NEW PHO-NOMENON AT AN VIET

Just ‘pho’ for you – that’s the succinct message An Viet is sending out to its customers and ardent Vietnamese food lovers. The restaurant has recently unveiled its latest beefiest pho to much plaudits. Proof of the pho-nomenon lies in the eating. Laden with honeycomb tripe, meticulously handmade 100% pure beef balls, premium raw Aussie ribeye beef slices, tendon and beef brisket, the Vietnamese Beef Noodle Special (RM23.90 a la carte; RM28.90 set with 3 side dishes) gives great bang for every buck.

Served piping hot in super beefy, MSG-free broth simmered for hours with 18 secret ingredients, suffice to say the silky smooth rice noodles hit the spot with gusto. You can even customise the broth to your liking and preference with more fresh basil and accompanying condiments such as lime, coriander, beansprouts and housemade sriracha sauce from An Viet’s Basil & Condiment Bar (currently only available at The Gardens and Paradigm Mall PJ outlets).

Besides harvesting the desired amount of fresh basil from the Basil & Condiment Bar, you can also choose the amount (100g, 150g or 200g) of noodles and rice as An Viet encourages their customers to minimise food wastage. For each meal you finish, the restaurant donates 10 sen to Food Aid Foundation so be mindful when you eat at An Viet.

Should you eschew innards, Vietnamese Raw Beef & Beef Balls Noodle Soup (RM18.90 a la carte, RM23.90 set with 3 side dishes) is a viable alternative. The combo offers good textural contrasts as the handmade beef balls are scrumptiously bouncy with good ‘toothsome’ bite whilst the supremely tender beef literally melts in the mouth. Partial to just sliced beef? Then stake your bet on the Vietnamese Beef Noodle Special (RM23.90 a la carte, RM28.90 set with 3 side dishes).

As a precursor to your mains, the commendable Appetizer Platter (RM14.90) comprising fresh and fried Vietnamese spring rolls stuffed with rice vermicelli, lettuce, carrot julienne and tiger prawns, and a piece of sugar cane prawn is worth dawdling over.

Served with nước chấm (Vietnamese dipping sauce), I daresay the sugar cane prawn is the best in town as An Viet uses purely tiger prawn paste to wrap around the sugar cane skewer. The burst of sweet sugar cane juice proved nostalgic as we chewed on it amidst yummy mouthfuls of the springy prawn paste.

Finish your meal on a high with Vietffogato (RM9.90) – Coconut Ice Cream with Vietnamese Coffee. The smooth coffee melds wonderfully with the nutty ice cream, guaranteed to wrap up your visit on an exuberant note.

For more information, visit AN VIET: https://www.anviet.com.my/

 

CONG CAPHE BREWS UP VIETNAMESE COFFEE CULTURE IN KL

“Coffee and love are best when they’re hot” goes a German saying. The same holds true when you sip Nau-Da (RM10.90), a cup of hot Vietnamese coffee with condensed milk, lounging in cosy Cong Caphe in Nu Sentral.

Established in 2007 by enterprising singer Nguyen Ha Linh in Hanoi, Cong Caphe has 62 cafes throughout Vietnam, six in Seoul and one in Malaysia. Jaemie Lew and Peter Tan who became smitten with Cong Caphe on a visit to Hanoi brought Cong Caphe (pronounced kerb cafe) to Malaysia in November this year.

According to the partners, Cong Caphe caught the imagination of Vietnamese coffee drinkers with its retro-inspired ambience of old Vietnam harking back to their childhood. Cong Caphe artfully combines the vintage, homey charms of mismatched and upcycled furniture, and old-school memorabilia with comfy reading nooks. 

 

The Nu Sentral outlet stays true to the original concept with almost everything displayed and used at Cong Caphe: stools, tables and chairs, collectibles and the wall-to-wall shelves of books on the upper level, shipped in from Hanoi. A propeller plane suspended at the heart of the rustic, wood-accentuated cafe space serves as a focal point.

We stopped to smell and savour the selection of Vietnamese coffee recently and came away impressed by the smooth brew and distinct variations available. Brewed in traditional metal coffee pots with drip filter, the Phin Brew – Vietnamese black coffee forms the main base for Cong Caphe’s signature drinks.

Although the inclusion of condensed milk of the Nau-Da was some cause for concern, we were instantly won over aftter the first sip. The milky, mildly sweet coffee hit the spot, leaving us with a nice buzz.

