Saturday, September 12, 2009

Expanding My Culinary Horizons

Tonight, in celebration of Anton being jobless, again, we decided to be foolhardy (Ella thought we were going to a pool party when I said this) and irresponsible and go out to dinner. In other words, I was too tired and cranky to cook. We decided to try out a new Vietnamese restaurant that opened nearby. None of us had ever had Vietnamese food before, so this was going to be a grand adventure.

Whenever I go to a new restaurant I always ask the server what I should get. So on his recommendation we got some spring rolls, the special Pho, and the special Bun. Pho is a noodle soup with meat in it and the Bun is a noodle dish with veggies and meat. I had glanced over the listing of meats that was going to be in my soup, but didn't look real close since the server recommended it. I wish I had looked closer.

What came to my table was a bowl of cow parts, and not just the meat ones. There were things that looked like rubbery vertebrae, and there was tripe. Don't know what tripe is? Go ahead and click that link. I'll wait...........Yeah. Gross. I ate as many of the noodles as I could, but the whole soup tasted like the waste parts of a cow. It was not good. Anton got the noodle dish and it was pretty tasty, but he also didn't have reject cow sections in his.

I got about a third of the way through mine before I had to stop. My stomach was churning and I couldn't think about what I'd just been eating or I risked throwing up. However, I didn't want to seem rude since the server had seemed so positive I would like his suggestion, so I asked for a to-go container so I could bring the monstrosity home to dump down my drain. On the way home we stopped to get some ice cream at the grocery store and I had to buy some super strong mint gum to get the beef parts flavor out of my mouth.

So while Anton liked his noodles and the kids shlurped up their meatless Pho, I'm not sure how soon I'm going to be able to patronize a Vietnamese restaurant again. For those who have had it before, was this a freak occurrence? Should I be brave and try it again in the future? Or are the mystery cow parts all part and parcel of the cuisine? 'Cause if so, count me out.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

I have never had Vietnamese food beyond spring rolls made by a former neighbor (which were delicious) so I have no recommendations or suggestions. I'm grossed out over eating any non-meat meat product too so I'll definitely never order the Pho with meat as long as it has any offal components.

Andrea said...

Whuahahahahaa!!! Okay, I am still laughing!! Your soup tasted like butt because it was made from cow butt!! LOL!! Okay, maybe I should get more sleep at night so I am not so weird....or maybe I am just weird...maybe I should stop talking to myself while writing a comment to you....just maybe?

You were brave to try a new restaurant. I play it safe with Italian!! There must be a reason why all those Vietnamese people are skinny, maybe they don't eat their food either!

Monique said...

You brave soul... I seldom take their recommendations since I used to be a server and the managers just told us what to recommend. Something expensive, something that they need to get rid of, something gross. Seriously.

Brandi said...

Pho normally has no meat. Normally it's really yummy.

All the Vietnamese food I've had has been really great, but I always find out exactly what's in it before I order. :)