In endless search for Comfort Food

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…the makings of the Lamb Lentil Moussaka!

Wow, it has been a long time since we decided to share some of our special recipes, but given that our Heron House family is on hard lockdown again, we thought why not share the love?!?

Needless to say, with the pandemic affecting travel into and in Vietnam, we have found our special corner of the rice fields particularly quiet these days but not boring in the slightest. As we wait to start welcoming visitors again and being able to hold some special events, we thought, why not work on further beautifying our amazing colonial villa with some nice new touches and better yet, work on how to best feed our guests in the future.

New recipes have ranged from 48 hour slow cooked beef short ribs, to learning to make fresh ravioli, to experimenting with Japanese momafuka pork belly, to trying to reinvent the classic Com Ga (Hoi An chicken rice), but in the end for Loic at least his heart, stomach, and mind always wander off to Greece and its incredible cuisine so the time came to tackle a Lamb and Lentil Moussaka after months of elbowing by his hungry friends.

We will share more details on our projects, recipes, and rapidly growing family soon, but for now we just wanted to share a few ideas on how to make this truly incredible dish.

Good luck and bon appetit!

(salting aubergines, the most mundane time consuming process of the whole dish)
(the layering begins)
(Progress)
(at last the ‘healthy’ layer has been applied)
(The final result – in appetizer form – beautiful, with a crunch on the top cheese, loads of creaminess in the bechamel, and the lentils have stayed moist and still kept their shine)

The Lamb & Lentil Moussaka Recipe

(via thermomix, anova sous vide, and good old fashion’d sweat work 😉
Yields about 8 full portions

Ingredients:

  • 300 grams green or red lentils
  • 100 grams parmigiano or pecorino cheese (grated finely preferable)
  • 50-60 grams kafalograviera (or another salty cave aged cheese will suffice)
  • 140 grams crumbled feta
  • 1 kilo (minimum) aubergines
  • Good Olive oil (lots 😉
  • 250-300 grams white onions
  • 1 green or red bell pepper
  • 1x large carrot
  • 1 can tomato paste
  • 2 tbs red wine vinegar
  • 420 grams canned tomatoes (use all contents)
  • 250-300 grams red wine (up to 1 bottle in truth depending on cooking method and chef’s thirst)
  • 3-5 tbls of oregano
  • 3-5 tbs of thyme
  • 2x whole cinnamon sticks
  • salt to taste
  • Ground pepper to preference
  • 40 grams butter
  • 500 grams fresh milk
  • 40 grams self raising flour
  • 1-2 eggs
  • 1 whole nutmeg

Instructions: (more or less in order of tediousness)

For the Lamb:  600-800 grams of Lamb cuttings will work

  • remove cuttings, wash thoroughly, dry, and rub lightly with salt, pepper, and oregano.  Leave it to rest uncovered in refrigerator for around 24 hours
  • After airing the lamb, mix with 1 can of tomato paste, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, dry spices (thyme & oregano to taste for me) and 3 crushed pieces of garlic and then place ingredients in a covered bowl for 4 hours to marinade. (can also add 1 stick of cinnamon at this stage if you want to better flavour the tomato paste)
  • After 4 hours marinade is finished, place contents in plastic bag along with a minimum of 20 grams of virgin olive oil, seal it up, and heat up your sous vide machine to 57.5C/136F.
  • Place vacuum sealed lamb (or use water displacement method) into the bath for 2 – 4 hours
  • Remove lamb and cool
  • Once cool, remove prime lamb meat (that is stupidly tasty at this point) from the excess fat, oil, tomato paste, and gristle.
  • For lamb meat, cut all prime meat into mix of minced and small chunks. Cover and leave to the side to be used for later.
  • SAVE excess fat, oil, tomato paste, and gristle to prepare your moussaka sauce

For the Aubergines: (most annoying step by far) take 1 kilo  or more depending on preference for the layering

  • Wash all aubergines but leave skin on
  • Cut aubergines into even discs
  • lay out all aubergine in an even layer and salt them –  leave to rest for 45+ minutes
  • dry all of them with towel, flip to other side and repeat
  • Once all aubergine slices have been salted on both sides, rinse thoroughly under cold water in sink and leave to dry
  • Preheat oven to 180 degrees C
  • Whisk together virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, and dried rosemary and proceed to dip all pieces into the oil mixture
  • On an oven tray place baking paper and lay out oiled aubergine slices without overlapping them
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes (depending on thickness chosen) until tender but not at all crispy.
  • Cool and set aside for use later

