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UNIQUE "PHO" VIETNAM
Below is text from a booklet written by Didier
Corlou, executive chef of the Sofitel Metropole
in Hanoi. Published in 2003, the booklet came
from a series of seminars organized by Chef
Corlou and the European Commission to Vietnam to
discuss the origins of pho noodle soup. Here's
how the booklet is organized. Pho has become the
pride of a nation. Popular and economic, Pho can
be an enjoyed by almost anyone, of any social
range or status.
Click here to read more
Vietnam Cuisine Overview
Vietnam has abundant food supply and elaborate
food preparation techniques. As food preparation
has become an art of the Vietnamese people, some
Vietnamese dishes are world famous. People can
find countless restaurants throughout the
country.
Click here to read more about Vietnamese
cuisine
Vietnam Cooking Courses
- Cookery Center
Vietnam is finally
get more of the recognition it deserves in the
world for its cuisine, with fresh ingredients
and imaginative flavors, and one of the
highlights of any trip to Vietnam is the food.
Even if you do not expect to do much Vietnamese
cooking, a cooking class is a fun and
interesting way to learn about the local
ingredients and how to make some of the popular
dishes.
In general, most
cooking classes are half-day classes starting
with in the morning with a trip to the local
market followed by a cooking demonstration and
lunch where you can eat the dishes that were
prepared.
Most of the
classes tend to be aimed at casual tourists,
rather than serious chefs, and many tend to be
cooking demonstrations, rather than classes with
individual cooking stations. Please inquire
before you book. Also, please keep in mind that
some of the smaller, ad-hoc programs may be more
flexible to change the menu or request more
interaction, especially if you arrange your own
private lesson for your group.
Hanoi :
Sofitel
Metropole 15 Ngo Quyen Street, (+84)4/8266919
The Sofitel Metrople has the high end of the
market in Hanoi cornered with half-day classes
with a trip to the market and cooking
demonstration followed by an elegant lunch in
the Vietnamese restaurant. Class is $50 USD for
morning class; reserve with hotel concierge.
Highway 4 54 Mai
Hac De St . or 5 Hang Tre. Tel: (+84) 4 976.2647
www.highway4.com Highway 4 does not have set
daily classes, but can arrange classes for small
groups and is very flexible in changing the menu
to meet the group's needs. Highly recommended
are Highway 4's famous catfish spring rolls, as
well as a sample of the local fruit-flavored
riou (rice wine) with your meal. Class is $19-32
USD per person, depending on the number in your
group.
Hidden Hanoi No.
56 Ngo 1, Duong Au Co, Nghi Tam Village, Tel:
091 225 4045
http://www.hiddenhanoi.com.vn/ or Morning cooking
classes with a different menu each day of the
week for small groups in a relaxed and peaceful
garden setting led by the very friendly Ms. An.
Class is $30 USD per person.
Hoi An:
Red Bridge
Restaurant & Cooking School Book at Hai Scout
Café at 98 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, Tel: (84-510)
933.222
www.visithoian.com Morning classes which
include a visit to the market, a leisurely boat
cruise on the river to the Red Bridge Cooking
School, a tour of the school's herb and
vegetable garden, and a cooking demonstration
and lunch. The half-day class is $15, including
lunch.
Ms. Vy's Gourmet
Cooking Class Book at the Cargo Club, 107-109
Nguyen Thai Hoc, (84-510) 910 489
www.hoianhospitality.com Ms. Vy's classes,
along with Red Bridge, is one of the most
popular in Hoi An. And if the food at the Cargo
Club and the Mermaid restaurant are an
indication, Ms. Vy deserves her popularity.
Morning class is $20/person including lunch, and
afternoon class is $15/person.
Nha Trang:
Vietnam Cookery
Center
http://www.expat-services.com or e-mail:
vietnamcookery@expat-services.com With the
popularity of its school in HCMC, the Vietnam
Cookery Center has opened another school in Nha
Trang, changing only the menu to include many
local varieties. To book, contact the main HCMC
office.
Saigon - Ho Chi Minh City :
Vietnam Cookery
Center 177 Dien Bien Phu , District 1, Tel:
(84-8) 823-5872
http://www.expat-services.com or e-mail:
vietnamcookery@expat-services.com One of the
more widely mentioned cooking classes in
Vietnam, so book in advance. Classes held daily
- $30 for a morning or afternoon class, with a
visit to the market extra. They can also arrange
classes on the Bonsai Boat in Saigon, thematic
dinner courses, and chef and extended courses.
Omni Saigon 253
Nguyen Van Troi Street, Tel: (848) 844-9222 The
Omni Saigon does not have set classes every day,
but can arrange specially for groups, with
individual work stations. Class is $55/person,
including lunch, and trip to Ben Thanh market.
Bi Saigon 185/26
- 185/16 Pham Ngu Lao St., Dist.1, Tel: (848)
836 0670
http://www.bisaigon.com The Bi Saigon Hotel
& Restaurant does not have set daily classes,
but can arrange classes for small groups based
on your needs. Classes are $15 per dish per
person, with discounts available for hotel
guests. |
