First Time Pho

As of late, my fondness for Anthony Bourdain's show "No Reservations" has led me to explorer more and more different types of worldly cuisine. So when a friend and co-worker asks if I'd like to try some Vietnamese food for lunch, I jump at the opportunity like some poor alcoholic looking for his next Colt 45 (with a paper twist).

I was delighted to find the rather plain named Sizzling Wok Hai did indeed have very good Vietnamese food. I was treading into some uncharted water here. I've had Chinese, Japanese and even Korean food and enjoyed all of them. But Vietnamese? No idea. None. That may be a good thing though. Having no preconceptions I forged ahead and ordered some spring rolls and a bowl of Pho.

First up were the spring rolls.



The rolls are wrapped with a paper thin exterior and were filled with lettuce, rice, bean sprouts, and other yummies. They were served with a dark sauce that had a small sprinkle of carrots and peanuts. They were great.

Next up was the Beef Pho. Now, I've seen this on t.v. but had no idea what it really was called. It always looked good and sounded even better.



Slices of beef with quartered meatballs, onions,and rice noodles served in a deep and oily broth. I couldn't eat it fast enough. Between both dishes I was quite full, and spent the rest of the day in a food coma. It was worth it. This is a place I will return to on a regular basis.

All it took was a leap of faith and an adventurous spirit and I grew as a person. Eating food from another culture brings you closer to that culture and helps you understand what kind of people they are and where they come from. Try it.