asian food – Amy Cotler

Hanoi, Part 2 (and a peek at Hulong Bay)

June 17, 2016 Comments Off

Before the onslaught. Vietnam’s iconic foot stools set up for supper in the old quarter. A few minutes later, we were sitting on two, wolfing down pressed bahn mi (sandwiches), crispy on the outside, filled with pork, pickled vegetables and hot sauce. Scooters, cars and bike-taxis, peddlng tourists, all constant motion, whirred past as as we ate. (For a sense of the city and more, see Hanoi, Part I. For a few Hulong Bay pictures, scroll to the bottom.) — Before the onslaught. Vietnam’s iconic foot stools set up for supper in the old quarter. A few minutes later, we were sitting on two, wolfing down pressed bahn mi (sandwiches), crispy on the outside, filled with pork, pickled vegetables and hot sauce. Scooters, cars and bike-taxis, peddlng tourists, all constant motion, whirred past as as we ate. (For a sense of the city and more, see Hanoi, Part I. For **Hulong Bay** pictures, scroll down to the bottom.)

Hanoi, Part I

March 12, 2016 Comments Off

After sleepy Laos, caffeinated Hanoi woke us up. Seconds after leaving our guesthouse, we were crossing anarchistic avenues jammed with shops and cafes. Vietnamese sat everywhere on tiny plastic foot stools, spilling out from cafes onto sidewalks, drinking iced coffee, engaging in chatter, while peeling sunflower seeds, dropping them, along with everything else, the ground. […]

Made to order, seasoned to taste

March 8, 2016 Comments Off

Street Soup The time had come. I’d passed her two or three times and watched her ladle, steam rising from her soup. Her little stand was neat with bowls of leafy greens, cilantro and celery lined up, waiting in their bowls. Noodles, rice and wheat, thick and thin, pressed into the front of her glass […]