S o u l o f S a i g o n :

VIETNAMESE CUI SI NE
I N T H E V A L L E Y
LOWELL With head cheese, pigs blood and chicken feet on the menu,
Vietnamese cuisine is an epicurean adventure limited only by your own palate
police.
Taking cues from Thai, Chinese and Cambodian cooking, food in the
Southeast Asian country of Vietnam is awash in fresh vegetables, pungent herbs,
stir fries and savory delicacies many New Englanders have never tasted.
If you are willing to eat outside your comfort zone, youll find this healthy
cuisine to be a flavorful and even addicting experience.
In my quest to find the most authentic Vietnamese food in the Merrimack
Valley, I vowed to stray from my pho roots. This aromatic soup, which simmers
for 24 hours to achieve its essence of anise, cinnamon, ginger and clove, is the
wonton soup of Vietnamese food excellent, but entry level. Served with rice
or egg noodles, chicken, beef or shrimp, the noodle dish is where the neophytes
knowledge of Southeast Asian fare begins and ends.
After researching the valley, Lowell became my target. Home to the largest
Southeast Asian population this side of the Mississippi, the immigrant city has
a surplus of diverse Vietnamese dining options run by entrepreneurs longing for
the tangy, fresh taste of home. Many are tucked off the citys main drag and will
never surface in a Google search.
To be certain I wasnt missing the best, I enlisted one of Lowells rising ethnic
chefs, Y Sok Woodward of Rebel Chef Catering for guidance. Where would this
serious foodie, who teaches a course in Vietnamese cuisine, begin? Answer: at the
Hong Cuc Sandwich Shop for the cultish banh mi.
Vietnams famed hoagie, also known as the Saigon sub, is made in many
Southeast Asian bodegas scattered throughout Lowell. But theres a reason the
no-frills Hong Cuc Sandwich Shop in the Acre neighborhood churns out 300
protein-packed subs on a crusty rice and wheat flour baguette every day.
by Kathleen Pierce photos by Kevin Harkins
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Text goes here
by Kathleen Pierce photos by Kevin Harkins
This page: Pho 88s Bun Bo Hue (Hue City Soup)
Opposite page: 3 dishes made by Y Sok Woodward
of Rebel Chef Catering.
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Its healthy and convenient. When you are hungry, you love it, says
Chrysant Tran, who opened the deli / mini-mart to cater to her Vietnamese
kin in 1994.
To hang out at noontime in this tight space packed with bright packages
of candy, duck eggs and unusual cuts of meat, is to see customers born
in America, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, India and Spanish-speaking
countries dash in every few minutes to request a classic or a sandwich,
and then walk out with a banh mi wrapped in a brown
paper bag.
They make a half-dozen varieties, including
barbecue beef or chicken, but the classic banh mi
is the original and the best. This stack of Asian-
style ham, American ham, pork and head cheese (a
Vietnamese delicacy culled from choice pig parts) is
aided by a smattering of recognizable garnishes such
as cucumber, onion and cilantro. The vegetables and
herbs give the banh mi a bright, clean taste. Pickled
carrots and daikon radishes lend a tangy snap, and
layers of mayonnaise and pork pt (made with a
secret ingredient) remind your taste buds that youre
not in Kansas anymore. There is a boatload of meat
here, and some of the ingredients are curious to
the Western palate, but Woodward reminds me that
diversity is the name of the game. You have to experience different tastes
and textures instead of always saying, I dont get it, she says, digging into
a banh mi spilling out with tri-colored meat and cilantro. People in Lowell
are lucky because they dont have to travel to the location to eat the food,
says Woodward, who was born in Cambodia, grew up in Los Angeles and
now lives in Lowell.
Another thing the banh mi has going for it is the $2.50 price tag. That
makes Subway seem high-end.
Though the Hong Cuc is ideal for lunch or a quick pick-me-up, sometimes
a little ambiance is in order.
