flour. If the resulting batter looks lumpy, that's okay. Expect the batter to be thick and avoid over-stirring.
5. Use the electric mixer to beat the egg white for about 1 minute until it looks solid white. Use the rubber spatula to gently fold in the egg white.
6. Spread a decent amount of batter onto the waffle iron.
7. Cook the waffle until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes.
8. Place waffle on a cooling rack.

These waffles are eaten as a snack by itself. There's no need for maple syrup or condensed milk. And they taste even better when re-toasted (as I like mine very crisp on the outside).

Have a go and I'm sure you'll agree with me that it makes the best air freshener scent ever!

Vincent's Noodle House has long been serving Lidcombe locals affordable Asian cuisine. While they no longer appear to be a small family-run business, having moved in to Dooleys Catholic Club, they're still bloody popular.

Their pho dac biet (special beef noodle soup) at $10 costs more than your average Vietnamese cheap eat, but for the extra few dollars comes quality, reliability and consistency. The blanched noodles are slippery and soft and mix freely with tendon, tripe, beef meatballs, thin slices of rare beef and its garnish of sliced onion, shallots, coriander, basil and bean sprouts.

The slowly simmered beef broth is aromatic with star anise, cinnamon and ginger and is a brilliant example of the classic dish.

Pho dac biet (special beef noodle soup)

There's no sauce better to accompany pho than a bit of sate chilli sauce mixed with hoisin sauce.

Vietnamese condiments including hoisin sauce, chilli sauce, fresh cut chillis, soy sauce, fish sauce, vinegar and chilli sate sauce

Another favourite I adore is this simple hu tieu (combination rice noodle soup, $9.50) which is poached chicken, beef, prawn and bok choy with thin rice noodles in a cleansing stock soup. I think this has been westernized as there are no signs of pork liver, Chinese celery, fried shallots or garlic chives. I always add on two banh tom don (crispy prawn cakes, $1 each). The shrimps when eaten whole are crunchy and flavoursome, adding oomph to the noodle soup.

Combination rice noodle soup with crispy prawn cakes

On this particular day, the crispy skin chicken in my mi ga da don (crispy chicken with egg noodle soup, $10) is disappointingly dry. It is the first time from about twenty other occasions where I've ordered this same dish. The skin is usually golden, glossy and crispy, hiding piping hot tender chicken meat beneath.

Egg noodle soup with crispy skin chicken

Vincent's Noodle House also does a mean crunchy noodle ($12.50) which is an off-the-menu special you can request for. It is essentially a beef stir fry with a big slab of deep-fried noodles. They're naughty but moreish.

Beef stir fried with crunchy noodles

I can never leave a Vietnamese restaurant without ordering a traditional iced drink. At Vincent's, they range from $3 - 4. Here we have the nhan nhuc da (dried longans in a rock sugar syrup with shaved ice), che dau xanh (mung bean with shaved ice) and the nuoc dua (coconut). They're refreshing but are pricey at half the cost of a meal.

Icy Vietnamese drinks

Vincent's Noodle House
Level 1, Dooleys Lidcombe Catholic Club
24 John Street, Lidcombe, NSW
Phone: (02) 8745 6100
Web: www.dooleys.com/joomla/images/stories/documents/vincents_menu.pdf

I'm a big fan of Time Out. I would never visit a city without first consulting the local Time Out guide.

Time Out Sydney's Food Awards 09 winners were announced this week, so let's see who made the cut:

People's Choice
Winner: Glebe Point Diner, Glebe
Runners-up: Bodega, Surry Hills; Quay, The Rocks; Marque, Surry Hills; Longrain, Surry Hills

I'm a bit ashamed that I haven't yet dined at Glebe Point Diner. There are all round positive reviews from other food bloggers, namely, The Unbearable Lightness of Being Hungry, Double Cooked, Lemonade Land and Steph's Food Journey and along with mountain loads of press and editorial reviews, Glebe Point Diner is an obvious people's choice.

Best New Restaurant
Winner: Rockpool Bar and Grill, Sydney
Runners-up: Sepia, Sydney; Spice Temple, Sydney; Etch, Sydney; The Beresford, Darlinghurst

Rockpool Bar & Grill in Melbourne is an absolute favourite. While I haven't been to its Sydney sister, can anyone tell me if it's any different?

