There is a place where food is a charm and also a challenge. The food there can make your mouth water when thinking of, but at the same time it somehow holds you back when you remember how spicy it is if you have tried it. Huế is such a place.
Author: lanhue
Bún Bò Huế
Madam Cẩm picks up some thin slices of juicy and fresh beef with the chopsticks, and put the beef in the ladle she is holding in her left hand. After that, she scoops some boiling broth with the ladle with the beef inside, and then lets the ladle half sinking in the broth for a while (maybe one minute or so) to “cook” the beef. Then, she pours the whole thing in the vermicelli.
Huế Food Tour
Huế is where dining is not just a daily need but a form of art and Huế people love eating in style. Why not going on a food tour to discover its specialties beside going sightseeing once you are in the former capital of Việt Nam?
A funny breakfast
She sat down opposite him, the half-meter-wide table between them. After a little awkward silence, he looked at her half traditional and half modern, half local and half foreign attire, asking: “Your uniform is lovely. Which company are you working for?”
Let Me Walk You down Lê Lợi Street
Lê Lợi Str. starts at Hue train station and ends at Đập Đá (Stone Dam). The street that once named after the French Prime Minister Jules Ferry reminds people of a long lost “Phố Tây” (Westerners’ City or the French’s City) in imperial Huế during colonial time.
The Pagoda Perching High on Blue Clouds
In such a tranquil landscape, Thánh Duyên Pagoda is erected, which adds a Zen atmosphere to the whole area. As a story goes, it was in 17th century when Lord Nguyễn Phúc Chu happened to stop by this venue. The Lord was so much in love with the splendid scenery of Mount Túy Vân that he decided to have a small pagoda built in this charming setting in order to pray for his people’s peace and prosperity.
Từ Hiếu Pagoda
After strolling around the pagoda, you may wish to find a place to take a rest. My favorite seat is at a set of rock table and stools by a well and a lotus lake. I enjoy sitting in silence to enjoy the white lotus and violet water-lilies bathing in the last sun-drops of a day. By the edge of the lake, there stands a thatched roof pavilion where the monks often sit around to study or relax on sunny days. On the zigzag bamboo bridge, which links the pavilion to the other side, there seats a monk in the posture of a blooming lotus. He is reading a book without caring about the pagoda-goers nor the chirping sound of the insect around.
A boat trip on Hương River
Our fragile boat keeps smoothly surfing on the placid river as the two verdant riverside parks start to be crowded with joggers. I cup fresh water from the river, and splash it on my face to feel the cold penetrating every tiny blood vessel. Now and then, we come across a fisherman squatting on one end of the boat, trying to catch whatever Hương River can offer them. The calm river is now stirred with more boats from the sampan village start to spread everywhere.
The Servant of Hương River
For decades, many artifacts collected from the Hương River have been under Phan’s loving care. His house is overwhelmed with the artifacts and so is his big and shady garden which turns into an open antique exhibition. Some are piled up to the ceiling, some crammed in the dark and narrow attic or even in Phan’s own bedroom. They can be found anywhere that spares space for them – indoor or outdoor.
Bún mắm nêm – stinky but addictive
I believe that among many Vietnamese fish sauces, mắm nêm is the smelliest one. Some people even compare its odor with that of a stinky shoe. However, for some foodies like myself, we are addicted to this distinctive scent. I often fight hard to keep my saliva from running whenever I smell its aroma. Like renowned durian, mắm nêm also “smells like hell, tastes like heaven”.