Le Regal – Old food, new taste
When asked about Vietnamese food, Americans usually think of phở busily churned out in small noodle houses crowded with plastic chairs and formica tables. Naturally, since most immigrants gather in their community, the variety of traditional food can only circulate in specific areas. A small fraction of the people have settled in a predominantly American neighborhood long enough and are acquainted with the system enough to set up a business, but they often target the young customers with adventurous taste. Meanwhile, most young customers can only afford low price, hence phở and other easily-made noodle dishes make their way to the top.
Careful circumspection would show that pasta alla carbonara requires no more effort than bún thịt nướng, so is it just a matter of gaudy names, flashy advertisement, and aging familiarity that brought one into fancy menus but not the other?
By no means do I want to sound like a snob, but every now and then I get cravings for a nice dinner in a restaurant aptly labeled “restaurant”. Ladles of this melting cheese and mounts of that grated cheese just no longer light the candle. A retouch of Far Eastern eloquence was much needed to make the aesthetic night.
The price is a little steep, but here are clothed tables, warm lights, an all-English menu, little to no disturbances from foreign chattering in the kitchen and among customers. A middle-aged woman, busy like a humming bird, scampered from kitchen to tables with plates in one hand, orders and bills in the other. For a restaurant with a fair size like Le Regal, one-person play seems a little overwhelming. But it works, our food was served within the time it took for us to make a few glances at the decor and exchange some daily news.
Fried rice is an easy dish, if you throw in some meat, some egg, some legumes, some salt and soy sauce, it can be called well done. Its volatility allows the cook to break free from shackles of recipes, and the eaters to relax from judging its missing-this or extra-that. There’s no fixed list of ingredients, no fixed standard other than appealing to the mouth, hence no objective criterion to rank a plate of fried rice among others. But if we were to nitpick, creativity would pump this one fried rice on top of all other Asian concoctions I’ve had, simply because of the addition of pineapple. There were only a few wedges in that mount, but pineapple is not one to be bullied by other ingredients, its tamed acidity seeps through every grain of rice, sweeter and more thorough than a squeeze of lemon. It helps lowering the guilt of consuming chicken, shrimp, scallops, pork, fried egg and zillions of molecules of saturated fat in frying oil. The rice also made tasty leftover for the next day.
As much as the cook was generous with the protein and the starch, they also gave us enough veggies for ten. At other Vietnamese restaurants, a small plate of sprouts topped with some basil is the usual allowance. Here came a basket of mounting garden goodies. I hadn’t seen any bunch of greens this big for years, especially since we weren’t asking for phở. Not sure what to do, we made lettuce wraps with bean sprout, a couple of leaves of basil and mint, and grilled beef from the other dish we ordered. Dipped in nuoc mam, the wraps were rad.
I’ve blogged about bánh hỏi thịt nướng before, so instead of blabbing about the lacy texture, I’d just say that this was delicious. Now clearly it’s a bit disproportionate, nowhere in Vietnam would you find so much meat accompanying so little banh hoi, the rice vermicelli must be the base. But the food pyramid seems to be upside down in America, where meat is vital in keeping you thin and at all cost one must say no to starch. The cook also went bizerk with deep fried shallots and crush peanuts, but those are easily brushed off if you’re not into contaminating grilled beef with relatives of vegetables.
Together with Tomatina, Alborz, some Mexican eatery, and Top Dog, Le Régal makes Center Street a road of international cuisine, of course an addition of kangaroo ragout and kitfo would be nice.
Bill before tip: $26.23 – dinner for two and leftover lunch for one.
Address:
Le Regal
2126 Center Street (between Oxford & Shattuck)
Berkeley, CA 94704
You could definitely see your skills within the work you write. The world hopes for even more passionate writers such as you who aren’t afraid to say how they believe. At all times follow your heart. “Until you’ve lost your reputation, you never realize what a burden it was.” by Margaret Mitchell.
1I really appreciate this post. I’ve been looking all over for this! Thank goodness I found it on Bing. You have made my day! Thx again
2I admire your piece of work, thankyou for all the great content.
3Thank you for sharing with us, I conceive this website genuinely stands out :D.
4I like what you guys are up also. Such smart work and reporting! Keep up the excellent works guys I’ve incorporated you guys to my blogroll. I think it will improve the value of my website :).
5Valuable info. Fortunate me I discovered your site unintentionally, and I’m surprised why this twist of fate didn’t happened in advance! I bookmarked it.
6I have read several good stuff here. Definitely value bookmarking for revisiting. I surprise how much effort you place to create the sort of excellent informative web site.
7Hi 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!
8Enjoyed reading this, very good stuff, regards.
9Excellent website. Plenty of useful information here. I am sending it to some friends ans also sharing in delicious. And naturally, thanks for your effort!
10I love the efforts you have put in this, thankyou for all the great content.
11Whats up very cool web site!! Guy .. Excellent .. Superb .. I’ll bookmark your website and take the feeds also?KI am glad to find numerous useful info right here within the put up, we need develop more techniques on this regard, thank you for sharing. . . . . .