Lentils: 300 grams will do it

  • Place 300 grams dried lentils into 750 grams minimum of room temperature water
  • leave to rest for 2 hours
  • Drain excess water and let lentils air dry until ready

The Sauce:

  • Place olive oil, carrot, garlic, white onion, bell pepper, into thermomix –>  set to 5 seconds at speed 5 to properly mince
    • If no thermomix in sight can use a food processor
  • Add canned tomatoes and from sous vide bag, the excess lamb fat, oil, tomato paste, and gristle –> set to 8 seconds at speed 5
  • Add red wine to taste, salt, pepper, thyme, oregano, and both cinnamon sticks then set thermomix to 30 minutes at varoma, reverse, speed 1 (please note that while the sauce is reducing and solidifying it may be necessary to add more time & more wine to taste but ensure that lamb fat has begun to liquefy during process)
    • If not using a thermomix place all items into large saucepot and heat up gradually to boiling, then reduce heat to a simmer and continually stir for about 1 hour minimum
  • Lastly, add dried lentils into the thermomix pot and set to 18 minutes at 100 degrees celcius, reverse, speed 2 (Note: It is very important that the lentils do not break or dry out, nor that they are too tough at their center so if your pot is full than give it a hard stir around to ensure everything is evenly cooked and add more red wine to the sauce if you are afraid it may be a tad dry) 
    • If adding lentils to conventional pot, it is best to add lentils to sauce and continually stir for about 20-30 minutes depending on liquid levels and consistency desired.  Keep adding wine as needed and dont let the chef go dry either while he is over the heat

Final Assembly:

  • Take large casserole dish (deep if possible) and brush lightly with olive oil to avoid sticking
  • Preheat oven to 200 degrees celcius
  • Add saved lamb into the lentil tomato mix and stir thoroughly until well mixed
  • Pour lentil lamb moussaka mix in the bottom of the casserole dish and layer evenly with a rubber spatula
  • Evenly start placing prepped aubergine slices and make a full 1-2 layers of aubergines on top of lentil mix (note, some kitchens like the aubergines between 2 separate layers of lentils and some cooks just on the top of the mix…either way, with the lentils I rather like the aubergine layer on top and with 2-3 individual layers)
  • Now, start covering the aubergine layer with crumbled feta
  • Next, the Bechamel sauce is needed:
    •  Throw butter, milk, flour, egg(s), and a little ground pepper to taste into thermomix and cook for 8 minutes at 90 degrees C speed 4
    • Add 80 grams parmigiano, grated nutmeg and salt to taste in thermomix and mix for 10 seconds  at speed 4
    • Taste and add more nutmeg, salt, pepper, and some oregano to taste if you like then mix again for 5 seconds at speed 4
      • If not using thermomix, classic process in a saucepot should take about 30 minutes and heavy use of the wrist 😉
  • Next evenly pour the bechamel over the feta layer and ensure that it is evenly distributed
  • Sprinkle remaining parmigiano, crumbled kefalograviera, and breadcrumbs over the top of the bechamel
  • Then grate a little extra nutmeg over the top (along with a dusting of oregano if desired)
  • Throw the now full casserole into the pre-heated oven for 30 minutes until top of moussaka is bubbling and the top layer of cheese starts to bubble evenly
  • Remove from oven, let stand two minutes, undo ones belt, and dive in!

Novemberfest at Heron House

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This fall has most certainly been the strangest one we have experienced in central Vietnam since we arrived. A rainy season that was all but nonexistent until late November and yet Hoi An was surprisingly quiet as the beaches seemed deserted despite the sun and hot temperatures.  Add in a rising demand for special events for the expat population and forging some friendships with some young and upcoming chefs and the decision was made to start using Heron House for special events to get creative, fat, tipsy, and just generally spoiled! The culmination of all this being NOVEMBERFEST: a celebration of Belgian & German cuisine and the promise of hearty food to (one day) welcome some cooler temperatures in Hoi An.