Pho 88, on the Lowell / Chelmsford line is the next stop. Opened 11 years
ago by Hoang Nguyen, who worked at the famed Pho Pasteur in Boston, this
Vietnamese restaurant is a rare find: great food, with atmosphere to match.
An impressive renovation and expansion has turned this formerly threadbare
establishment, known for magnificent bowls of pho, into an inviting space
worthy of a romantic dinner or evening out with friends.
Visiting on a Sunday afternoon, the warm, earth-toned dining room is
populated with couples and families of Southeast Asian descent (always a
good sign). Not all Vietnamese restaurants especially those located in the
suburbs dare to serve genuine Vietnamese fare, so Im eager to try the Bun
Bo Hue, a soup named after that countrys central city.
A gutsy bowl of robust flavors, its far from the innocuous chicken pho
I know and love. The broth is auburn, the noodles resemble spaghetti, and
floating on top are slabs of coagulated pigs blood. This is what Im after.
Undaunted, I plunge into the steaming soup with a spoon, and enter a world
of hard-to-pinpoint flavors and foreign cuts of meat. Sliced shank, ground
vi et namese cui s i ne
Above: The Banh Mi Thit Special, made at the Hong Cuc Sandwich
Shop in Lowell. Below: Owner of the Hong Cuc Sandwich Shop,
Chrysant Tran, and her daughter.
Look for Y's Vietnamese Spring
Rolls recipe on page 62
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pork and shrimp, and a softened tendon give this soup a spicy, invigorating
burst. I feel nourished by the broth and not turned off by the tofu texture and
insipid taste of the pigs blood. I appreciate the new tastes, but long for the
warm and friendly pull of pho, a staple they do so well here.
The attentive wait staff at Pho 88 is quick with a pot of jasmine tea when
you walk through the door and eager to help diners decode appetizers such as
Chao Tom (shrimp and sugar cane). This fried and slightly chewy delicacy,
served on reeds of steamed sugar cane, is a fun chew. You dont eat the sugar
cane, but gently suck the sweet flavors from the reed between tastes of salty
shrimp.
Another Vietnamese favorite done well here is the healthy Bun. These rice
vermicelli dishes come in a variety of toppings from pork to shrimp to spring
rolls. Think pho minus the broth. Buns are always augmented by shredded
lettuce, fresh mint, bean sprouts, roasted peanuts and peanut sauce and are
as approachable as ethnic cuisine gets and appeal to almost all fussy palates.
There are more Vietnamese dining options worth mentioning, including
Pho Da Lat in Lowell and Vietnam Noodle House in Nashua, N.H., but one
of the best ways to truly understand Vietnamese cuisine is to roll up your
sleeves and get busy cooking. When you are ready, Battambang Supermarket
Above: Chao Tom (shrimp and sugar cane), served at Pho 88 on the
Lowell / Chelmsford line. Below: ( L-R) Long Le, Juan Calderon, Hoang Nguyen.
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in Lowell awaits with exotic Southeast Asian vegetables, fish and staples
straight from Saigon.
Because of the nations Buddhist roots, vegetables are omnipresent in
Vietnamese cuisine, and this supermarket abounds with native delights such
as lotus root, bitter melons and fresh taro and ginger.
As part of her cooking class, Woodward leads tours through this colorful
market to help students make easy and tasty Vietnamese recipes such as
spring rolls.
Because the filling of a spring roll is bland, the key is the dipping sauce,
Woodward says as she navigates the cluttered fish sauce aisle. When selecting
a bottle of this anchovy, water and salt concoction, dont reach for the least
expensive, she warns. Think of it like olive oil. The cheaper it is, the nastier
it tastes, she says.
The same wisdom should be applied when selecting spring roll skins made
of rice flour. Woodward buys the expensive brand ($2) because anything
less will fall apart. She pauses briefly in front of a
crate of duck eggs and explains that baby ducks are
inside and alive.
Its an acquired taste, she says.
