Art of Coffee

Homemade Rice Wine ...

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... we sampled the product of this makeshift still at the cricket farm - not the smoothest stuff, but it went down surprisingly well with our tasty crickets!

Silk Factory ...

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... the operation was far more modern and larger than we expected. The one exception was the actual fabric-weaving portion of silk production - the complex patterns are created using old-school punch cards!

Weasel Crap Coffee ...

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... this is the result of the weasel's poop, prior to cleaning and processing.

Expensive ...

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... the weasel coffee is triple the price of the next most expensive variety - $60 USD for a medium size bag!

Welcoming Fruit Platter ...

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... after a long drive from Mui Ne, we decided just to relax at Villa Vista once we saw how comfortable our accommodations were. We skipped lunch since we had this amazing fruit platter featuring mango, mangosteen, and sweetsop. We skipped the instant noodles, however, since it seemed sacrilegious to eat the stuff in a country producing such stellar bowls of soup noodles.

Snack From Japan ...

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... a bit sweet, but pretty - we had picked up this Fuji-themed confection i i in Fujikawaguchiko.

First Food Tour Stop For Some Nem Nuong ...

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... crispy is the key textural element, as you roll up pieces of grilled minced pork, fried rice paper, and fresh herbs and vegetables inside of unsoftened rice paper. Uniquely, a bowl of tiny cloves of garlic was placed on the table - you dip the nem nuong in the bowl of peanut and chili sauce, take a bite of it, and then a bite of the garlic. Interesting on a few levels - taste, texture, and the method of eating.

Banh Bot Loc ...

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... tonight's food tour in Dalat was all about the street stalls - this is something we never would have tried without our guide, Lao. It's a pleasantly-chewy tapioca dumpling stuffed with pork belly, green bean, and shrimp, served with a sweet, spicy, and acidic sauce featuring fish sauce, cooked oil, chili, and green onion.

Simple Dining ...

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... you want simple dining, you go to Vietnam! This "restaurant' wasn't even that - it was a lady's house, where she had set up a food cart out front, and placed a few small chairs and tables on her balcony. Ambiance is secondary, however, when she dishes up such killer banh bot loc!

She Got a Kick Out of Us ...

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... and how we wanted to take a picture of her! Lao has been coming here for years, and he told us that though he frequently talks to the proprietor, they still don't even know each other's names!

Can't Remember What This Was ...

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... but it was a popular street food with students - Lao has only been out of university for a few years, so his choices naturally gravitated towards the cheap and delicious. This was a bunch of random things dumped into a plastic baggie - uncooked noodles, some dried seafood, assorted herbs and veggies, and seasonings. We actually barely touched this stuff, though it was good - we had dropped our chopsticks while walking, so we carried the bag all the way back to the guesthouse before eating. By then, we were way too full to take more than a few bites.

Dalat Pizza ...

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... grilled rice paper topped with hot dogs, a beaten egg, and cheese, amongst other items. Mayonnaise and ketchup are drizzled on top after, to taste.

Sup Cua ...

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... a wicked crab soup that was quite similar in taste and texture to Chinese duck soup, but with the addition of typical Vietnamese herbs and sliced chilis. Excellent, and perhaps the best dish of the night!

Illegal, But OK ...

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... it's actually illegal for these food vendors to camp out on the sidewalk, but the authorities have been turning a blind eye to this lady serving up her delicious sup cua, for the past 18 years. It would be a disservice to the public if she was prevented from serving her sublime soup to the masses.

Happy Lao From Dalat Happy Tours ...

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... Lao was a great guide, chipper and outgoing. He was positively beaming after we told him that his tour company had finally made the big time - it was featured in the latest edition of Lonely Planet Vietnam!

What To Choose ...

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... too many choices for breakfast at Vista Villa!

Excellent Mango, Kiwi, and Grapes ...

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... Villa Vista is known for its excellent breakfasts, and the fruit platter was a good start. Funny that the kiwi and grapes were amongst the best items on this platter, because they had come from outside Vietnam, presumably New Zealand. Dalat is famous for strawberries, but they weren't overly memorable.

Bun Bo Hue ...

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... a homemade version - this actually looked more like we thought bun bo hue should, with its dark red colour, but we preferred the fragrant lemongrass broth we had eaten in HCMC.

Arabian Eggs ...

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... while the eggs were great, it was actually the smooth, buttery avocado that stood out, simply seasoned with some salt, pepper, olive oil, and vinegar.