Saturday, September 03, 2005

Tây and Dog meat

Eating Dog meat is more popular in the north than in the south. This is a kind of traditional dish, and it's the most famous in Nhật Tân district on the dyke road out past the flower market.

I went to this restaurant with two foreign friends who live in Hà Nội on such a very special day for Vietnamese. Yes, it was Independence day, the 2nd of September. People seemed to be surprised to see us there, but we were there anyway.

The food was good for me of course and my friends said it was an interesting experience. Cooked Dog meat is just like other dish in Vietnam, served with different herbs and ingredients according to a very special recipe. What we ordered was Grilled dog with galangal and lemongrass, Boiled Dog in a bamboo stock, Stewed Dog with finely chopped lemongrass, Steamed Dog black pudding with peanuts, apricot leaves and sweet basil, Stir fried Dog meat with finely chopped lemongrass, ginger and chilli, Steamed Dog meat over Dog stock, but our favorite was Boiled Dog leg in Dog bone stock with young bamboo. All of these dishes have to be eaten with "mắm tôm" (fermented shrimp sauce), chilli, chopped lemongrass, fresh apricot leaves and squeezed lemon.

We ended up paying 180,000Vnd for three people with five beers and a coke which is really cheap.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't like this meal but I like your writing. hiihhi.
aja aja fighting

Van Cong Tu said...

Hi,
Thanks for your kind comment, sometime you have to accept the reality which not always sweet. And i write about things that I think are interesting. Glad that you like my writing and i hope you can try this dish sometime and let me know what you think about it.
Cheers mate

Anonymous said...

日本にはその食べ物を全然ありません。日本人とそんな事を言うと吃驚しますよ。

Anonymous said...

i love the puppy and think Tu is sexy

Anonymous said...

hey, good write up, still not convinced about this dog meat stuff, but sounds like fun anyway.
kris

Anonymous said...

I like these dishes so much, we always have them on the day end of month or year or friend's parties.
If you go to Hanoi,don't forget enjoying them you will become a Vietnamese person.

Van Cong Tu said...

Hi all, Thanks for your comments. You should try this unique dish and i am sure that you will like some of the 7 dishes.
I totally agree with you Anonymous. Cheers Mate

SuperSt*r said...

i can't imagine myself eating dog meat...but i am going to Hanoi soon...any food recommendations, other than cats & dogs?? (^-^)

Winston said...

Sorry but I'm deleting your blog from my favorites. I think it's inhumane to eat dog and refuse to visit a site that promotes it.

Good bye!

Van Cong Tu said...

Hi andy, Dog tastes great , why dont you try for once in your life, you migh falling in love this dish :)

Van Cong Tu said...

Vi, I disagree with you in this point because most of my friends from the south and they love dog meat and there are many areas in saigon and other big cities only sell dog meat.

Joe said...

So, does dog meat stink or what? That is what my Viet wife says. She hasn't tried it (she's freaked by the idea) but I guess she's smelled it

xl pharmacy said...

I cannot believe how someone can eat a dog, where is the animal protection ??? come on ! it is not culture it just a crime !