 

We were lucky enough to welcome 22 hungry local guests to Heron House for some mean home style cooking in our beautiful colonial villa and I must say we did not disappoint! Chef Huu and Loic devoted some serious time to planning out the ideal Fall 4 course menu and started preparing some of the dishes days in advance to ensure that everything went smoothly.  Everything sourced needed to be fresh, organic and home made so the boys went crazy in the kitchen making their own garlic mayonnaise, roasting peppers, crafting their own cheese croquettes, smoking their fresh sardines in the Texan smoker, and even using arugula and limes from Loic’s own garden.

 

It was in short a truly memorable night at Heron House and we hope you like some of our pics and the menu that follows below

Canapés:

Belgian Style Cheese Croquettes

&

Bruschetta of Smoked Sardines on a bed of roasted peppers, fresh garlic mayonnaise, and German beer bread

First Course:

Tomatoes stuffed with sweet shrimp, mayonnaise, celery and granny smith apples, sitting atop a layer of fresh pesto, with an arugula & frisé salad

Second Course:

Carbonnade Flamande cooked for 9 hours with Wagyu Beef and Chimay Grande Reserve Beer, roux, and plenty of onions naturally.  All served with a decadent layer of classic German mash with caramelized carrots, fried onion curls, and fresh parsley

Desert:

Pears poached in a merlot red wine sauce of spices and lemon & orange zest served with home made vanilla ice cream and water apple compote

Cheese Course:

  With help from Le Comptoir in Da Nang we were able to offer three beauties from Les Freres Marchand of 2 year old Comte, Reblochon and Loic’s favourite Mimolette Extra Vielle

The Fallout afterwards was predictable, lively, and utterly saturated with laughter, wine, and cocktails throughout the night.  Cant wait to see what we try out next in December!

 

The Castro Birthday Party Feast

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On the occasion of Marjorie Castro’s big birthday, her sweet sons organized a nice weekend family reunion and the request for a special night….and Heron House was more than happy to oblige as we cooperated with her sons to devise the perfect menu focused around locally sourced ingredients, free range poultry, and some new recipes we whipped up predominantly based on classic western dishes with a new oriental spin.

Castro family dinner menu

The results spoke for themselves as the birthday girl in question could not have been happier and Chefs Loic and Thanh loved talking with our guests and explaining the dynamics of each dish.  Not sure if we quite competed with ‘Chef’s Table’ but I will say there were far more smiles around the kitchen.

Will be trying to share some of the recipes in question in the future, but for now we just wanted to share our menu, some pics from our lovely guests, and in general thank the Castro family for a memorable weekend!

 

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The Castro family birthday dinner:

Marinated Mushrooms with toasted almonds on home baked toast canapés

A variety of 4 local white mushrooms marinated in an olive oil and raspberry vinaigrette. The perfect starter that will leave the hands dirty and the stomach happy

∞

 

Chilled Mango Gazpacho with lemongrass sautéed shrimp

Hoi An’s very own take on gazpacho with a little chili kick and large chunks of fresh mangoes & tomatoes served with lemongrass sautéed shrimp and mint on top

∞

Oriental Caprese Salad

Our local tomatoes are only enhanced with capers, Japanese seaweed, sesame seeds, and of course a large piece of fresh Da Lat mozzarella with sesame & oil dressing

∞

Affligem Double beer Smoked Free Range Chicken and Duck

These birds sat on top of thrones full of Belgian double beer for 4 hours while sweating in our smoker and having their skins regularly basted in a maple syrup and thyme honey sauce.  There are indeed far worse fates off for these birds

With baked potatoes topped with a mix of east and west

A simple twist on a classic, these baked potatoes are cooked directly on the charcoals and are served with sour cream, fresh chives, and Vietnamese fried scallions on top

And simple sautéed mushrooms with garlic butter and thyme

We love using the dark mushrooms grown in Da Lat and roasting them in the oven before tossing them in a simple butter and garlic sauce. The perfect partner for Daffy

∞

Thanh’s own Tiramisu

Heron House’s own resident baker has made her own delicate tiramisu using fresh whipped cream and Vietnamese cacao powder.  The perfect Birthday Cake!

 

©

Exploring Hanoi – Restaurants and Bars

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Hanoi marks one of the largest parts of our love story and helps define us as the crazed couple that we are today :-). Of course there were sunny days and then days when the sun could not poke through. But in the end, this city of 9 millions will always be our home, where we would head back in search for comfort.

