Tag: villa

Hoi An for kids

Leave a comment

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

Leave a comment

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

 

tofu-with-tomato-sauce-am-vegetarian-restauranti-hoi-an

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

 

annen-vegetarian-restaurant-hoi-an-external-seating_opt

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

karma-waters-chairs-and-table

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

minh-hien-food-2-1-of-1

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

cafe1-820x466

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

p-b-an-bang-beach_-painting-opt-4

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

1 Comment

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!

dsc_0454

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

Leave a comment

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

dsc_0428

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

Happy Holiday!

Leave a comment
Processed with MOLDIV

Dear friends,

Happy happy holidays from the Heron House team! Thank you for being a part of our journey in 2016. The year might have been rough and full of unexpected surprises, but now looking back, we are very grateful for all the new friendships we have gained, all the laughter we have shared, and all the memories we have made together. Heron House is a special chapter in our lives and we are glad we got to share this experience with the best group of friends we could ask for.

Wishing you a Joyous Holiday Season and A Very Happy and Peaceful New Years ahead, wherever you are in the world!

Best regards,

Loic, Van Anh and the whole Heron House team.

P/S: Van Anh tried to put real Santa hats on mama and baby buffalo but was getting really dirty looks from the mama so this is the best we can get, please excuse our poor Photoshop skill!)

#TeamBride

1 Comment

Natalie and Kris were the first couple that chose Heron House to be their home for their wedding weekend back in July. We were honored to host Natalie and her bridesmaids on the nights leading up to the wedding and then the newly wed couple on their wedding night. It was such a pleasure to be able to witness so much love and friendship at Heron House that day. The bridesmaids and family were coming from all over the world to our little town of Hoi An to be with Natalie on her special day.

Thank you Aaron Joel Santos and the team at Hoi An Events for the amazing photos.

We look forward to welcoming Kris and Natalie back to Heron House in the near future!

14289865_1428260287185863_1347509129093938694_o14362716_1428260087185883_7376024011441168961_o14372451_1428260537185838_7853580519735871861_o14352344_1428260640519161_2434360512624048362_o14379710_1428259880519237_3980955630207006127_o14379923_1428260783852480_5494442491398920585_o14258189_1428260387185853_768458158743851593_o14379964_1428261023852456_5582738434726815984_o14380068_1428261180519107_5485476720128595611_o14289824_1428261370519088_5898009941542093453_o14290001_1428261520519073_7724157247158652231_o14379900_1428261603852398_1138274893437692088_o

Aubergine49 – Hoi An’s Best Kept Secret

Leave a comment

For us personally, Aubergine49 is the answer to everything.

“Where should we go for the upcoming anniversary/birthday?” – “Aubergine49”

“What’s the one restaurant that you can eat everyday at?” – “Aubergine49”

“Which restaurant would you recommend to all friends when visiting Hoi An?” – “Aubergine 49”

“What would be the last restaurant you go to if you were going to die tomorrow?” – “Aubergine49”

And it is so true, Aubergine49 is our go-to place for any major celebrations, having friends in town, recommending to guests for a nice treat, or even just for a ‘we haven’t been to Aubergine for a few weeks, let’s go’ kind of day. We love Aubergine not only for its consistency in producing a fine-dining experience, the amazing quality of food that you can only find at Michelin-rated restaurants in Europe, the attention to details in every little thing, and of course, the kindness and passion of the man behind it all: Chef Thinh.

You probably hear us talking about ‘our friend who owns this restaurant,’ ‘our friend who runs this bar’ all the times and wonder if we only select F&B people to befriend. The truth is that we love food so much that if we like a restaurant, we would go there so often that before we know it, we have become friends with the owner/chef. The same case went for Aubergine49. I always called to book directly with chef Thinh (a friend of a friend), and after the 5th or 6th time dining there, the mysterious chef came out when the kitchen closed to say hi and we all found ourselves talking passionately about food and life and everything in between for hours until all the lights on the street have disappeared.

