Bon Me (Cambridge)

Ever find yourself craving a Vietnamese sandwich? Or maybe a tea egg or edamame in the middle of the work day?

I used to work right in One Kendall Square in Cambridge, and I would have loved to have something like that just downstairs from my lab. It's too bad I don't work in the area anymore, because Bon Me, the popular Asian food truck, has opened up its first brick & mortar location right in One Kendall Square.

Bon Me originally started out as a food truck in Boston.  Husband and wife team Patrick Lynch and Alison ("Ali") Fong entered the City of Boston's Food Truck Contest on a whim in 2010 and won. Soon afterward, they opened their first food truck.

Here it is parked right at the Rose Kennedy Greenway (dreaming back to warmer times!). There are now two trucks (a blue one and a yellow one), and you can find them throughout Boston, such as at BU East on Commonwealth Avenue, SOWA outdoor market, and the Seaport area.

Patrick and Ali live in Cambridge and really wanted to open a brick-and-mortar place in their own backyard. Their dreams are finally realized this week as Bon Me in One Kendall Square opens its doors on Friday, February 22, 2013.

I had a chance to check out their menu at their "Friends and Family" soft opening earlier last week.

The menu is relatively simple - not too different from the truck menu - although they are adding a few new dishes, such as a Carrot, Hijiki and Wheatberry Salad. 

There are several fun types of Asian-inspired drinks from which to choose. I got the Thai Basil Limade, which is wonderfully fragrant and refreshingly not too sweet. The Vietnamese Ice Coffee is lighter than your typical Vietnamese iced coffee in terms of sweetness and creaminess. I would have preferred a stronger coffee, but overall the flavors were OK, and I'm glad it's not that sweet.

The Deviled Tea Egg is topped with spicy mayo and cayenne pepper and could be a great mid-day snack (much healthier than those chips in my vending machine at work!). Bryan really enjoyed this one.

The Edamame is served with a star anise and sesame salt, which is surprisingly tasty (even for someone like me who doesn't love anise). The edamame is served cold, which surprised me a bit, though that is how they serve it on the truck.

As for main dishes, you choose between three types: Sandwich ($6), Noodle Salad ($7), or Rice Bowl ($6). You then pick a "filling" to go with it. The night I went, the choices were Chinese BBQ Pork, Spice-rubbed Chicken, and Roasted Soy and Paprika Tofu.

If you choose noodles, you get a choice between soba or rice noodles. The rice noodles are a great choice for those who can't have gluten. The soba is a nuttier noodle, with a deeper flavor. I went with the soba and the tofu, which I really liked. All the vegetables were fresh, and the soft, marinated tofu was quite flavorful and carried the dish well.

Bryan went with the brown rice and spice-rubbed chicken. Bryan preferred the flavor of his chicken dish to my tofu dish, probably because the tofu is sort of sweet, and Bryan prefers savory foods in general.

Of course, if a place is called "Bon Me", you have to try their "bahn-mi" (Vietnamese sandwich). The sandwich turned out to be our favorite out of the three dishes. Not surprisingly, it's also their most popular item. It's not exactly a traditional Vietnamese bahn-mi ("decidedly unauthentic" is what they call it). After all, it is filled with Chinese BBQ Pork.

Nevertheless, the combination of the spicy mayo, pickled vegetables, and house made pate works well with the pork. The overall sandwich is tasty, and a pretty good value at $6 (especially for that area!).

The interior space is really nice. It's modern, clean, and comfortable. There isn't a ton of seating, but I anticipate this place will do a lot of lunchtime takeaway business. They also plan on ramping up their catering business, which will serve local businesses really well.

I think this will turn out to be a great, affordable option for a quick, healthy, and tasty lunch in Kendall. They plan on being open until 10PM at night, so it'll also be a great spot for a late night snack if you're hungry.

Best of luck to Patrick and Ali with your new endeavor!

Disclaimer - I did not pay for this meal. All opinions are my own.