Our guests often ask us for recommendations for Hanoi and it always takes us a long time and much energy to select what we love most about the city. There were just so much that we miss, especially for the restaurant and bar scene, in this town. And even though we always head separate ways for food whenever we are back in Hanoi these days (me straight to the familiar street food joints and Loic for the Vietnamese fusion picks in a nicer setting), we have finally settled on a list of our top choices for the city. And granted you would need to stay for a month to enjoy everything we love to the fullest, this would hopefully give you an idea for an introductory trip here.

LUNCH PICKS:

– Quan An Ngon – 18 Phan Boi Chau: Vietnamese street food in a French colonial courtyard. Very good Vietnamese noodles and snacks at a very good price, you can try everything in one place!

– Pho – 10 Ly Quoc Su St.: You cannot go to Vietnam without eating a bowl of pho, and there is no better place to do it than in Hanoi. We come here for breakfast sometimes and always have a good experience (good broth, quick service, clean setting)

– Bun cha – 34 Hang Than St.: Popular bun cha (Vietnamese meatballs and noodle) place for the locals
– Moose and Roo Smokehouse – 21 Hai Ba Trung St. (inside the American Club courtyard): A popular choice for the expats in Hanoi if you are craving for some great BBQ in a massive garden where the kids can run wild
– Green Tangerine – 48 Hang Be St.: We love this French Vietnamese fusion restaurant in a beautiful colonial house tucked away in the Old Quarter. The set lunch menu is very reasonable if you want something different
– Koto – 59 Van Mieu St.: Stop by Koto for a lovely Vietnamese lunch after you visit the Temple of Literature. This NGO-run teaching restaurant helps train many street youth for a career in Hospitality
DINNER CHOICES:
– La Badiane – 10 Nam Ngu St.: By far the best fine dining restaurant in the city with beautiful settings. We often come here for anniversary or special occasions!
– Cau Go Restaurant – 73 Cau Go St.: Great Vietnamese restaurant with great view of Hoan Kiem Lake, you would have to make reservation in advance through their website to enjoy at this Vietnamese fine dining restaurant
– Cua hang an uong Mau dich so 37 (State-Run Food Shop No. 37) – 37 Nam Trang, Tay Ho District – A hidden restaurant that offers a sneak peak into the government’s economic reform ‘doi moi’ period. Think whitewashed walls hung with battered enamel lunch pails and a transistor radio emitting crackly period tunes, the restaurant is Van Anh’s favorite for northern home-style dishes that cannot be found much outside of Vietnamese homes
– Le Jardin French Bistro – 54 Quang An, Tay Ho District: One of the best French, European restaurants in Hanoi with great view of the West Lake. Don’t forget to leave room for the delicious lavender creme brulee!
– The Fat Pig – 74 Quang An, Tay Ho District: For those of you who are craving some taste of home, this craft brews and awesome BBQ has great view of West lake and delicious food to match the view
– Cousins – 3 Quang Ba, Tay Ho District: Voted best restaurant in Hanoi within the expat community, this hidden treasure offers a nice escape from the intensity of downtown with delicious homemade international food
– Pepe La Poule – 22 Quang Khanh St., Tay Ho District: An awesome rooftop expat restaurant with Japanese French fusion dishes that will not disappoint you. Our favorite place for a romantic date night for sure
COCKTAIL HOURS:
– Metropole Hotel – French Quarter: A great place for people watching and amazing cocktails. Take a table on the verandah facing the street and enjoy the view of Vietnamese brides and grooms queuing in line for their wedding pictures. Don’t forget to take a tour of the hotel afterward and see which celebrities have been here in the past. The Metropole’s famous Sunday brunch is also a treat for you and the family for sure
– Barbetta – 34C Cao Ba Quat St.: This funky bar near the Temple of Literature offers a combination of retro-chic decor, cheap drinks and food, and a rustic rooftop bar. Try Loic’s favorite: the Russian green tea martini and let us know what you think
– 88 Lounge: 88 Xuan Dieu St.: This well-designed wine bar is where we spent 3 nights out of every week drinking with our expat friends. That should tell you enough about the place
CHIC CAFES:
– Vui Studio – 3C Tong Duy Tan: An open cafe dedicated to showcasing the contemporary aesthetics and craftsmanship of Vietnam with lovely music and nice drinks. Check out some of their creative Gin Tonic if you happen to be there during happy hours!
– La Place – 6 Au Trieu St.: With undoubtedly the best view of Hanoi’s iconic cathedral, this little hidden cafe offers fresh juices and drinks for you to enjoy some great people-watching
LATE-NIGHT PARTIES:
– 1900 Le Theatre – 8B Ta Hien St.: Nestled at the heart of the Old Quarter on bia hoi street, the hottest club in town was converted from an old theater. Nice design, good vibe, dope clientele and civilized music are the things to be expected here.
Let us know if you have any other favorites and we will make sure to check it out and add it to our list! Enjoy Hanoi!!

