Banh Cuon Hoa II in Bellaire
If I had to pick one Vietnamese dish made from rice flour and eat it everyday for the rest of my life (whole grain white rice doesn’t count), then bánh cuốn would be it. These rolls of thin rice sheet, filled with minced pork and woodear mushroom, gently dipped in nước mắm, make the perfect warm breakfast, light lunch, and quirky dinner. The question is where to find them. Bánh Cuốn Tây Hồ tops the chart everywhere from Texas to Cali, but does Bánh Cuốn Hoa II come close? Maybe rival? Miss by a long shot?
I cheated a bit at the beginning. The first picture isn’t bánh cuốn, but bánh bèo, a rice flour spinoff drafted in the shape and size of waterferns, hence its name. Flooded with nước mắm, they make great appetizers while we were waiting for bánh cuốn.
Bánh bèo comes with a few toppings: fried shallot, chopped green onions, and tôm chấy (dry fried shrimp). The tôm chấy I usually have are totally desiccant, ranging anywhere between flaky and powdery, but these (I’m guessing homemade) shrimps are still plump, and more sweet than salty. It’s not a bad twist from the usual though. The flour part is a bit tired, they broke easily into pieces the moment my chopsticks pinched them. Bánh Hỏi Châu Đốc does it better.
Because it is very hard to go wrong with grilled meat, it’s always safe to get bún thịt nướng on first try at a new restaurant, also a friendly choice for those who have not had Vietnamese cooking before, want to try, but are still cautious. There’s no weird stuff, just rice noodle, crushed peanuts, vegetable and honest grilled pork. Nước mắm seasoned with a tidbit chili paste, a lot of sugar, and a squeeze of lemon juice would spike the taste to infinite pleasure. Bánh Cuốn Hoa II nailed it with a supertender juicy marinated pork.
As much as my dad is a fan of grilled meat, my mom is loyal to noodle soups. She ordered bún măng vịt (vermicelli soup with duck and bamboo shoot), which actually comes in two parts: the duck salad (gỏi vịt) and the bamboo shoot soup (bún măng) with no duck. Dunk the duck into the soup and you get duck soup :-).
The broth is quite pure and slender, free of fatty bubbles floating on the surface, not as heavily seasoned as pho or hu tiu broth, simply refreshing. As for the bamboo shoots, there were both the fresh kind and the re-hydrated dried kind. The dried kind is a tad firmer and more squid-like than the fresh kind. A lovely texture. Boiled duck is also very tender and flavorful.
Bánh Cuốn Hoa II has a pretty clean look. Varnished wooden chairs and tables, high ceiling, humble paintings of Vietnamese countryside sceneries on the walls. I took a peek into their kitchen to capture the banh cuon production line.
Clockwise from bottom left: 1. stirring the liquid batter (rice flour with water); 2. spreading a laddle of batter on a hot flat surface; 3. making a roll; 4. 3 kinds of final products: normal bánh cuốn (with minced pork and mushroom), bánh cuốn tôm chấy (dry fried shrimp), and bánh cuốn thịt nướng (grilled pork).
The lady was just too fast for my camera, I missed capturing the crucial step where she gently used a long chopstick to take the thin rice veil off the cooking surface and whip it aside for the rolling chef.
So here it is, the restaurant’s signature plate: bánh cuốn topped with cha lua, bean sprouts, greens, and fried shallots. The filling is good. The sheet is thin and not oily. But the flour has a sour hint. Bánh Cuốn Tây Hồ is still the champion of bánh cuốn.
Price: a very reasonable lunch for 3:
1 bánh bèo + 1 bún thịt nướng + 1 bún măng vịt + 1 bánh cuốn = $24.57
Address: Banh cuon Hoa II
11169 Beechnut St. #K
Houston, TX 77072
Take a look at RavenousCouple’s recipe for bún măng vịt, it’s my new fav noodle soup.
Update: the amazing pictures and recipe for homemade banh cuon, also from RavenousCouple.
