Lang Nuong Nam Bo Restaurant.

Ventured into the murky depths of District 10 (well not really, its about 10 minutes from home but it sounded dramatic didn't it!) to visit a BBQ restaurant.  It is called Lang Nuong Nam Bo, 285/C145 Cach Mang Thang 8. There was a large group of us and it turned out the be the perfect place to really enjoy some great local food with a local atmosphere to boot.  The place is HUGE!  Not just big, HUGE!  As we pulled up in the cab the wafting aroma of BBQ had me salivating.  Lets just say I was not let down.  The menu was extensive and I would quite like to go back and try some other dishes like the individual BBQ's at your table.  We ate, drank and got merry for the grand sum of less than $15 each.

This little piggy went to......my belly!

This really was a delicious as it looks.  Very juicy on the inside but that skin was amazing!  It takes a bit of getting used to eating around the bones as they just pretty much take a cleaver to it and chop it to bits.

Balut.  If you are squeamish don't read on.  A balut (Trứng vịt lộn or Hột vịt lộn in Vietnamese), is a fertilized duck egg with a nearly-developed embryo inside that is boiled and eaten in the shell. They are considered delicacies of Asia and especially the Philippines, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Popularly believed to be an aphrodisiac and considered a high-protein, hearty snack, baluts are mostly sold by street vendors at night in the regions where they are available. They are often served with beer.  Personally, I think they should be served with a therapist.  Lets just say I am not a fan.

Now I know i mentioned I would like to go back and try a few dishes but I might just give the goats prick a miss.

Ok, this is more like it.  It just ain't Vietnam unless there are a plate of spring rolls on the table.

This is the vegetable that I mentioned finding at the market in a previous post.  It is called Thien Ly.  I still don't know how to spell it and when I google it it comes up with a Vietnam Idol contestant!!  However you spell it, it is one of my favourites fired up here in oil and garlic.  I think it would be great with a little oyster sauce or taramind too.

The roast chook was beautiful.

These are the pumpkin flowers that I have also mentioned in a previous post.  Cooked really simply so the flavour of the flower comes through.

OK, who ordered chips?  The funny thing about this is, over here forget the salt and vinegar...bring on the sugar and the butter.  Now there is a heart attack on a plate.  No tomato sauce to be seen.  The thought of eating that makes me feel almost as sick as the Balut!

Ah, the pig.  Can you just see how juicy and crispy that skin is?

These were little fluffy buns of happiness!  The white ones are steamed and the darker ones are fried. I only had the white one but they were incredibly sweet.  They were almost like a sweet bread roll made with coconut milk.  When the plate full of pig was empty we broke these up and mopped up all of the juices.  Oh....it was goooooood.

We had a few non meat eaters and this artichoke dish seemed to fit the bill.

This system has a lot going for it.  Much easier to count the empties than to try and keep track on the bill. (No I did not throw any of ours into next doors basket....but I thought about it!)

Where would you be without a big chunk of ice in your beer?

To wash it down.

Our waiter was amazing, anticipating everything we may need (read: he kept bringing us lots of beers)

Smoky, noisy and fun.