Tam Thanh Mural Village

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You know the feeling when you live in a place for so long that you rarely break out of your own routines to explore your own town? Well, living in Hoi An has been quite a dream for us as we get to enjoy many different aspects of life, from sunbathing by the beach, lunch by the river, sunset cocktails by the rice paddies, to dinner in the old beautiful lantern town…, but sometimes it is so nice to take a road trip into the countryside to have a fresh look at our own beloved town from the eyes of a tourist.

So long story short, we had been meaning to take a day trip to Tam Thanh Mural Village for a while, but it was not until we met up again with our lovely guests Jean-Pierre and Tina, who had also been to Hoi An for three times and were looking for a new experience, that we were determined to drive one hour down South to see what all the hype about this place was about. And then came one of the loveliest days during our whole time in Hoi An!

If Tam Thanh was just another quaint Vietnamese fishing village in a little less than a year ago, it has now completely transformed into a beautiful living art gallery that celebrates the local culture, people and nature. This amazing makeover was thanks to a joint initiative by the Korean Community Art Exchange Program and the Vietnamese People’s Committee of Quang Nam Province to bring art to the people. The project was carried out over the course of two weeks in the summer of 2016 by five Korean artists, seven Vietnamese artists, and a group of local volunteers to complete over 100 murals. And the results are just astonishingly beautiful.

As we strolled down the main road of the village, we felt as if we had stepped into unicorn land with an unexpected explosion of colors. Each house had its own story with unique themes and color palettes, from beautiful Vietnamese girl with the most mesmerizing eyes, to funny character from Frozen popping out of an alleyway, to a piece of satire art with a hidden meaning. We even got to meet a tailor and his family who were the subject of a beautiful wall art in his own home. Every time we looked into an alleyway, we came across more beautiful murals trailing down the houses toward the beach. It truly was an amazing experience.

As a Vietnamese, I can really appreciate the effects of this project on the lives of the locals. In a way, the murals have really added a fresh breath of life into the Tam Thanh village. We met with proud grandmother who insisted us to go down her alleyway to see more hidden artworks. Group after group of young schoolboys with the biggest smiles waved and said hello to us as they passed by on the way home from school. The locals’ quality of living have certainly been improved thanks to large number of tourists visiting their village, but at the same time, you could still feel the warm and genuine hospitality through welcoming smiles and friendly waves. I really hope there would be more similar projects to bring spectacular works of living art to the many beautiful yet sleepy corners of Vietnam.

And here are some of the artworks that Jean-Pierre has skillfully captured to get you excited! Don’t forget to check out this amazing project to see all the other murals for yourself!

Hoi An for kids

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When we start our dream project Heron House, we envisioned a fun hang-out get-away haven for expats and tourists in Hoi An. A place where you can meet and make friends with like-minded people over rounds and rounds of creative cocktails while sunbathing by the swimming pool. It was meant (and equipped) to be a fun cool place for young couples and friends.

And while we enjoyed so much the company of various couples and groups of friends traveling through Hoi An, we soon realized our popularity among families with young kids. We love them and they love us back. It is great to see our young guests’ amusement when visiting the rice fields and making friends with our farm animals. Little Nick loved chasing after ducks while little Tilly wants to bring back a cow to Saigon. Since then we have tried to adapt to meet our little guests’ needs (plenty of crayons and toys for everyone!) and reaching out to different businesses in town to find the best activities for families with kids. Hoi An is indeed a great town for kids to explore and here are some of our recommendations to get you excited:

  • Cooking class in Tra Que village

I always love to meet kids who are enthusiastic about foods and helping out in the kitchen. What could be a better way for the family to bond over flipping ‘banh xeo’ (our pancake) and making spring rolls. We usually recommend taking a half-day program with Water Wheel from Tra Que vegetable village, starting at 8:30am by bicycling to the local market, picking the freshest ingredients from their garden, making a big Vietnamese meal and ending the class with a food coma back at Heron House around 1:30pm.