Once she finds the ingredients she needs, Thai
basil, mint leaves, mung bean sprouts and jalapeo,
we whisk back to her loft to see how its done.
Before you can say pass the fish sauce, she is
dipping, stuffing and rolling spring rolls with the
ease of a skilled burrito maker. Her philosophy for
turning these basic ingredients into a healthy and
delicious appetizer is the same mindset that should
be adopted when going on a Vietnamese eating
excursion.
At first, it seems fragile and strange, she says, dunking a sheath of
transparent rice skin into a bowl of warm water, but dont worry about it too
much. Focus on the flavor.
Keeping an open mind and open palate is the only way to experience the
bold flavors of this inviting and invigorating cuisine. Its a journey for the
senses, so dont cut it short.
vi et namese cui s i ne
restaurants
Pho 88
1270 Westford Street, Lowell
(978) 452-7300
Monday - Sunday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
www.pho88online.net

Pho Da Lat Restaurant
1575 Middlesex Street, Lowell
(978) 275- 0022
Sunday - Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Friday - Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 12 a.m.
www.phodalat.net
Pho Da Lat Restaurant
475 Chelmsford Street, Lowell
(978) 453- 3303
Monday - Sunday, 9:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.
www.phodalat.net
T & N Restaurant
109 S. Broadway, Lawrence
(978) 794- 8226
Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Vietnam Noodle House
138 Main Street, Nashua, N.H.
( 603) 886- 4566
Sunday - Wednesday, noon to 9 p.m.
Thursday - Saturday, noon to 10 p.m.
sandwich shop
Hong Cuc
507 Dutton Street, Lowell
(978) 441- 0110
Monday - Sunday 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
markets
Battambang Market
125 Church Street, Lowell
(978) 454 - 1128
Monday - Sunday 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Saigon Market
298 S. Union Street, Lawrence
(978) 689- 8606
Monday - Sunday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
VIETNAMESE
DINING GUIDE
l
mv m
Y Sok Woodward (right) and her mother,
Mom Proeung ( left ) preparing to make
Y's Vietnamese Spring Rolls.
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vi et namese cui s i ne
Ys Vietnamese
Spring Rolls
Ingredients:
1 package rice paper wrappers (banh trang)
1 head green leaf lettuce
1 bunch cilantro (leaves and tender stems)
1 bunch Thai basil (leaves only)
1 carrot, julienned into thin strips
1 cucumber, julienned thin
1 package mung bean sprouts
1 package very thin, round rice noodles (vermicelli)
Optional, add fried tofu (chilled) or boiled, peeled shrimp
(chilled)
Directions:
1. Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook rice noodles for
a minute. Drain and rinse in cool water.
2. Wash and slice vegetables and lay everything out on a
cutting board. Grab a plate for wrapping the rolls. Slice
lettuce leaves into manageable strips, and discard any
that are tough or crunchy. The basil and cilantro leaves
can be left whole or coarsely chopped.
3. Fill a large bowl with warm water, on the verge of hot, to
soften the rice paper wrappers.
4. Submerge a single dry wrapper in the warm water.
Keep your fingers on the edges and feel the wrapper
as it softens and begins to turn transparent. When the
wrapper is supple, gently lift it out with both hands. It
will get sticky quickly, so take care not to let it fold in on
itself. Place the wrapper flat on the plate.
5. Put a small amount of filler into the wrapper, creating an
oblong mound on the side closest you.
6. Wrap it by taking the edge closest to you and flipping it
up over the little mound of filling. Gently roll the filling
until just past the halfway point, then pull the sides in
and roll the rest of the way.
7. Garnish with fresh herbs and serve with dipping sauce.
Ys Dipping Sauce
Ingredients:
1
2 cup fresh lime juice
1
4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons fish sauce (nam pla)
1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
2 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon minced serrano chilies
Directions: Mix all ingredients together.
Recipe cour tesy of
Rebel Chef Catering. I f i nterested
i n taki ng a cl ass, pl ease contact:
rebelchef@rocketmail.com
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