During our recent trip to Vietnam, we had the opportunity to try a variety of different beers. Most of them were lagers that were brewed in different cities throughout Vietnam. There were also several pubs in Hanoi that served locally brewed craft beers. While beer was readily available and relatively inexpensive every place that we visited, wine was pretty expensive. We assume that it most likely due to the fact that Vietnam doesn’t produce much of its own wine. We only spent a couple of days in Laos, but we did have the opportunity to try several of their national beers during our time there as well.
Beerlao Dark LagerHanoi BeerHalong Beer from Halong BayBeerlao Lager with Ice in Vientiane
Vietnam and especially Laos are very hot countries, so after a long day of exploring the country, having a nice cold beer is a nice way to help cool off. It was so hot in Vientiane, Laos that they actually served the beer with ice to actually put into your glass of beer because it would get warm before you could finish it. Even at night, the temperatures are still very warm and beer certainly paired well with most of the meals that we ate during our trip.
Tiger Beer was Popular Throughout VietnamSaigon Beer333 is Another Popular Beer in VietnamBeerlao Gold or Amber Beer
Each city in Vietnam seemed to have its own brand of beer while Laos had a national brand of beer that was offered in a variety of styles including dark, amber, and lager. Most of the beers that we tried were not particularly hoppy or malty and were relatively mild. The mild flavor adds to the refreshing nature of drinking an ice cold beer. We definitely enjoyed the variety of beers that we tried throughout our time in the region.
During our trip to Vietnam, we enjoyed a variety of wonderful meals with different types of food. There were plenty of seafood, pork, and beef dishes, including Bún Chả and Phở. We also had the opportunity to take a local cooking class, which was one of our favorite memories of our time in Hanoi. In addition to eating at several restaurants in Hanoi, we also took several day trips that allowed us to taste food from the countryside as well.
Fried Spring RollsGrilled Mekong CatfishBeef, Eggs, and Bok ChoyBún Chả
Bún Chả is a traditional Vietnamese dish that originated in Hanoi and is made with grilled pork and noodles with a dipping sauce. It is usually served with condiment bowls of minced garlic and sliced hot peppers that can be added to your individual taste. Fried spring rolls are also commonly served with Bún chả. We definitely enjoyed eating Bún Chả and even visited the Bun Cha Ta restaurant twice during our stay in Hanoi. Bún Chả was also one of the items that we learned to make during our cooking class and we’ll definitely be making it for ourselves at home.
PhởSpicy PeppersSpring Rolls and Dipping SauceSteamed Shrimp
Phở is a Vietnamese soup that is usually made of beef, broth, herbs and noodles, but it can be made with chicken or pork as well. Unlike Bún Chả where you don’t drink the broth, Phở is a soup and you eat the meat and noodles with chopsticks and use a spoon to eat the broth. Once again you can add hot peppers to your Phở in order to make it spicier, but add them slowly as they are very spicy. Our hotel recommended that Pho 10 Ly Quoc Su, which is in the old quarter near way were staying and based on the lines, it is extremely popular with locals and tourists alike.
Egg CoffeeFried Fish and VegetablesThis was Just for the Two of UsGoat Stew
Egg Coffee is another traditional Vietnamese item and something that we had a couple of times and also made during our cooking class. It is coffee that is made with egg yokes and condensed milk, which makes it rich and sweet. We also ate seafood at a restaurant on the shore of Hoan Kiem Lake as well as during our overnight cruise on Halong Bay. During our tour to Ninh Binh, we were treated to a meal with fried spring rolls and a stew made with goat, potatoes, and carrots. Goat was a traditional dish for the Ninh Binh Province. During our tour of Perfume Pagoda, we were treated to an overwhelming array of local dishes that included beef, pork, chicken, and vegetables.
Steamed Crab in the ShellsBeef Stir FrySquid with Celery and LeeksCooked Banana with Chocolate and Coconut
Obviously there are plenty of restaurants featuring western food, but we only ate at restaurants featuring local cuisine. Our chopstick skills definitely improved during our time in Vietnam as well since they were often the only utensils offered. We certainly enjoyed trying as much of the famous street food of Hanoi and the surrounding area as possible. We are definitely looking forward to recreating as many of the meals as we can in the upcoming months.
One of the things that we enjoy eating wherever we travel is a classic English or Irish breakfast. It is one of those perfect “breakfast for dinner” meals that is simple and tasty. Traditionally it is served with blood sausage, also called blood pudding, but we weren’t able to get that from our butcher. It is a unique combination of eggs, beans, sausage, ham, mushrooms, and tomatoes that isn’t typically found in the United States unless you happen to visit an English pub. Not only is it delicious but it is very filling. The baked beans are always a simple, ketchup-based style bean that aren’t overly sweet. Here is our version of a traditional English breakfast.
Cooking the sausages
INGREDIENTS • 4 Large Eggs • 6 Breakfast Link Sausages • 4 Slices of Canadian Bacon • 1 cup Button Mushrooms- sliced • ¾ cup Cherry Tomatoes- sliced in half • 1 16 oz can Baked Beans • 4 slices of White Toast- buttered and cut diagonally • 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil • 1 tbsp Unsalted Butter • Salt and Pepper to taste
Tomatoes and Mushrooms
INSTRUCTIONS Preheat an oven to 250 degrees. Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the mushrooms. Simmer the mushrooms until golden brown. Set the mushrooms aside and add the sausage links to the skillet. Brown the sausage on all sides until fully cooked, about 10 minutes (we cooked a full package). Heat the beans in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Remove the sausage and place on an oven-safe plate, cover, and place in the oven to keep warm. Put the Canadian bacon into the pan and cook until both sides are browned. Add the bacon to the plate with the sausage, recover, and place it back in the oven. Add the tomatoes to the skillet along with the mushrooms and cook until the tomatoes start to blister. Remove them from the pan and put them on an oven-safe plate, cover, and put them into the oven to keep warm. Start toasting the bread and crack the eggs to place them in the skillet. If necessary, add more butter to the pan. When the egg whites are no longer translucent, add 2 tablespoons of water and cover. Cook for 2 minutes, being sure that the yolks are still runny. Butter the toast, plate, and serve. Serves two.