  • Building sand castles at An Bang beach

Every kid loves to spend all day long at the beach (while the parents can relax with a glass of wine or read a book). We usually recommend parents to take their kids on a nice bicycle ride through the rice paddies to get to the beach. Our personal favorite place to chill out at An Bang is H’Mong Sisters (look for beach chairs with floral covers!) with great BBQ dishes and a very relaxing vibe).

  • Uncovering the mystery of the old town

Hoi An is a town full of history and legends,  and we are excited that there just came a special way for kids and adults alike to explore the town. Halfway between a life-sized investigation, an original city-tour and a treasure hunt, Urban Tales Hoi An invites you to save the city from the mysterious Malediction of the Jiangshi. This 1/2 day excursion has been especially designed for independent travellers willing to discover the city by themselves. The scenario will lead visitors to some of Hoi An’s best parts: narrow streets, century-old wells, calligrapher’s studies and the unforgettable surrounding countryside. Good luck with the adventure and please don’t tell us the answer!

  • Board game tournament at Heron House

We are proud to present you with a wide range of board games for family bonding time. From Jenga to challenge your skillful hands, Life to live a different life for the day, Sorry to bring out the ‘mean’ side in you, Monopoly the special Hanoi version and many more. This is the time when different generations come together and share many laughter in the comfort of our home.

  • Learning how to make lanterns

Hoi An will certainly charm you with its ancient houses, colorful walls and beautiful hanging lanterns. And what could be a better souvenir to bring home than a really cool lantern that you made with your own hands? Our friends at Xu Dang Trong offer lantern-making class throughout the day so you can pop in any time for a quick treat. Let your kids bring a piece of Hoi An home with them to show off with their friends.

  • Be crafty at the Terracotta museum

This is certainly not a full day trip, but it well deserves half of your day to explore all the cool little exhibitions at this museum. Opened in 2015, the park nestles in the heart of Thanh Ha ancient pottery village which is famous for traditional terracotta artifacts. Everything to the tiniest details was made with so much care, from the miniature World-Heritage-list sites around the world to the terracotta walls that told the stories of Vietnam’s struggle throughout history. Your kids can also join one of the on-site workshops to make their own souvenir to bring home!

Enjoy our Hoi An and let us know if you did something super fun in Hoi An that we miss here!

Hoi An for Vegetarians/Veggie Lovers

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It feels weird to introduce the options for vegetarian restaurants in Hoi An after a blog post with recipe of 4-kilo smoked beef. But then again we thought the beginning of the year would be the perfect time to try to lead a healthy lifestyle and explore something different. Among all the culinary varieties that Hoi An has to offer, our guests are often quite interested in the many vegetarian places around town. We cannot write a better guide for you than our friends over at Hoi An Now, so here it is, all the amazing vegetarian options for your taste buds.

*****

In general Vietnam is a great place for vegetarians. Vietnamese cuisine offers many meat-free options and, in Hoi An, most international menus have a vegetarian section. Indian, Mexican, Japanese and Italian are favored by local vegetarians in particular but there are several dedicated vegetarian restaurants as well that are so good that vegetarians and omnivores visit in equal measure. From strictly vegan to mouth-watering cream and cheese sauces; from soups and steaming hotpots to deep-fried delights and incomparable desserts – and it’s all often for a fraction of the prices elsewhere. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that if you’re not a vegetarian then dedicated veggie restaurants aren’t for you!

Am Vegetarian Restaurant

 

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Roughly-hewn wooden furniture and wafting ‘Om’ mantras humming in the air immediately soothe the soul. The whole space is a design triumph, more befitting New York or Paris in a funky Buddhist way. With mains around 40,000 VND Am is the classiest, cheap setting in town.

Mushrooms, tofu, salads, soups and hotpot dishes with ever so fresh ingredients are deftly spiced revealing intriguing combinations of flavor and texture. For many, Hoi An’s premier Vegetarian Restaurant.

33D Ly Thai To; +84 (0)902 763 717; 9am-9pm 

Annen

 

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Annen’s laid-back outdoor style invites you to relax. Incredibly this comfortable setting has nothing on the menu over 45,000 VND! Standouts include the refreshing and light, Sup An Niem (Annen soup) and Cha Gio – incredibly moreish, fried spring rolls.

