The Viet in Me...

I am not. I mean, there's not a tiny drop of Vietnamese in my blood but my heart and tummy would tell you otherwise. :-)

When Richard and I were newly married, he worked 2 jobs and I was working part-time. With time in my hands we volunteered to make 60 liters of soup  once a month for a soup kitchen. This was also the time when friends would tell him to introduce me to Footscray because there's a migrant hub there and I might enjoy it. Footscray is not for the faint-hearted. Though it has been revamped and cleaned of unsavoury stuff - it used to be a scary place. Footscray, a suburb of Melbourne, started as a European hub with mostly Spanish and Greek families. Through the years, the Vietnamese came and made the place synonymous to anything Viet in Melbourne. Nowadays there are a few African groups that put up businesses here and rightfully feels comfortable in this hub. Footscray is the poster baby of multi-culturalism.

Rich's friends were right, I loved the markets and the stalls and the busy-ness of this area. I am able to find some treasures in the op-shops and Asian vegetables not sold in usual supermarkets. Not to mention the meat cuts that might be revolting to some but delicious for a Pinoy like me.

I fell in love with the Food in Footscray. Pho - the Vietnamese soup slowly became the to-go soup when I am unwell. Most esp when I am well! The fresh herbs somehow opens my senses and revitalizes my body! I will let the photos speak for itself.

Now I want to go back for lunch and dinner!

Good on ya Footscray...



Pho` is a Vietnamese noodle soup consisting of broth, linguine-shaped rice noodles called bánh phở, a few herbs, and meat, primarily served with either beef or chicken.

Rice paper rolls can have pork, prawns or veggie variation. The dipping sauce of peanuts with hint of coconut and loads of chili packs a punch.

This is dry, crunchy fried noodles with pork or chicken stir-fried with vegetables. So tasty.

 



I have tried a lot of salt n pepper calamari - this is delicious I kinda taste a hint cinnamon on it.

 



Dried fish, chicken, tofu, prawns make this fried rice really 'special'.



Prawn or pork crispy springrolls with fish sauce & lemon tops all the dishes in the menu

 



You wrap the spring rolls with these lettuce & herbs

before dipping it in the sauce. Foodie experience to the max.



This am sure is Chinese inspired but the addition of herbs & chopped chilis on the side with that pungent fish sauce nouc nam is truly Viet.

 




Iced lemon tea, lychee in crushed ice, 3 colours ( 3 kinds of beans with jelly strips in
sweetened coconut milk)



Vegetarian fried rice 🍴

 



Stir fry vegetables with steamed rice, reminds me of my childhood chopsuey 💖🍴

If I am not mistaken this is called banh cam...sticky syrupy but crunchy donut. Oh so good

The cuisine is quite similar to Filipino way of cooking. Rice is a staple and there is always saltiness, sweetness, acidity in verything.  I can eat Vietnamese food every single day as I do Filipino food. Always with a big smile and I won't tire taking my family and special friends to share the enjoyment.