Great write-up, I’m normal visitor of one’s blog, maintain up the excellent operate, and It’s going to be a regular visitor for a lengthy time.
1I like what you guys are up too. Such intelligent work and reporting! Carry on the superb works guys I’ve incorporated you guys to my blogroll. I think it will improve the value of my website 🙂
2I truly enjoy studying on this web site, it contains excellent posts. “Wealth and children are the adornment of life.” by Koran.
3Excellent post but I was wanting to know if you could write a litte more on this subject? I’d be very grateful if you could elaborate a little bit more. Appreciate it!
4I am glad to be a visitor of this gross blog! , thankyou for this rare information! .
5I wanted to thank you for this great read!! I definitely enjoying every little bit of it I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff you post…
6Hey just wanted to give you a brief heads up and let you know a few of the images aren’t loading properly. I’m not sure why but I think its a linking issue. I’ve tried it in two different web browsers and both show the same outcome.
7I truly enjoy examining on this internet site, it contains excellent blog posts. “We find comfort among those who agree with us–growth among those who don’t.” by Frank A. Clark.
8I am glad to be a visitor of this thoroughgoing web site! , appreciate it for this rare info ! .
9Hi there! This post couldn’t be written any better! Reading through this post reminds me of my previous room mate! He always kept talking about this. I will forward this article to him. Pretty sure he will have a good read. Thank you for sharing!
10You completed some nice points there. I did a search on the theme and found a good number of folks will have the same opinion with your blog.
11Very interesting details you have observed, regards for posting.
12I have been surfing online more than three hours nowadays, but I by no means found any attention-grabbing article like yours. It is pretty price enough for me. Personally, if all site owners and bloggers made just right content material as you did, the web can be much more helpful than ever before. “I think that maybe if women and children were in charge we would get somewhere.” by James Grover Thurber.
13Thanks for the sensible critique. Me and my neighbor were just preparing to do some research on this. We got a grab a book from our area library but I think I learned more clear from this post. I’m very glad to see such excellent information being shared freely out there.
14Simply wanna input on few general things, The website style and design is perfect, the content is real superb : D.
15Glad to be one of several visitants on this awe inspiring site : D.
16I have been exploring for a little for any high quality articles or weblog posts on this kind of space . Exploring in Yahoo I finally stumbled upon this website. Reading this info So i am satisfied to show that I have a very just right uncanny feeling I discovered exactly what I needed. I most definitely will make certain to don’t overlook this web site and give it a glance on a continuing basis.
17Hi! Would you mind if I share your blog with my zynga group? There’s a lot of folks that I think would really enjoy your content. Please let me know. Cheers
18With havin so much written content do you ever run into any problems of plagorism or copyright violation? My website has a lot of exclusive content I’ve either authored myself or outsourced but it seems a lot of it is popping it up all over the web without my authorization. Do you know any techniques to help stop content from being stolen? I’d really appreciate it.
19It’s exhausting to search out knowledgeable people on this subject, however you sound like you already know what you’re speaking about! Thanks
20I am curious to find out what blog platform you are working with? I’m having some minor security issues with my latest blog and I’d like to find something more safe. Do you have any solutions?
21you have a great blog here! would you like to make some invite posts on my blog?
22I am extremely impressed with your writing skills as well as with the layout on your blog. Is this a paid theme or did you customize it yourself? Anyway keep up the excellent quality writing, it is rare to see a great blog like this one today..
23It is appropriate time to make some plans for the future and it’s time to be happy. I have read this post and if I could I want to suggest you some interesting things or tips. Perhaps you could write next articles referring to this article. I wish to read even more things about it!
24Some genuinely nice and utilitarian information on this website , also I think the style holds excellent features.
25I discovered your blog site on google and check a few of your early posts. Continue to keep up the very good operate. I just additional up your RSS feed to my MSN News Reader. Seeking forward to reading more from you later on!…
26Its such as you read my thoughts! You seem to understand a lot about this, such as you wrote the ebook in it or something. I feel that you simply could do with some p.c. to power the message home a bit, however other than that, this is wonderful blog. A fantastic read. I’ll certainly be back.
