one shot: Bun Rieu at Ba Le Sandwich
Good ol’ tomato and crab noodle soup from Southern Vietnam: bún riêu (pronounced |boon rhee-oo|). The broth looks alarmingly spicy but this soup is actually never spicy. The orange red color comes from tomato and annatto seeds, and if you’re lucky, crab roe (if fresh crabs are used for the soup).
The sweetness of the broth comes from freshwater paddy crabs, where the whole crab (meat and shell) is ground to a paste and strained for the juice. It’s a delicate, distinctive sweetness that can’t be reproduced with dashi no moto, meat bones or mushroom. To deepen the flavor, the cook adds some mắm ruốc, fermented krill paste, to the broth.
Traditionally, bun rieu has crab meat and tofu for the protein part, but bun rieu at Ba Le Sandwich is ladened with cha lua, pork and shrimp.
Traditionally, it’s one of those commoner’s noodle soups that every other street stall sells in Vietnam, nutritious, filling, unrefined, a richness of everyday life and earthy pleasures. Somehow I grew up not thinking much of it and was never impressed by it. In the bustle of North Cali, bun rieu is still nothing more than a commoner’s noodle soup, never elevated to the level of party food, but the more I think about it, the more I find it romantic. In one bowl, I was tasting the unctuous harmony of wetland and freshwater, of simple vegetables and grains and crustaceans that grow up together in one environment and end up together in one pot, or at least that’s how the noodle soup was originally designed. Do things taste best in the company of what they grow up with? I’m inclined to think so.
Back to a matter-of-fact viewpoint, the inside of Ba Le Sandwich in East Oakland, has been renovated earlier this year into a neat little diner enough to sit 12-14 people, since most customers come for to-go banh mi and on-the-counter goodies such as mungbean milk and sesame beignet. They have hand down the best banh mi in the East Bay north, but everything else tastes good because they know how to season things.
Address: Banh Mi Ba Le (Ba Le Sandwich)
1909 International Blvd
Oakland, CA 94606
(510) 261-9800
One bowl of delta romanticism: $6.50. Another awesome thing about this place: they open at 6:30 am.
Banh cuon – steamed rice rolls stuffed with pork and mushroom (the white things), and accessories.
Banh canh – It’s supposed to be tapioca noodle soup with short fat noodle made from tapioca and rice flour, but Ba Le uses Japanese udon instead. The broth is kept original, though.
You could definitely see your skills within the work you write. The world hopes for more passionate writers such as you who are not afraid to say how they believe. Always follow your heart.
1I’m often to blogging and i really appreciate your content. The article has really peaks my interest. I’m going to bookmark your web site and maintain checking for brand spanking new information.
2Thank you for another fantastic article. Where else may just anybody get that type of information in such an ideal way of writing? I’ve a presentation subsequent week, and I am at the search for such information.
3Some truly superb posts on this web site, thanks for contribution.
4I have recently started a web site, the information you provide on this site has helped me greatly. Thank you for all of your time & work.
5Definitely believe that which you stated. Your favorite justification seemed to be on the internet the simplest thing to be aware of. I say to you, I certainly get irked while people consider worries that they just don’t know about. You managed to hit the nail upon the top and also defined out the whole thing without having side effect , people could take a signal. Will likely be back to get more. Thanks
6Someone essentially help to make seriously posts I would state. This is the very first time I frequented your website page and thus far? I amazed with the research you made to create this particular publish amazing. Magnificent job!
7Good info. Lucky me I reach on your website by accident, I bookmarked it.
8Write more, thats all I have to say. Literally, it seems as though you relied on the video to make your point. You obviously know what youre talking about, why waste your intelligence on just posting videos to your blog when you could be giving us something enlightening to read?
9Very efficiently written information. It will be beneficial to anybody who utilizes it, including myself. Keep up the good work – looking forward to more posts.
10Just want to say your article is as astonishing. The clarity in your post is just cool and i can assume you are an expert on this subject. Fine with your permission let me to grab your RSS feed to keep updated with forthcoming post. Thanks a million and please keep up the rewarding work.
11Good, I should certainly pronounce, impressed with your website. I had no trouble navigating through all the tabs as well as related info ended up being truly simple to do to access. I recently found what I hoped for before you know it at all. Reasonably unusual. Is likely to appreciate it for those who add forums or something, web site theme . a tones way for your customer to communicate. Excellent task.
12Greetings from Florida! I’m bored to death at work so I decided to browse your website on my iphone during lunch break. I enjoy the knowledge you provide here and can’t wait to take a look when I get home. I’m surprised at how quick your blog loaded on my phone .. I’m not even using WIFI, just 3G .. Anyways, amazing site!
13I am no longer positive where you’re getting your info, however great topic. I must spend some time studying more or understanding more. Thanks for magnificent information I was in search of this info for my mission.
14Simply wanna input that you have a very decent website , I enjoy the design it actually stands out.
15Fantastic items from you, man. I have be aware your stuff previous to and you are just extremely great. I really like what you’ve got right here, certainly like what you are stating and the way in which you are saying it. You’re making it entertaining and you still take care of to stay it wise. I can not wait to read much more from you. That is actually a great site.
16Hello! Would you mind if I share your blog with my myspace group? There’s a lot of people that I think would really appreciate your content. Please let me know. Thank you
17There are certainly a number of details like that to take into consideration. That is a great level to bring up. I offer the ideas above as common inspiration however clearly there are questions just like the one you convey up where a very powerful factor shall be working in trustworthy good faith. I don?t know if greatest practices have emerged around issues like that, but I am certain that your job is clearly identified as a fair game. Both boys and girls really feel the impact of only a second’s pleasure, for the remainder of their lives.
18I 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!
19Just about all of what you assert is astonishingly legitimate and that makes me ponder the reason why I had not looked at this in this light previously. This piece truly did turn the light on for me personally as far as this specific topic goes. Nonetheless there is actually 1 issue I am not necessarily too cozy with so while I make an effort to reconcile that with the actual core theme of the point, permit me observe exactly what the rest of the visitors have to point out.Well done.
20I 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.
21I like what you guys are up too. Such clever work and reporting! Carry on the excellent works guys I have incorporated you guys to my blogroll. I think it’ll improve the value of my site 🙂
22This is a topic close to my heart cheers, where are your contact details though?
23I like this web site so much, saved to fav. “I don’t care what is written about me so long as it isn’t true.” by Dorothy Parker.
24You have mentioned very interesting points! ps decent internet site.
25I believe this internet site has some very excellent info for everyone :D.
26Admiring the dedication you put into your blog and in depth information you offer. It’s awesome to come across a blog every once in a while that isn’t the same outdated rehashed information. Great read! I’ve saved your site and I’m including your RSS feeds to my Google account.
27I think this website has got some really great information for everyone :D.
28Someone necessarily assist to make critically posts I would state. That is the very first time I frequented your website page and so far? I amazed with the research you made to create this particular submit extraordinary. Great activity!
29I dugg some of you post as I thought they were very beneficial invaluable
30I precisely had to appreciate you once again. I do not know what I would have followed in the absence of the type of tricks shown by you relating to such a topic. It previously was a very frightening situation for me personally, but understanding your skilled approach you dealt with that forced me to jump over joy. I am thankful for the advice and thus sincerely hope you find out what an amazing job you happen to be putting in instructing the mediocre ones by way of your website. Most probably you’ve never got to know all of us.
31Very interesting information!Perfect just what I was searching for!
32