Vietnam "Food" Journey in KANAGAWA ~ A journey to taste Vietnamese cuisine in Kanagawa ~

The clear soup of the pho features bouncy noodles. The chicken, which the owner himself kills first thing in the morning, is chewy and juicy. The soup is so flavorful and concentrated with the chicken stock that you'll want to drink it all up! The green papaya salad is tossed with plenty of roasted and finely crushed peanuts, and when you put it on shrimp crackers and take a bite, the savory flavor fills your mouth. The chae is topped with mung bean balls in ice cream instead of ice to keep it cool. Along with several kinds of tropical fruits, it's delicious and cold until the last bite.

Chicken pho (¥800) Green papaya salad (¥800) Cold tropical chae (¥500)

A classic Vietnamese menu item is a sandwich made with Vietnamese ham, pickled vegetables, coriander, and green onions on bread spread with homemade mayonnaise and rich chicken liver pate. There are two types of ham, pork sausage ham and pork innards and wood ear mushrooms with a spicy kick of peppercorns, which are also homemade! The Vietnamese French bread specially ordered for Banh Mi is characterized by a crispy thin crust on the outside and a fluffy "airy" feeling inside. The light texture of the bread blends perfectly with the ingredients, and the soft chewiness makes it delicious to eat.

Vietnamese ham and liver pate banh mi (¥600) Mini size (¥400)

Banh xeo, known as the Vietnamese okonomiyaki, is made by mixing egg and flour dough with coconut milk, then frying it and sandwiching fried vegetables, seafood, and meat between the dough. The outside of the dough is crispy and the inside is chewy, and when you eat it wrapped in leafy vegetables, the deliciousness of all the ingredients hits your nose! The fried spring rolls from northern Vietnam are wrapped in mesh-like rice paper and have a crunchy texture. The sweetness of the diced taro matches well with the che baba, and the texture of the wood ear mushrooms adds an accent.

Banh Xeo (¥1,280) Three kinds of rolls (¥850) Chae Baba (¥430)

Beef noodle dish Bun Bo Hue is made with thick rice noodles topped with a spicy sauce made from chili peppers, garlic, and lemongrass. The chewy and elastic thick noodles go down great with the spicy soup. Chicken rice is made with rice cooked with chicken bones and garlic, mixed with steamed chicken and vegetables such as papaya, mint, and coriander, making it a satisfying dish that you can munch on! The chae with red beans is unique to this restaurant, which is designed to suit Japanese tastes.

Bun Bo Hue (¥950) Hoi An Chicken Rice (¥900) Azuki and Coconut Mixed Chae (¥480)

Bun Cha is a noodle dish that originated in Hanoi, northern Vietnam. It is also called tsukemen or mixed noodles, and it seems to be eaten not only in the north. At Kim Tan, you can eat southern-style bun cha. Rice noodles topped with plenty of vegetables and fried spring rolls are poured over the soup and mixed. The salty mixed fish sauce is delicious with the noodles, vegetables, fragrant peanuts roasted at high temperature, and namasu (pickled radish and carrots)! The rice paper rolls, which you can wrap your own ingredients in, are a perfect match for the sweet and spicy juicy barbecued pork and rich flavor of Vietnamese basil! The soft yellow of the "mung beans," which have green skin but yellow inside, stands out against the colorful three-colored chae.

Bun Cha (¥890) Grilled Pork Rice Paper (¥825) Three-color Chae (¥550)

The fluffy omelette topped with a mild coconut-flavored curry sauce is topped with melt-in-your-mouth seafood and vegetables, accented with flavorful garlic and celery. The scorched rice is called "com chai" in Vietnamese, and is eaten just like in Japan. All of the dishes made by the Hanoi-born chef, who is known for his delicate seasonings, bring out the flavor of the ingredients and base, creating an exquisite balance between Vietnamese cuisine and Japanese tastes! Mix the sweet and fragrant Vietnamese coffee roasted in butter with condensed milk for a blissful after-meal drink.

Vietnamese omelette (¥880) Seafood scorched rice (¥1,080) Vietnamese coffee (¥500)

Edited and photographed by Akiko Inoue (MAGCUL.NET)

Illustration: Hikaru Daimon
manga artist.
She irregularly updates her blog "Damo, Worried Break Time," which is a record of her visits to coffee shops. She also regularly updates her portfolio site "Damo, Heart's Love $ Room."

Food Report: Tomoe Oshima
Writing and acting. On the website "Meme no Ark | Oshima Tomoe", she is currently serializing popular essay columns such as "Men's Remarks Notes - About the Behavior of Men Who Like Someone Else Than Me" and "I'm Glad I Didn't Fall in Love". Her film script "A series of short films set in Yokohama", Life works "The Name of the Flower", is currently being screened to rave reviews at Cinema Jack & Betty and Yokohama Cinemarin (until 8/28).