The 2023 Winter festive season…
While waiting for a doctor visit in the evening, we went to a store selling genuine leather products. This place is the flagship store owned by “Leather and Shoes Research Institute” on Hoang Hoa Tham Street.
The store, with two floors, showcases a variety of distinguished leather products – belts, wallets, handbags, shoes, sandals and more. The first floor has items for men, while the second floor features products for women. The materials are sourced from the skin of ostriches, crocodiles to cows, highlighting the craftsmanship behind each piece.
S browsed through wallets, intending to buy some as gifts. The staff showed him some models. Though he liked all of them, he preferred the ones with matte finishes, instead of glossy ones. We ended up buying eight wallets.
A manager came up to us and started a friendly conversation. She was very pleasant, sharing some insights about the products. She mentioned that the company has its own farms for materials and emphasized that all the products are crafted in Vietnam. There was a sense of pride in her voice, and she was really thankful for customers like us who genuinely appreciate the company’s creations. She even surprised us by wishing a Happy Thanksgiving. She said her daughter was currently studying in the US, which explains why she is aware of the event. It was also particularly thoughtful when she reminded the staff to choose nice boxes for our buys because she knew we bought them as gifts.
A small disappointment was that S couldn’t find sandals in his size because the company doesn’t make them for larger sizes. They were soft, light, and appeared exceptionally comfortable. S wanted them so bad that he even joked about cutting his toes to fit into those.
Next, S looked for belts. Despite having other alternatives, he’s been loyal to the belt I bought him nine years ago, even as it shows signs of wear. This time, since he has a special interest in the company’s leather products, I encouraged him to get new belts, so he got two: one crafted from crocodile skin priced at around $120 and the other from cowhide for $18. With the two new belts, I still doubt if he is going to use them anytime soon, given his strong attachment to his current worn belt.
We left the store without checking the second floor, which houses female products. S encouraged me to get a new purse because he noticed the zipper on my current one isn’t working well. Oh well, I admit I’m like S in that if we like something, we don’t have an intention to change it for a long time. However, the difference between us is that I have more tolerance for small defects as long as something is still beautiful. Like my pretty purse, I just need to be a bit patient to make the zipper work well. But this won’t happen to S; convenience must be his top priority.
Content with our purchases, we left the store and continued walking, hoping to find a taxi. However, it was a mistake as getting a taxi during peak hours on this street wasn’t easy. It was incredibly crowded, jam-packed with vehicles; the sidewalk was filled with various items for sale, making us difficult to find a spot to wait. The noise and dust added the overall discomfort.
Eventually, we managed to secure a taxi, and the driver drove us to Quán An Ngon, a popular spot for both locals and tourists to experience Vietnamese cuisine.
Upon entering through the main gate, the enticing aroma of delicious food captivated me. The arrangement of stalls, resembling a traditional village market showcasing various food in the yard, around the restaurant drew me in. The peaceful and nostalgic atmosphere of such markets remains vivid in my memory, which made me feel automatically connected to the restaurant.
We ordered quite a bunch of food. We had spring rolls, eel soup, sautéed diced beef (Bò lúc lắc) with French fries, clams in tamarind and butter sauce and grilled shrimp. “Bò lúc lắc” is commonly known as “shaking beef” because “lúc lắc” means “shaking”, likely referring to the pan-frying method over flames, involving shaking the pan, making the beef cubes to shake. However, I find its other English name, “sauteed diced beef” more convincing. The word “lúc lắc” resembles the action and sound of shaking dice, and the beef is cut into cubes that look like dice.
For drinks, I ordered guava juice and S opted for salted lemonade. As they didn’t have a typical salted lemonade, they put salt and sugar aside for him to make it himself. I finished the meal with my favorite sweet soup as dessert. It was so delicious with coconut milk, jellies and water chestnut stuffed tapioca pearls. The drink service was a bit slow, and the staff brought us broccoli instead of chayote buds (Ngọn su su) due to his misunderstanding; however, the overall dining experience was still very delightful. The whole cost was reasonable, $46 for both.