The ubiquitous stir-fried noodles with vegetables and tofu is one of the tastiest anywhere in Vietnam – a colorful concoction of fresh, crunchy carrots, green beans, red cabbage, onion, bean sprouts and button mushrooms packed together with lightly crisped tofu and soft noodles laced with soy sauce.

320 Nguyen Duy Hieu; +84 (0)510 3861 919

Co Dam

Vegan restaurant, Co Dam, is one of the cheapest in Hoi An. No names or menus, just choose from the six or so dishes of the day.  Favored by Vietnamese locals not just for price (between 15,000 and 30,000 VND!) but also for authenticity. Many dishes resemble meat counterparts mirroring pork belly or chicken legs for example, in time-honored Vietnamese tradition.

The setting may be basic but this is the real taste of Vietnam – piquant and moderately spicy.

20, 71 Phan Chu Trinh; (close 8pm)

Jack’s Cat Cafe

Jack's Cat Cafe, Hoi An. Ginger cat descending. _opt (14)

You share Jack’s Cafe with 70+ rescued cats who roam freely over an exquisite garden courtyard and even through ‘runs’ in the kitchen and other indoor areas. With so many cats its ideal for children. The menu changes regularly running from snacks like guacamole on rye, egg curry salad and crispy tofu and coleslaw wrap. Great coffee and fruit juices.

Small donation requested for cat welfare center. See http://www.vietnamcatwelfare.org/jacks-cat-cafe/ for availablity.

Take lane opposite 12 Le Hong Phong (not far from corner on the right); +84 (0)97 583 25 15

Karma Waters

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In addition to local fare the menu has a large selection of Indian and International cuisine and plenty of healthy juices. The Karma Waters’ Veggie Burger’s one of the best-value meals in Hoi An and many seasoned expats rate Karma Waters among their favorites.

No MSG, no sugar, no alcohol, no smoking. All dishes are vegan and home delivery is available. Note: closes 8pm

213 Nguyen Duy Hieu; +84 (0)510 3927 632; 10am-8pm

Minh Hien

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Minh Hien with its indoor, outdoor feel is a nifty place to ogle passers-by on Tran Cao Van. Delicate pumpkin slices, firm yet succulent; pork-free Cau Lau noodles swimming alongside fresh mint, salad vegetables and mushrooms; and sweet and sour straw mushrooms, moderately fired up with chili set the scene.

Vegetarian or otherwise, Minh Hien’s place as one of Hoi An’s leading value-for-money restaurants, is assured.

50 Tran Cao Van; +84 (0)932 403 905; 9am-10pm

Minh Hien 2

A kissing cousin of the original Minh Hien on Tran Cao Van – this inexpensive vegetarian restaurant is great value for money. The lightly curried pumpkin and the wonton soups are favorites and the very spicy salad of green banana, mushroom, various greens, bean sprouts and chili is a knockout – literally.

At Minh Hien 2 the owners’ gentle spirituality permeates the service and is part of a package that’ll make you want to return.

30A Dinh Tien Hoang; +84 (0) 932 403 905; 9am-9.30pm

Nomad Cafe

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Frenchman Julien Prete brings European class to Nomad Cafe with scrumptious salads drizzled with zesty dressings and pastas with unique, homemade sauces. Other parts of the menu change weekly following Mediterranean or East Asian traditions always retaining Julien’s trademark flair.

Perhaps Hoi An’s closest to urban chic cafe foodwise. From Thai green curry to chapazza and focaccia; from empanadillas stuffed with fetta and mixed salad to penne with roast vegetables. Unique juice blends also highly recommended.

6 Le hong Phong; +84 (0) 907 489 129

P & B Vegetarian Restaurant

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Two 4-course set-menus lead the way (exceptional value starting from 70,000 VND). P & B is at the yummy, some might say naughty, end of vegetarian cuisine. Think deep-fried okra, spaghetti with a cream and mushroom sauce, cheese garnishes and lightly seasoned, fried potato medallions.

Stay away  if in a hurry but, if you have the time, it’s one of the best value-for-money feasts going. So, what’s keeping you?

