Vietnamese - Annam Blue

Two words to describe Vietnamese cuisine: fresh and healthy. Every time I visit the Annam Blue Vietnamese Restaurant in Nagoya, I love it more and more.

Vietnamese spring rolls - a much healthier version than the traditional fried spring rolls. All ingredients are fresh and healthy. The typical ingredients usually include shrimp, fresh herbs, lettuce, cucumbers, and rice vermicelli, which are then all wrapped in moistened rice paper. The spring rolls are served at room temperature with a variety of dipping sauces (my favorite of which is a mix of peanut butter, miso, and sugar). I read that you can find similar spring rolls in the U.S. at Trader Joe's... has anyone ever seen them there? I'll have to check it out the next time I'm in Seattle.

Pho, a Vietnamese noodle soup, essentially the Vietnamese version of ramen. Some of the ingredients include a variety of vegetables, noodles made from rice, and shrimp. Each time I've had this dish, the broth has been different. I've had it spicy, coconut flavored, and one time it even had a citrus taste... and all are good!

I'm sure this soup varies from region to region and restaurant to restaurant. I love this dish and get it every single time I go to the Annam Blue Vietnamese restaurant in Nagoya.

The best thing on the menu: Vietnamese coffee!! It's served with sweetened condensed milk - so you can add as much as you want to your drink. WOW is it good... and super sweet! My kind of coffee drink. I love the Phin filters, too. Vietnamese coffee is brewed and served using single-cup filters. It's served while it's still brewing, so it's very fresh. It's a simple and fantastic way to brew coffee... I am going to be on the lookout for one of these little devices! It only takes about 4-6 minutes from start to finish and serves very fresh, strong, and delicious coffee.

My two loves hanging out while I enjoy every sip of my coffee. To bad Joe doesn't drink coffee, he really missed out on this one! ;)