The next day, I brought S to Aeon Mall, a Japanese-run shopping destination that many people favor. Since it was Black Friday, there were a lot of items on sale. We eyed suitcases as we had purchased quite a lot, and he was concerned that our current ones might not be big enough.
There were a bunch of plastic suitcases, but we preferred fabric ones. S said plastic holds onto odors longer while fabric absorbs smells better. I found fabric suitcases more appealing for its adjustable space. Another advantage was its lightweight nature. We came across one that caught our interest but I suggested checking out other stores before making a final decision. I didn’t want to miss out on better finds or deals. After a quick tour of suitcase exploration, we circled back to the first store and purchased that one. No discount, but we were both into it, and the black color perfectly matches our existing suitcases.
We left the suitcase there, as we didn’t want to drag it around to other shops, and to the third floor, where the food court was for lunch. On the way, I stopped by a massage chair and inserted around 70 cents for a quick 10 minute massage. So pleasant.
In the food court, we found a diverse selection of food from different local regions and countries. Hot pot seemed to be the most popular dish there. It’s intriguing that Americans aren’t a fan of hot pot because of “too much work”, heat and food sharing nature instead of individual portions. We spotted Alfredo, an Italian restaurant, my favorite and the allure of grilled meat from Korean restaurants appealed to us. But, we finally settled on Nét Huế, a Vietnamese restaurant, serving cuisine from the imperial city of Hue.
When I looked at the menu, I just wanted to order all of them because they all looked delicious. Honestly, Hue cuisine is my favorite due to its spiciness and rich flavors. We ordered grilled pork for S and “Cơm hến”, a bowl with a mix of rice, baby clams, herbs, and pickles for me. Additionally, we tried Ram. I think “Ram”, “Nem rán”, and “Chả giò” are all spring rolls, each known by different names depending on the region – “Ram” in the Central area, “Nem rán” in the North and “Chả giò” in the South.
The grilled pork was so good that S couldn’t stop eating it all though he should have saved room for dinner. My Dad would cook us special grilled pork using his secret recipe, reserved for special occasions. Knowing my Dad’s excitement to introduce this to his son-in-law, I had hoped S would have a light lunch, then he would enthusiastically eat my Dad’s food and make him happy. But that mission was too difficult for him. Not only did he eat a lot but also loaded up on sugary drinks. During the meal, he got one salted lemonade and two “Chanh tuyết” (snow lemonade smoothies). Then, he continued with two fresh bubble teas and one bottled bubble tea after leaving the restaurant. Oh, S, he was both satisfied but guilty at the same time.
Though S overindulged but I was happy I chose the right restaurant. Honestly, I rarely go wrong with my eating-out choices. However, S is the opposite. Whenever I let him decide where to eat, the experience is often just meh. It’s understandable since he’s not the type to pay attention to reviews or care much before selecting a restaurant.
The night before S left Vietnam, our family went to a restaurant for its buffet, called Maison Sen.
Since we went there during the Christmas season, the facade of the restaurant was adorned with numerous Christmas-themed decorations—red balls, silver leaves, and sparkling strings of warm white lights. It looked fancy, and my niece was in awe when she saw the place.
The buffet at this chain has never disappointed me; it was fantastic. Everything there was delightful. There were so many options that I couldn’t possibly try them all, so I had to prioritize. I have a liking for seafood, especially shellfish, sashimi, and sweet soup. Those were my main focus. I indulged in a lot of snails and clams, both steamed and grilled, and they were exquisite—juicy, fresh, and naturally sweet. The flavor was exceptional. As for sashimi, I enjoyed salmon as always but was truly impressed with another type of fish. I can’t recall its name, but what stood out was the very firm texture of the fish.
One of the big attractions for me each time I return to VN is savoring delicious and flavorful food while immersing myself in a carefree atmosphere. When we were in Aeon’s food court, S threw in a funny idea that he would make room in his belly by inducing vomit, so he could stay there all day and try all the food. We can’t find such a vibe and the abundance of fresh, authentic food in where we live.
Begin life at forty 