An Bang Beach; +84 (0)905 159 567

Loïc’s awesome smoked beef

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For us, the holidays are usually all about eating and drinking (and complaining about eating too much and then starting it all over again the following day). We are quite lucky that most of our guests are also food fanatics like us so we can spend hours upon hours talking about restaurants and recipes. This year, one of Loïc’s most popular holiday creations was the giant smoked beef we served on Christmas eve. Marinated for 24 hours with rock salt, Greek rosemary, zinfandel wine,  worcestershire sauce and a lot of love, this recipe was so rich in flavors thanks not only to the new recipe, but also thanks to all the little local ingredients such as coconut shells, sugar cane husks, banana leaves (and also apple wood chips hand carried from America…airport customs agents must have thought that we were nuts). Anyway, no more rambling, here is the recipe for you!

Ingredients:

2-4 kilos of Beef (Cube Roll if available)
Rock Sea Salt
Rosemary
1 bottle of Zinfandel wine
120-140 ml of Worcestershire sauce
 

Directions:

1) Gradually start massaging the rock salt and rosemary into the beef after cutting off any excess fat.  Depending on the size of the meat, this may take around 30 minutes to really work in the spices.

2) After the massage experience, place the beef in an airtight container and submerge the meat in Zinfandel wine and Worcestershire sauce. Be sure to use enough of both liquids to ensure that no part of the beef is exposed to air.  Seal off the container and place in the refrigerator for between 18-30 hours.

3) Remove the beef from the liquids but be sure to save all the marinade as it will be used during the smoking process

4) Light up your smoker and burn the charcoal for about 30 minutes or until the charcoal is hot enough.  After this (if you have access to it) begin adding coconut shells, sugar cane husks, banana leaves, and/or apple wood chips on top of the coals continually as you go along and add more charcoal as needed to ensure the temperature is sufficiently hot and smoky.

5) Once the fire is hot enough, place your beef in the smoker and let it slowly cook. The beef should have the remaining marinade brushed over it once after an hour and then re-brush the marinade over the beef every 45 minutes afterwards.

-depending on the size of the meat, total cooking time can vary between 3-4 hours on average but it can be useful to use a meat thermometer if available to ensure you don’t overcook the beef.

6) Remove beef from the BBQ, serve, and ENJOY!

 

Oh, you Glorious beef!

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The moment of truth…dsc_0510

When you can see the smoke oozing out of the beefdsc_0517

Our guests ask for a more well done version but you can also have to medium rare toodsc_0520

Holiday Season ’16

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We often joke how funny it is that we hospitality people only start our holiday once our guests have gone back to work. This year, our holiday feels so much different though. As we hugged our new year groups good bye and slowly took down the holiday decorations, we all felt a slight holiday hangover. As if our holiday has been over too. As if we are sending our friends off after such a fun party and not really sure when would be the next time we meet.

For us here at Heron House, this holiday season was truly about reunions. It was a father and daughter visiting his other beloved daughter and son-in-law in Vietnam from Africa and Europe. It was a high school reunion of three friends with their wives and kids who were living all over the world. It was a long-overdue family vacation with a lot of board games and laughter. It was exploring new places and making new friends for a pilot’s family. And for us as well, we got to welcome our two Greek friends into our home after meeting them at their home in Leros in our last summer vacation.

It was a special time for all of us. We hugged and drank and laughed and shared stories. I know Loic felt quite sad for not being with his family and friends for yet another Christmas so it was comforting to realize the number of friends we have made over the holiday.

The weather was not so kind to us over the holiday and we apologize for any hiccups you might feel during your time in Hoi An. We would like to thank you again for being a part of our holiday season and spreading the laughter and love. 2016 was a year full of challenges and difficulties but it marked a special chapter in our lives and we are happy we got to welcome the exciting new 2017 with you!

And here are some photos from our Christmas BBQ in the villa. Sorry we were so busy cooking and drinking and laughing that we did not have time for more pictures with the other groups. And thank you Quyen for stepping in and capturing these precious moments.

Our little Christmas tree with decorations from our little guests

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Delicious mulled wine to start off the nightdsc_0449

 

Clara is making special cookies for Santa Clausdsc_0464

Loic’s signature mushroom soup with truffle saucedsc_0507

Slicing open the present, our 4-kilo smoked beefdsc_0509

Our lovely guestsdsc_0529

… with Santa’s little helpersdsc_0532