Comments on: Central Vietnam via Arlington (Song Huong)

By: guttural

guttural — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 21:45:07 +0000

I was in the neighborhood of Song Huong so I plopped in for lunch, around 1:30 in the afternoon. I got, presumably, the same seemingly permanently irritated waitress as Donna got, who seemed wide-eyed surprised by my passable Vietnamese language skills. i ordered a litany of items, from nem chua (bland and mushy, timid on the garlic) to tre (not properly tightly packed and not flavorful) to banh beo (mushy and not proper form; mine had been cut from a long rectangular piece) to banh bot loc (texture was ok–not great–but not translucent and didn’t hold its shrimp piece filling well) to Bun Bo Hue. None of it was as good as I had hoped. I probably will not be back.

The framed embroidery on the walls are beautiful, though.
Reminds me of Hue very much.

By: donnaaries

donnaaries — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 15:51:32 +0000

Thanks both Tanya and guttural for the information! I’m just starting to learn about Vietnamese cuisine so the bits you’re providing are very helpful

By: guttural

guttural — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 22:26:20 +0000

One more note…in replying to your article I thought of the pan used to make banh beo..I think it might suffice for your making takoyaki!!!

By: guttural

guttural — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 22:24:28 +0000

I forgot to mention, the little rice pancakes with dried ground shrimp that you had are called “Banh Beo”, “banh” being the generic term for anything cake-like (in this case, rice flour and water batter steamed until it jells into the sticky cake, which should have been brushed with some oil or scallion oil before plating or storing), and “be`o” meaning “water fern”. The traditional banh beo are considerably smaller than the photo shows–about 5cm in diameter, with a slightly concave center to hold the powdered shrimp, scallions, and fish sauce mix (added by the diner). They should be presented 12-15 on a plate, overlapping slightly, just as water fern leaves overlap each other on a pond surface.

One other note of regional differences in term. “Gio lua” and “cha lua” (“lua” meaning silk, in this case connoting smooth texture of the paste from which the meat cakes are formed as well as the mouth feel on consumption) will *sometimes* refer to different meat cakes. Gio will always be steamed. Cha, especially according to the “official” northern term, means fried.

By: guttural

guttural — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 22:11:27 +0000

Hey Donna, next time you get in this predicament at a Viet place, just call me on the mobile for some quick help LOL.

Song Huong translates to “Perfume River”, “so^ng” is river, and “hu’o'ng” is fragrance or perfume. It’s the river that Hue was built along the banks. Next time you expect to see me, ask be to bring my pictures of the Hue from my spring 2007 trip.

Bun Bo Hue is a classic dish, much better without all the added stuff (not needed). Classical versions might have pig trotters, sliced boiled pork belly, and sliced or shredded bamboo shoots added, but not congealed blood cake, cha of any type, or chitterlings.

Despite all the comments, you should NOT have been yelled at in the restaurant. I never get yelled at in restaurants, whether I seat myself or not, because they know I wouldn’t accept that treatment. If they give you attitude, just give it right back. I know you can do it LOL.

By: luniz

luniz — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 18:25:36 +0000

tendon’s pretty good. intestine doesn’t do much for me. too bad it’s so far away otherwise i’d tell you to call me and i’ll come eat the weird stuff and tell you if it’s ok

By: donnaaries

donnaaries — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 03:03:23 +0000

Thanks for confirming the cha lua situation. I just thought it was odd that it was named “sour pork patty” on the menu if they just meant cha lua.

For me, the service issue really had nothing to do with the seating but the general tone of the waitress during my entire visit. She was obviously in a bad mood, and I pretty much got yelled at when I asked what was in the bun bo hue. It was somewhat of an extraordinary situation (I hope!), but it’s the kind of thing that makes me want to look elsewhere for a bowl of bun bo hue before I return to this restaurant.

It was a fun adventure though! Minus the getting yelled at/bad service part. Next time you can go with me so you can translate and I don’t accidentally end up eating any “special” ingredients.

By: Tanya

Tanya — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 02:04:32 +0000

Donna, you should’ve told me you were going to a Vietnamese restaurant! I could’ve told you a few things.

1) First, the picture you have is “cha lua” not “nem chua”. Hopefully, that’s what you ordered. If you ordered “cha Hue”, they gave you the wrong one. “Cha Hue” is tubular and shaped like a hot dog. You’re right in that you can find cha lua in the refridgerated section of Asian resturants wrapped in foil. I would’ve described it as a pork patty (not sour..unless it’s gone bad). =S “Cha Hue” is a spicy pork patty, and “Nem Chua” is the sour fermented pork square/link that is pink and comes with a piece of garlic on top.

2) If you ordered “Bun Thit Nuong” that doesn’t come with a side of sprouts, mint, and lime. The side of sprouts, mint and lime ONLY comes out with an order of “Pho”.

3) It is also pretty standard protocol to seat yourself in Vietnamese restaurants. Then, they come to you with the menu. Sorry, if you had known this, it may have saved you some grief.

4) Finally, “Bun Bo Hue” is one of my favorites! That is a specialty of the Hue region in Vietnam. The semi-transparent and hard item in the soup was tendon NOT intestines. I thought it was a rice porriage that you tried (which can have intestines), but seeing the picture makes me want some “Bun Bo Hue”. The regular kind wouldn’t have had the congealed pig’s blood, cha, or tendon.

I hope that helps! I might suggest “Bun Suong” for you next time…it’s a vermicilli noodle soup with shrimp, pork, and shrimp balls. You put hoison sauce in it for added flavoring (if they don’t already put it on there for you). That’s my all time favorite!