After ten years honing his culinary skills under some of the world’s leading chefs such as Paul Gayler of London’s The Lanesborough Hotel, Rick Stein of Padstow’s ‘The Seafood’ Restaurant and Seiji Yamamoto of Nihonryori Ryugin (a three Michelin starred restaurant in Tokyo), local son and chef Nguyen Nhu Thinh has returned home to create a fresh new venue with global flavors. Like many of his mentors from two-star and three-star Michelin restaurants in London and Tokyo, Chef Thinh is a perfectionist when it comes to cooking and it truly shows in the consistency, quality and attention to details in each dish. We have never tasted anything that we did not go ‘Whoa’ at Aubergine. And to top that, every time we get so familiar with all of the food on the menu, Thinh changes everything up and introduces his new creations (which is rare in Hoi An as most restaurants cater only to tourists and thus never change their menu). As good friends with Thinh and his lovely girlfriend Kate, we are also lucky to enjoy the luxury of getting surprise dishes off menu, and oh my, aren’t they all great. To be honest, if I can trade one of my kidneys for his cooking talent, I would!

No words could describe Aubergine49 as vividly as the experience of dining there yourself. Our guests are always happy with the recommendations as they say they get the best meal at a fraction of the price they would pay back home in Europe. So here it is, Aubergine49 – our favorite restaurant in Hoi An and we hope you would enjoy it as much as we do too.

slider-5slider-6slider-1aslider-2

Thanh Ha Terracotta Park

Leave a comment

We always tell our guests there are enough things to keep them busy for a week at this little town. We love going to the beach, diving, snorkeling, taking cooking classes, bicycling, shopping, sightseeing, eating, drinking and so much more! And just when we thought that we had already known the town as the back of our hands, there were something new to do! This time, it was taking two of our favorite guests to Thanh Ha Terracotta Park by the Pottery Village north of the Thu Bon river.

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. It took us a long walk around the property to understand why it had taken four years of construction to finish. 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. We also had to laugh at all the quirky statues randomly placed around the park. You can also join one of the on-site workshops to make your own souvenir to bring home, kids would love that I’m sure!

There are several ways to get here but we enjoyed a scenic route through Cua Dai – Tran Hung Dao – Hung Vuong that slowly weaved into beautiful country road all the way to the fish market of Thanh Ha village. The park is just a few hundred meters down the road to the left.

Hope this has given you a nice day trip idea to explore the surrounding villages of Hoi An. And thank you to Jean-Pierre and Tina for sharing the photos as well as a lot of laughter with us!

VN16_00334VN16_00312VN16_00317VN16_00310VN16_00335VN16_00329VN16_00326VN16_00324

Save

Water Apple Jam

Leave a comment

With summer officially arriving in Hoi An and our trees full of more fruit than we know what to do with, the time has come to get creative and ensure that our guests get to enjoy our fresh fruit long after our tree has run out of offerings for them.  While many people find the water fruit to be a bit too tart for many palates, we believe that with a bit of tampering we have created a universal favourite.

Though some of our guests prefer this jam to be served with our homemade bread at breakfast every morning, I have been equally content to serve it with a cheese plate in the afternoon or even piled atop a bowl of ice cream to be devoured on hot days by the pool.

Whatever your inkling, we find this option to be a new popular item that is moving fast.

 

Ingredients:

  • 500 grams water apples
  • 110 grams sugar
  • 5 grams of honey
  • 5 grams of vanilla extract
  • Heavy dusting of ground cinnamon to taste

 

Instructions:

  • Remove and tough parts of the water apples and dice up the rest
  • Liquefy the water apples in a food processor. Do not add water or liquids yet as the apples are predominantly liquid
  • Mix the sugar, cinnamon, and water apples thoroughly in an open wide mouthed pot before placing it on the stove over medium heat
  • Continue to stir your sweet concoction with a wooden spoon continually over the course of 30 minutes

(Note: If you have a bread machine this can be far more ideal than hovering over a stove for 30 minutes, but for those of us with stove tops, just be sure to be careful to watch the jam carefully while on the stove and to stir continuously or parts will stick to the bottom of the pan and the sauce may very well burn throughout)

  • Once the substance has begun to solidify and the excess liquid has burned off, remove your jam from the stove and allow to cool to room temperature
  • Once cooled off, stir in honey and vanilla extract to taste
  • Once satisfied, place spoon your finished product into air tight jars and place in the refrigerator so it can be enjoyed for a while to come.