12Awsome website! I am loving it!! Will come back again. I am bookmarking your feeds also
13I like what you guys are up also. Such intelligent work and reporting! Keep up the excellent works guys I’ve incorporated you guys to my blogroll. I think it will improve the value of my web site :).
14I like this web blog so much, bookmarked. “Nostalgia isn’t what it used to be.” by Peter De Vries.
15This is the right blog for anybody who needs to find out about this topic. You notice a lot its nearly onerous to argue with you (not that I actually would need…HaHa). You positively put a new spin on a topic thats been written about for years. Great stuff, simply great!
16I like the efforts you have put in this, appreciate it for all the great articles.
17Hi! I just wanted to ask if you ever have any issues with hackers? My last blog (wordpress) was hacked and I ended up losing months of hard work due to no data backup. Do you have any solutions to prevent hackers?
18I have recently started a website, the information you provide on this site has helped me greatly. Thanks for all of your time & work.
19I was very pleased to find this web-site.I wanted to thanks for your time for this wonderful read!! I definitely enjoying every little bit of it and I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff you blog post.
20You should take part in a contest for one of the best blogs on the web. I will recommend this site!
21Aw, this was a really nice post. In thought I would like to put in writing like this moreover – taking time and actual effort to make a very good article… however what can I say… I procrastinate alot and in no way appear to get something done.
22I am so happy to read this. This is the kind of manual that needs to be given and not the accidental misinformation that is at the other blogs. Appreciate your sharing this greatest doc.
23I’ve been absent for some time, but now I remember why I used to love this website. Thank you, I’ll try and check back more frequently. How frequently you update your web site?
24This is really interesting, You’re an excessively skilled blogger. I’ve joined your feed and look ahead to in quest of extra of your wonderful post. Also, I have shared your site in my social networks!
25Enjoyed examining this, very good stuff, thankyou.
26Perfectly written subject matter, thank you for information. “The bravest thing you can do when you are not brave is to profess courage and act accordingly.” by Corra Harris.
27I will right away seize your rss as I can’t to find your e-mail subscription link or newsletter service. Do you’ve any? Kindly permit me know in order that I may subscribe. Thanks.
28Hey there! Do you use Twitter? I’d like to follow you if that would be ok. I’m absolutely enjoying your blog and look forward to new posts.
29I have recently started a web site, the info you provide on this site has helped me greatly. Thank you for all of your time & work.
30Unquestionably believe that which you stated. Your favorite justification appeared to be on the net the easiest thing to be aware of. I say to you, I definitely get annoyed while people think about worries that they plainly don’t know about. You managed to hit the nail upon the top and also defined out the whole thing without having side-effects , people can take a signal. Will likely be back to get more. Thanks
31Thank you for another excellent post. Where else could anybody get that type of info in such an ideal way of writing? I’ve a presentation next week, and I am on the look for such information.
32I do love the manner in which you have presented this concern and it does indeed provide me personally a lot of fodder for thought. Nonetheless, from what I have seen, I just simply hope as the comments pack on that people continue to be on issue and in no way start upon a soap box associated with some other news du jour. Anyway, thank you for this excellent point and whilst I can not necessarily concur with it in totality, I regard the standpoint.
33You have noted very interesting details! ps nice site. “Wisdom is the supreme part of happiness.” by Sophocles.
34you have an awesome blog right here! would you wish to make some invite posts on my weblog?
35Loving the information on this website , you have done outstanding job on the blog posts.
36Some truly nice and useful info on this site, likewise I believe the pattern has fantastic features.
37I’d perpetually want to be update on new articles on this internet site, saved to bookmarks! .
38Good info and straight to the point. I am not sure if this is in fact the best place to ask but do you people have any thoughts on where to hire some professional writers? Thx 🙂
39I appreciate, cause I found exactly what I was looking for. You’ve ended my four day long hunt! God Bless you man. Have a great day. Bye
40Thanks , I have just been searching for information about this subject for ages and yours is the best I’ve discovered so far. But, what about the bottom line? Are you sure about the source?
41Great remarkable issues here. I am very happy to look your post. Thank you a lot and i am looking ahead to contact you. Will you kindly drop me a mail?
42he blog was how do i say it… relevant, finally something that helped me. Thanks
43I’m now not certain the place you are getting your information, but great topic. I must spend a while learning more or working out more. Thank you for wonderful information I used to be searching for this information for my mission.
44Enjoyed reading through this, very good stuff, thanks. “All things are difficult before they are easy.” by John Norley.
45you are really a good webmaster. The web site loading speed is incredible. It seems that you are doing any unique trick. Also, The contents are masterwork. you’ve done a fantastic job on this topic!
46Hey! I could have sworn I’ve been to this blog before but after reading through some of the post I realized it’s new to me. Nonetheless, I’m definitely glad I found it and I’ll be bookmarking and checking back often!
47You are a very clever person!
48I have been absent for some time, but now I remember why I used to love this site. Thank you, I will try and check back more often. How frequently you update your website?
49Great post, I believe website owners should learn a lot from this web site its rattling user pleasant.
50