The laidback atmosphere spurred us to sit back and nibble on Sunflower Kernels (RM4.90 per plate) while chatting leisurely over cups of creamy Bac-Xiu, coffee with coconut milk (RM12.90 hot, RM13.90 cold). We enjoyed every drop of the creamy-sweet coffee with its enticing nutty aroma.

 

We sampled it with buttery, airy light Croissant (RM6.90) which came with a saucer of condensed milk for dipping it in. It was delightful as the imported condensed milk lacks the cloying sweetness of our local version.

If you are partial to chilled coffee drinks, the Coconut Milk Coffee Smoothie (RM14.90-RM16.90) is worth slurping up. Rest assured the blend of coffee and coconut milk is on-point without being overly cloying. 

Cappucino, latte, Americano and espresso are also served with the Cong Caphe coffee beans giving them a distinctive taste.

Aimed at the busy mall’s constant stream of grab and go crowd, Cong Caphe also offers banh mi, Vietnamese baguette sandwiches and some cakes like Banana Cake and Brownie. Jaemie explained the Tofu Banh Mi (RM11.90) is something created for the Malaysian market, in response to increasing demand for vegetarian options. 

Marinated with soya sauce and sesame oil then panfried and sliced, the subtly smoky beancurd held its own nestled within the shatter-crisp baguette filled with fresh coriander, and  cucumber and carrot pickles.

 

 

Likewise, we found the Beef Ham Banh Mi (RM15.90) and Chicken Ham Banh Mi (RM13.90) decent enough. More of the pate spread would have ramped up the sandwiches' overall appeal.

 

Should you have friends in tow who prefer non-coffee drinks, Cong Caphe serves a tantalising Iced Honey Kumquat (RM14.90) and hot Peach Tea with Passionfruit (RM13.90). These drinks are refreshing in their own way and will leave no room for complaint.

For more information, call CONG CAPHE, tel: 03-2276 3135. Address: LG19, Nu Sentral, Jalan Tun Sambanthan, Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur.

VIETNAMESE SPECIALITIES JUST PHO YOU

Showstopping salads take the limelight at the Just Pho You - A Taste of Vietnam at Latest Recipe. Available as part of the nightly buffet dinner until 24 October, guest chefs Le Manh Hung and Nguyen Nam Nguyen of Sheraton Hanoi will prepare their native specialities for three rotational menus.

All three creations: Lotus & Shrimp Salad with Fresh Herbs, Shredded Green Mango & Seafood Salad with Spearmint, and Shredded Chicken with Onion, Beansprouts, Laksa Leaves & Roasted Peanuts look so basic yet the artful melding of textures and flavours is distinct enough to set each one apart.

The chefs also rock the quentissential Fresh Nem Cuon Spring Rolls with Poached Shrimps. Stuffed with shrimps, julienne omelette, carrot, cucumber, rice noodles and fresh herbs, the yummy rice paper rolls are worth repeat helpings. 

Also highly recommended is Grilled Ground Shrimp on Sugar Cane Skewers. Shaped like mini drumettes, the QQ springiness of the shrimp paste speckled with dill and red chilli makes for delightful bites.

Slightly smoky to taste, we highly recommend the hot appetiser of Grilled Beef in La Lot (wild pepper leaves). A popular street food snack, these cigarillo-shape rolls with delectable beef filling are superbly addictive. 

No Vietnamese promotion can omit the staple Pho Bo — Vietnamese Beef Noodles. Served at the interactive cooking station, the chef on duty will gladly rustle up a bowl or two on request. Prepared using beef bones, ginger, cinnamon, star anise, coriander, shallot, onion, fish sauce and sugar, the broth forms a sublime base for flat rice noodles and beef slices.

In addition to Hanoi Fried Rice and Stir-fried Noodles (both pass muster), notable dishes to try include deliciously tender Fried Lime Leaves Crusted Chicken Thighs and Galangal Braised Fish Fillet in Light Caramelised Fish Sauce. 

Dessert options are the ‘back to basics’ variety. The Ginger and Caramel Flavour Sticky Rice Cake is a lighter version of local kuih wajik while the Chilled Longan & Lotus Seeds in Pandan-infused Syrup and Sticky Dumplings with Red Bean Filling in Syrup are reminiscent of the customary treats served at most Chinese banquets.

Available for lunch and dinner until 24 October, the Just Pho You – A Taste of Vietnam buffet is priced at RM143 nett per adult and RM71.50 nett per child.

For reservations, call Latest Recipe, tel: 03-2263 7434 or visit dining.lemeridienkualalumpur.com