27My brother suggested I might like this website. He was entirely right. This post actually made my day. You cann’t imagine just how much time I had spent for this info! Thanks!
28Thank you, I have just been looking for information about this topic for ages and yours is the greatest I have discovered so far. But, what about the conclusion? Are you sure about the source?
29As I site possessor I believe the content matter here is rattling wonderful , appreciate it for your hard work. You should keep it up forever! Good Luck.
30I do love the manner in which you have presented this situation and it does give me personally some fodder for consideration. Nonetheless, from everything that I have seen, I basically trust when other comments pack on that people today keep on point and in no way start upon a soap box associated with the news du jour. Anyway, thank you for this excellent point and while I do not necessarily go along with this in totality, I respect the viewpoint.
31Would you be thinking about exchanging hyperlinks?
32Can I just say what a relief to find someone who actually knows what theyre talking about on the internet. You definitely know how to bring an issue to light and make it important. More people need to read this and understand this side of the story. I cant believe youre not more popular because you definitely have the gift.
33Some genuinely nice and utilitarian information on this web site, likewise I conceive the design and style has got superb features.
34Sweet blog! I found it while searching on Yahoo News. Do you have any tips on how to get listed in Yahoo News? I’ve been trying for a while but I never seem to get there! Cheers
35Thanks a lot for sharing this with all of us you actually know what you’re talking about! Bookmarked. Kindly also visit my website =). We could have a link exchange agreement between us!
36I have been exploring for a little for any high quality articles or blog posts in this kind of house . Exploring in Yahoo I finally stumbled upon this web site. Reading this information So i’m happy to exhibit that I’ve an incredibly excellent uncanny feeling I found out exactly what I needed. I such a lot unquestionably will make certain to do not omit this site and provides it a glance regularly.
37I am curious to find out what blog platform you happen to be utilizing? I’m having some minor security problems with my latest site and I’d like to find something more risk-free. Do you have any solutions?
38At this time it looks like WordPress is the best blogging platform out there right now. (from what I’ve read) Is that what you’re using on your blog?
39Hi I am so thrilled I found your blog, I really found you by mistake, while I was researching on Google for something else, Nonetheless I am here now and would just like to say kudos for a fantastic post and a all round entertaining blog (I also love the theme/design), I don’t have time to look over it all at the minute but I have bookmarked it and also included your RSS feeds, so when I have time I will be back to read a great deal more, Please do keep up the great job.
40I’ve recently started a site, the info you provide on this web site has helped me tremendously. Thank you for all of your time & work.
41Can I just say what a relief to find someone who actually knows what theyre talking about on the internet. You definitely know how to bring an issue to light and make it important. More people need to read this and understand this side of the story. I cant believe youre not more popular because you definitely have the gift.
42I view something genuinely special in this site.
43F*ckin’ awesome things here. I am very happy to peer your post. Thank you a lot and i am taking a look ahead to touch you. Will you kindly drop me a mail?
44I like what you guys are up too. This type of clever work and reporting! Keep up the excellent works guys I’ve included you guys to blogroll.
45Merely wanna remark on few general things, The website design and style is perfect, the written content is rattling great. “The reason there are two senators for each state is so that one can be the designated driver.” by Jay Leno.
46Absolutely indited content, Really enjoyed reading.
47Thank you for the auspicious writeup. It if truth be told was a amusement account it. Glance complicated to far introduced agreeable from you! By the way, how can we communicate?
48Excellent goods from you, man. I’ve be mindful your stuff prior to and you’re simply too great. I actually like what you have bought here, certainly like what you are stating and the best way wherein you say it. You make it enjoyable and you continue to take care of to stay it wise. I can’t wait to learn far more from you. This is actually a tremendous website.
49Normally I do not read post on blogs, but I would like to say that this write-up very pressured me to try and do so! Your writing taste has been amazed me. Thank you, very nice article.
50