Ooh.. you are offal

Come 6pm opposite the Saigon Tower on Pasteur Street and a foxes fart away from Le Loi Street you'll find two sandwich stalls. The traffic lights make this stretch of road prime scoff real estate, but if you ask me it's a precarious way to earn a living. Let's face it - a business plan that is heavily reliant on Saigonese folk stopping at a red light is fundamentally flawed. These sellers have a slim window of opportunity in which to tempt buyers. Their display of cooked innards, entrails, intestines and parts is mouthwatering and tonight I just can't resist snagging a takeaway.

This seller is further south on Pasteur than her blue pyjama clad rival a sneeze or two up the road. I'm not sure if they're in competition, if they're family or if they have signed a sandwich trade pact. This merchant is half Chinese, half Vietnamese. They're both pig parts specialists, so don't expect to find a big girl's banh my pate here. My knowledge of veterinary science is limited, but this seller explains that absolutely everything on her tray comes from the inside of a pig. What no bacon?

You choose what you want, although I'll admit I don't actually know what it is I'm choosing, and she slaps the lot inside a sauce smeared banh my. She has a range of sauces, I choose the brown number which I think is a hoisin based thing with nuoc cham leanings, but I'm not sure. I skip the chilli.

She adds the regulation Vietnamese sarnie crinkle-cut pickled carrots and radish garnish and a hacked up cucumber for my vitamin and iron packed thriller. It's 10,000VD. I'll be honest and say it tastes about as good as it sounds. It's not really my bag anyway. All a bit too 'visual'. It wasn't awful offal, but I'm not sure I'll be back for a second bite. However, if perchance I do get those pig's innard pangs I know exactly where to come. Very pleasant service.

Comments

[Reid]

Hi Noodlepie,

I have to give you credit for even having the nerves to try this. I would never eat bahn mi that's been filled with pig parts. I'm not sure how it would smell, however, it doesn't look too appetizing to me.

[OMIH]

That sounds truly rank. No amount of wining and dining in top restaurants by the world's media is worth eating a pig part butty.

I'll stick to Bun Cha.

[pieman]

What if she limited the choice to intestines only?

Have I been here too long?

[OMIH]

Pieman...run...run like the wind.

Chicken flu is the least of your worries.

[pieman]

I did think a Geordie like yourself would be well up for this kinda stuff. I would take your advice but I seem to be hemmed in by red and gold flags everywhere. What's that all about?...???....?

[OMIH]

Don't know...but it's cool. There are lovely lanterns by the lake and lots going on in the capital. I live next to Uncle Ho and the queues are longer than ever

I think it's something to do with us hard northerners bailing you nancy southerners out.

That'll upset someone.

Pig parts? I ask you. Nice bit blackpudding always goes down well though.

[pieman]

Aye, black pudding is killer, innit? if I could find someone selling that, Irn Bru, Twiglets and a good haggis in Saigon I would be rather happy.

As for the flag waving. I can't stand nationalism in any form. But I will admit to being a soft, decadent southerner. The thing is though, you may be a rock hard, feisty, no shit Hanoi kinda guy, but you still have to eat all that shit they call food in Hanoi. We don't.

The streets are paved with gold down here I'm tell ya'. You should defect.

[OMIH]

It's the lack of Malt Vinegar that gets me.

Saigon? Naaah its just cheating. Might as well move to Thailand and live on the Khao San Rd.

I shall stay up here and doff my cap to Uncle Ho.

Hanoi Rocks.

[pieman]

Malt Vinegar - check. In fact any kinda vinegar. Hanoi does indeed rock... gently to sleep at about 9pm.

[OMIH]

Phuc Tan's had a relaunch under the new name Barracuda Bad - that is going to take a lot of getting used to. Titanic still goes on all night. Half Man Half Noodle doesn't close before sunrise.

I'm getting old though - a quiet beer at Le Pub suits me. And like I said in my blog - they let me put my Ipod behind the bar. Just think about that - your own music, in a bar, all night.

And there's a few KOTO graduates too so they look after me well.

Too well in fact...the Tiger's just keep on coming.

25 Hang Be - get yourself in there next time you're up. Warn me in advance and I'll nip along to Western Canned Goods and invest in some malt vinegar.

[pieman]

Actually it's very much the quiet life here too. I haven't been in a pub for a proper session for something like 4 years, maybe more. Guess it's an age thing. Doesn't appeal like it used to.

As for rockin' Hanoi, I was referring to the Hanoians themselves. They are a bit 'back home to bed' in the main, no? Maybe it's changed. I used to enjoy cruising the Hanoi streets with noodlegirl around 11pm (ish) 'cos it was so quiet, dead really. We tried doin' the same thing when we moved here, but it's just not the same. Saigonese stay out way later than their northern chums and the streets are clogged day and night.

[OMIH]

Yeah the locals get home pretty soon - but food street ticks over. And yeah the ride home on the empty streets is the best part of the night.

My favourite bit is when you leave Titanic in the small hours and your motorbike takes you along the main road between Hanoi and the river. By that time the market is just starting up and its chaos - but just beautiful.

Always makes me smile that dopey grin.

[pieman]

All these bar names are new to me... But the ride home sounds similar. We actually used to tour the city before heading home (old quarter). Miss all that, but maan I hate the weather up there...

BTW - can you check that I have 3 bricks lined up for your new establishment. I've paid for them, but can't remember getting any confirmation. Would hate to be brickless.

Gotta split.

[caprir]

Mr Noodle and OMH,
The flags are everywhere in SaiGon at this time for the celebration of 30 yrs the North took over the South.

As for the "inside pig parts", it was called "pha' la^'u". It is best just by itself, dipping in hoisin sauce. This is the first time I see it goes inside the bread. Before the fall of SaiGon, my dad used to take us to visit "o^ng Ta^`u" (old Chinese man) and have these wonderful "pha' la^'u". At that time, "pha' la^'u" was cut into small pieces and have the toothpick with it. We pick whatever we want, dip in the sauce and keep the toothpick. After we're done, "o^ng Ta^`u" just count the toothpick and do a little math and come up with the amount that we have to pay. Oh, it was a good old time.

[Christine]

haha I love the title of this post!

...but i'm not diggin those innards...What is that flat tape-like organ?

[anchoi]

The pha lau that caprir referring to goes great with any alcoholic concoction. An ice cold tiger beer probably fit the bill quite nicely. I do remember the toothpicks and the old china man. Was that Le Loi, near Ben Thanh market?

[Matt]

I agree with Christine. That is possibly your finest caption :)

[OMIH]

Pieman - yes we received your donation - thank you very much indeed. I have also notcied the names of you, Toad and Noodle Girl on our wall.

Apologies if you haven't received confirmation. Tell you what I'll get you a pic of your names on the wall at KOTO and send you the jpeg.

I'll do the same when you get the proper engraved bricks in the new place.

[pieman]

Thx Caprir and Anchoi for interesting historical context and translation work, much appreciated. Matt/Christine, I came across a great headline on a journo forum yesterday. This is from a UK trash gossip mag:

Wham! Bam! He married Pam! – but I was his wife and it was a SHAM!

Sublime.

OMIH, you're a gentleman. I'll blog it and you might sell more bricks. Hell, you'll have to build an extension or a patio or sommit.

[julie]

nice blog u have =) i m visiting ho chi minh this coming sunday (1st time) n browse thru the website for more info then ur blog appeared.. i have already bookmarked ur blog n will definitely come bck again =)

[lord]

Mate you sound like a soft cock. You need to go back to your home land.