Etch is simply full of pretty spaces and their macaroni is to-die-for. The revamped Beresford trattoria is also a clear winner (runner-up in this case) with the locals.

Best Cafe
Winner: Cafe Sopra, Waterloo
Runners-up: Deus ex Machina, Camperdown; Wall, Surry Hills; Ruby's Diner, Waverley; Kazbah, Balmain

Anyone who has been to Kazbah's breakfast banquet will be an advocate. Hmmm, why isn't Dank Street Depot a runner-up?

Best Desserts
Winner: Universal, Darlinghurst
Runners-up: Pier, Rosebay; Quay, The Rocks; Longrain, Surry Hills; Rockpool, The Rocks

I haven't been to Universal, nor Pier or Longrain. But if Quay is any benchmark for the winner, I have to get myself to Universal. I adore Quay's eight texture chocolate cake and their pear creme caramel, sauterne jelly, pear icecream and caramel cream!

Best Steak
Winner: Fix St James, Sydney
Runners-up: Bistro Moncur, Woolahra; Rockpool Bar & Grill, Sydney; Tabou, Surry Hills; Mad Cow, Sydney

Wow, I haven't been to any of these places. What about Prime? Chophouse?

Best Fixed Price Menu
Winner: Bentley Restaurant and Bar, Surry Hills
Runners-up: Assiette, Surry Hills, Atelier, Glebe; Vini, Surry Hills; Marque, Surry Hills

Best Seafood
Winner: Sepia, Sydney
Runners-up: Tetsuya's, Sydney; Manta, Woolloomooloo; Fish Face, Darlinghurst; Pier, Rose Bay

Am I the only one who hearts Flying Fish, Masuya and Ocean Room?

Best Burgers
Winner: Rockpool Bar & Grill, Sydney
Runners-Up: Plan B by Becasse, Sydney; Ruby's Diner, Waverley; The Burger Joint, Darlinghurst; Paul's Burgers, Sylvania

You will have no doubt seen my recent list of where to find the best burgers in Sydney. I still stand by it -although from reading the comments, I need to get myself to Rockpool Bar & Grill and Counter Burger!

Best Cheap Eat
Winner: Black Star Pastry, Newtown
Runners-up: Din Tai Fung, Haymarket; Guzman y Gomez, Newtown; Mamak, Haymarket; Gumshara Ramen, Haymarket

Seriously, how can anything beat Mamak? OK, maybe #chronic ramen is close, but a pastry shop? It must be bloody good, and I have yet to try. But the bigger issue here, is how 6 xiao long bao (soup dumplings) for $8.80 can be considered a cheap eat!

Best Sandwiches
Winner: Malibu, Surry Hills
Runners-up: Pilu Kiosk, 'On the Beach', Freshwater; Big Bite, Sydney; Hong Ha, Hurstville; Plan B by Becasse, Sydney

Best Patisseries
Winner: Adriano Zumbo, Balmain
Runners-up: Croissant D'Or, Potts Point; Yellow, Potts Point; Bourke Street Bakery, Surry Hills; Sweet Belem, Petersham

Ah, Zumbo. Post-Masterchef, Zumbo appears to be the real winner with endless queues and requests for his macarons, croquembouche and the chocolate mousse cake.

Best Noodles
Winner: Gumshara, Haymarket
Runners-up: Pho An, Bankstown; Twisted Noodle Bar, Sydney; Menya Noodle Bar, Sydney, Tan Viet, Cabramatta

I think ramen should be in its own category. But regardless, you'll still find me every fortnight slurping up $7 noodles at Dong Ba in Bankstown.

Best Thai
Winner: Spice I Am, Surry Hills
Runners-up: Longrain, Surry Hills; Sailor's Thai, The Rocks; Chat Thai, Sydney; Crocodile Senior, Sydney

Best Yum Cha
Winner: Fisherman's Wharf, Pyrmont
Runners-up: Marigold, Sydney, Sunny Harbour Seafood Restaurant, Hurstville; Sky Phoenix, Sydney; Golden Unicorn, Maroubra

Best Tapas
Winner: Bodega, Surry Hills
Runners-up: Ash St Cellar, Sydney; Delicado, McMahons Point; Sean's Kitchen, Pyrmont, Catalonia, Kirribilli

Bodega, can anything beat it? I think Spanish Terrazas, Velero and Cantina may be close contenders for runners-up.

