Kanom Jeen, roadside Samui

Another spotting on the side of the road on the way into Lamai one morning was a little roadside noodle stand.  It was always busy, with not a seat to spare, but we're here extra early and must be the first to arrive.

We knew we'd be having some sort of noodles for breakfast, we just weren't sure what type. There's a little cabinet and a simmering pot which put together bowls of ba mi (yellow noodles) with shredded chicken, liver and wontons. But we spot the big bowl of fresh rice noodles and we both look at each other with those 'It's kanom jeen for breakfast, baby' eyes. She gives us a bowl filled with the fresh rice noodles. The rest of the goodies are to be found on the table.



There were 6 little pots, all filled with various pickles and curries, and then a giant plate with every Thai herb and vegetable imaginable. This is such a nice way to eat kanon jeen (I sometimes find the sauce a little to fishy for my liking, but it's usually swimming in a pile of it so there's no escaping it!) but this way we get to try a spoon full of each pickle and curry individually, having fun matching it up with some herb or vegetable.



I loved the thick, red, coconut based curry with fresh Thai basil leaves. I loved the mustard green and bean sprout pickle. I even loved the green curry of fish, a nice mild fish flavour and a delight when I was in control of the amount desired.

Another fine Thai breakfast, and a great start to the day!

All these years on, we can still get a pad sii eew in the same spot

We'd looked for it on our way to Muslim Food for a few days, as years ago when we first came to Kamala, on the headland end of the beach, parked alongside the road, was another lunch favorite. There was a scooter with a cabinet full of fresh fruit and giant bottles of soft drink, and sitting on the side, a wok and an esky filled with whatever she'd obtained at the markets that morning. We were kind of not expecting to see her, it had been a while, and she was a completely mobile restaurant. But, on our way for lunch one day, shock!, she's set up. In exactly the same spot. (Must have had a few days off for Songkran).



Years ago when we came here, pad sii eew gai was our lunch of choice, and today's no different. She takes some gail lan from the esky and chops it up. This gets fried in the wok with chicken, garlic and sweet soy and then big rice noodles are added. A good raining of dried chilli flakes and we're good to go.



We do notice the absence of egg today, but, they were probably out by the time she got to the market.


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飲茶 Yum Cha at Kam Fook, Bondi

It's amazing that we can be spoilt with an array of incredible foods at our fingertips, but it is those simple pleasures that Kim and I miss most. 

Sunday yum cha is one we always reminisce about, wherever in the world we are. Sunday yum cha brings back memories of laughter, fun and eating with friends. (This one time, at Zilver with Jess and Stu, one of the little trolleys caught FIRE! it was insane, firefighters, evacuation and all. Good times!) We've enjoyed dim sum aboard on our travels, but do always look forward to being back in Sydney. Maybe it's a bit of nostalgia, or maybe Sydney does yum cha really well. 



We're over at Westfield Bondi before a big days shopping to stock up on the essentials, so what better to fill our belly's with tea and tasty treats. Up on the top floor of the massive shopping mall is Kamfook.  We arrive early, thankfully, so there's no wait today. We're seated and get straight to it. Our first visitor, a very smiley dumpling lady which we gleefully take from her, prawn, spinach and scallop, sui mai and steamed bbq pork buns. With a lick of chilli and a pot of tea we're off ....



The gai lan lady has kind of set up shop beside our table. We nod for a bunch. Mmm, fresh green vegetables. Then we spot the BBQ lady and give her a nod. Within moments she's by our side. It's duck that's on the cards today, but she apologizes as there's none left on her trolley, but assures us she'll be back. Indeed she was, moments later with a plate of glistening BBQ duck glazed with a touch of sauce and a few roast peanuts. Yum!



We get a little impatient waiting for the fried rice noodle trolley, as we spotted it over the other side of the room when we arrived and it hasn't managed to move to far ... so we put our order in with one of the young guys and he delivers it back to us. A plate of fresh rice noodles, with dried shrimp and spring onion, fried until crispy. Then there's the sauce, oh the sauce. A duo of a peanut paste and hoi sin.



Lastly we share a plate of pork pies. A delicious flaky pastry encasing a bbq pork filling, glazed with egg and topped with a few sesame seeds.



Now with full, content stomachs we're ready for shopping!

Shop 6010, Level 6
Westfield Shopping Centre
1oo Oxford Street
Bondi Junction, Sydney, Australia
Tel: 02-93869889

Cha ca la vong.....almost, Hanoi

OK then we're of to a grilled catfish place so famous that the the street they reside on is named after them. Cool!

We must've walked around every possible variation of streets before we found the place. Seriously the old city is like a maze .. you take a turn down a street you haven't been down then another and wayhey your back where you started with out even trying........I think even a week later I was still surprised at the places we would end up... Anyhoo I digress, there was a the big sign proclaiming the grilled fish so in we went, the staff were super friendly, not much English but they knew what we were after, Cha ca? was the enquiry .. affirmative nods plus with some pointing to some of the fresh rice noodles being made in the front door.

Nods and smiles all round we were in...sweet.

With but the briefest of waits a small electric hot plate is placed in front of us, along with bowls of chilli, roast peanuts, sliced onion, plates of fresh rice noodles a pile of fresh dill, spring onion and half a dozen Vietnamese herbs I have no idea about, two frothy sauces one made from fish sauce, one from shrimp paste.

.. and the catfish, thumb size chunks that had been grilled over coals.

We were looking around to see what to do next but the waitress was on to us, all smiles she placed a good whack of the herbs in to the pan on the hot plate the then some of the fish, turning the plate on she then gave us the pointing directions for when your ready mix the fish and herbs with your rice noodles add the chilli, nuts and onions, splash in a little sauce and go OK? OK.

The herbs began to sizzle in the oil giving off an amazing aroma the fish went in on top and we were good. We followed directions, a little of this a little of that then we at it.

I don't know how to describe how good it was mouth after mouth of amazing, the herbs aroma filling your head, the oil from the pan coating the fish and noodles, the salty hits from the sauce and wicked chilli spikes, how could we have never known about this before. We were packing the second round into the pan before the first was finished so there would be no wait to go again.

The rice noodles came in from the front. A plate of fresh steamed noodle topped with sweet sticky pork and more of the herbs and deep fried garlic.

It was fantastic but the Cha ca was stealing the show. Why haven't any of the Vietnamese place in Australia done this?? Maybe we don't visit the right places....

After all was done we crossed the road to take a photo of the shop front and stood next to the world famous Cha ca la vong the place we had come to visit ...oops. (note for young players the original uses charcoal braziers not hot plates.)

Still the place we were at was full locals and it was great. Next time we'll visit the real deal for a comparison....

Cha Ca Grilled Fish
Banh Cuon Tinh Ca Cuong Con Nquyen Chat
Just across the street from .....
Cha Ca la Vong
14 Cha Ca Street, Hanoi
84-4/825-3929