More to breakfast in Vietnam than Pho.

Don't get me wrong.  I LOVE Pho and eat it just about every day.  In fact, it's healing properties for a monster hangover are legendary.  There is however, more to breakfast in Vietnam than its famous noodle dish.  Every Saturday, Scarlett has a swimming lesson.  AT 8.00AM!  I know.  So, whoever draws the short straw has to get up early and grab a taxi, child in tow, to the lesson.  Now the bright side to this is, you get to enjoy a breakfast in total blissful solitude.  Parents are not permitted to stay in the class so you have one whole hour to knock yourself out and stuff yourself silly with breakfast. (You also get to use the iPad for a change).  There are not an abundance of choices as it is in a fairly quiet part of District 3.  Nick has his own choices but I have found one that I am happy with.

So this is my choice of Saigon breakfast.  There are of course lots of noodles and rice dishes on the brecky menu as well, but this suits me fine.  Upon sitting down you are given the obligatory wet napkin that is used to wipe the crust of Saigon off you before you eat (top left).  You are then given a glass of iced tea, complimentary, to quench the thirst that is no doubt nearly killing you (next to the napkin).  Did I mention how hot it is here at the moment....it's Oh My God hot! But I digress. My usual order consists of an omelette with onion and coriander, an orange juice with honey and fresh ginger (not pictured) and a Cafe Sua Da.  I am sure just as everyone has their own methods for eating Pho, people prepare this dish in their own way.  Personally, I put some of the fresh chilli into the soy for a minute or two to spice it up.  I then take it out because I find leaving it in make it too hot.  I then pour the soy over the omelette.  Next I take some of the salt and pepper mix and put a generous helping onto the omelette.  By then the coffee, pictured filtering into the cup top centre, has finished filtering.  You take the little silver filter off and peer into the cup full of beautiful strong coffee.  But wait, there is a little surprise in the bottom of the cup that you cannot see.  A layer of delicious creamy condensed milk!  So then you pour the mixture into the glass of ice and give it a stir.  Viola!  A very traditional Cafe Sua Da, Vietnamese Iced Coffee. I then scoff the omelette down and mop up the gooey soy residue with the fresh crusty baguette.  My mum is not here so I don't have to eat the salad.  So there you have it.  My Saturday morning breakfast that is almost worth getting up early for.  All of this including the juice costs me about $7.  Expensive when you can get a bowl of Pho for a couple of bucks...but how many little red stools do you know have WiFi?