Best Pizza
Winner: Lucio Pizzeria, Darlinghurst
Runners-up: Pompei's, Bondi Beach; Rosso Pomodoro, Balmain; La Disfida, Haberfield; Pizza Mario, Surry Hills

Errr, Pizza e Birra anyone?

So what do you think? Are these the winners or losers?

Reminder: my Taste Of Sydney double passes giveaway ends tomorrow! Get your entries in now >

Tia To is my favourite oriental herb. Also known as Tiet To, Vietnamese Perilla, shiso or Vietnamese Hojiso, this aromatic herb can jazz up anything. I love having it amongst other mints with lettuce, spring rolls, vermicelli, bean spouts and pickled radish, or wrapped tighly with fresh tuna in a sushi roll.

Tia To is also a glamourous Vietnamese restaurant in Melbourne's Crown Casino. The menu was an extensive list of traditional Vietnamese goodies and unlike the casual Vietnamese restaurants elsewhere, there was no sign of grubby chopsticks which needed to be pre-wiped with hot tea and a tissue. This royal red duo spoke a different type of elegance.

Menu part 1

Menu part 2

Chopsticks and ceramic soup spoon

My Ching Po Luong (sometimes referred to as Sam Bo Luong) was different too. It was the same sweet syrup drink but the barley peals, water chestnut and seaweed were absent. However, I still enjoyed the generous mix of dried longans, red dates and lotus seeds. We also had the authentic Vietnamese iced black coffee.

Ching Po Luong

Iced black coffee

The Salt and Pepper Squid was spectacularly crisp. The squid was amazingly tender and I simply loved how tightly the thin batter hung on to each piece. For $12, you would expect a little bit more, but it was a compromise of quality over quantity which I'd accepted.

Salt and pepper squid

The pho stock was sublime and much fancier than what I had expected. Gourmet pho, it was.

Fresh herb garnishes for pho, beef noodle soup

Pho dac biet aka. special beef noodle soup

Nuoc cham fish sauce

The spring rolls in my Bun Thit Nuong Cha Gio were too miniature to be satisfying. Tasty slices of BBQ pork were scattered in a bowl with bean sprouts, cucumber, peanuts, vermicelli and the traditional favourite topping of shallots and pork lard. The crispiness of the crispy pork lard enhanced the flavours of this simple dish. It was bad for the body but ooh so good for the soul.

Bun thit nuong cha gio, BBQ sliced pork and pork spring roll on rice vermicelli

Tia To Vietnamese Restaurant
Main Gaming Floor
Phone: (03) 9292 6989

Open Sunday - Thursday 12noon - 12midnight
Friday and Saturday 12noon - 1am

Despite my consumption of Vietnamese food at least twice a week, I've never blogged on it! So here's the first... with many more to come ;-)

Viet food is probably one of my favourite cuisines. It tastes of home... I love the herbs, the spices, all the greens and just the simplicity of its flavours. My parents always rant about how a bowl of Pho Dac Biet (beef noodle soup) or Bun Bo Hue (spicy beef noodle soup) can be bought for just 50 cents in Vietnam. They used to wake up to its aromas...

Dong Ba at Bankstown is just like that. On a Saturday morning, families are packed inside this small but cheerful restaurant. Everything on the menu is practically $7!!

Mum and I ordered their specialty... bun bo hue... *drools*

A few minutes after placing our order, a colourful array of vegies and herbs arrived on our table. Bean sprouts, mints, lettuce and purple cabbage.

So hearty and... just fabulous. The herbs & vegies added a refreshing texture and the broth was worth all the hours it took to make.

The males of the house opted for rice dishes... my bro had the tomato rice and my dad went for the broken rice. We all ate with satisfaction :-)

The verdict? I loved this place to bits. It's casual, cheap and cheerful.

Dong Ba
2/296 Chapel Road South, Bankstown
Phone: 9708 0327