Sweet Basil Pesto with Rice Noodles

This post is part of a larger series devoted to a Molecular Gastronomy focused meal I made: Molecular Gastronomy with an Asian Twist. Other posts in this series include Spherification (making "caviar" and Pho Inspired Grilled Steak with Mint, Cilantro, and Lime

This Asian pesto recipe I'm about to show you is so ridiculously easy, I was skeptical about whether it would actually taste that good.

It's sort of like normal pesto, but with a few major changes.

First, it's made with sweet basil (also known as Asian basil or Thai basil), which I think is more floral and a bit sweeter than Italian basil.

Second, since it's Asian, there's no pine nuts nor Parmesan cheese. In fact, it's just fresh garlic, sweet basil, oil, and salt.

It's so easy, yet the pungent garlic and the aromatic sweet basil make a fantastic combination. I tossed this with some simple pho noodles and I was hooked.

Sweet basil is a bit harder to find. I don't think I've ever seen it at a local Western supermarket. Asian markets are the best place to find it.

Outside of markets, I see sweet basil most often at Vietnamese restaurants, where they give you a whole pile of it to eat with your pho. Taiwanese people will also use it in dishes like three-cup chicken, and it shows up all over the place in Thai cuisine.

I made this sauce  as part of a larger molecular gastronomy meal this past weekend.

I hate to say this, but since I was in such a hurry when creating this sauce, I didn't measure anything and just threw it all together.

Amazingly, it turned out great! I really think pesto is a very, very forgiving recipe. How can you go wrong when you blend a gorgeous herb with deliciously strong, fresh garlic cloves?

On the side, I boiled some traditional pho noodles, but I think this pesto would work with any sort of noodle.

Toss together with the pesto and serve!

Thai Basil Pesto
1 large bunch of Asian basil leaves (stems removed)
4 cloves garlic
1/4 cup oil
1 tsp salt (or to taste)

Again, this is a very, very flexible recipe. I didn't measure anything, yet it turned out great. I slowly added salt bit by bit until I thought the flavor was about right. Definitely play it by ear, and give yourself the opportunity to add extra elements to adjust the flavor.

Combine basil leaves, garlic, and oil in a food processor and pulse until completely pulverized. Add salt to taste. Toss with pho noodles.

Optionally serve with the other half of my dish, "Pho-inspired Grilled Steak with Mint, Cilantro, and Lime".

Enjoy!

"Pho" inspired Grilled Steak with Mint, Cilantro, and Lime

This post is part of a larger series devoted to a Molecular Gastronomy focused meal I made: Molecular Gastronomy with an Asian Twist. Other posts in this series include Spherification (making "caviar".

I am really starting to think that Southeast Asian cuisine is one of my favorites in the world.

I'm addicted to the fragrant and exotic herbs and spices typically used in the cuisine, From floral lemongrass and herbaceous Thai basil to the intensity of fish sauce and Sriracha sauce - I love it all.

This steak recipe incorporates many Southeast Asian flavors, adding an intense but flavorful kick to an otherwise mundane grilled steak recipe.

I tried it with skirt steak the first time, which worked out OK, but I may recommend trying a nicer cut, such as flank steak, if you want to avoid the chewier, stringier texture of skirt steak.


The elements of this dish are simple: a nice piece of steak, Southeast Asian herbs (mint, cilantro, shallots or onions), and chili flakes (to add some heat!).

Mix together all these chopped herbs.

Add soy sauce, fish sauce, lime juice, and the meat and mix it all together. If you are using a traditional grill, put all this in a Ziploc bag and let it marinate for at least 1 hour, if not longer (preferably overnight).

In my case, I sealed it up in a vacuum bag and cooked it sous vide for 3 hours.

Simply grill according to the doneness you prefer (I highly recommend medium rare), and serve! This tastes great over salads, on top of noodles, or just on its own.

"Pho" Inspired Grilled Steak
Adapted from Food & Wine
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoons freshly ground pepper
1 pound steak (I used skirt steak)
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
1/2 tablespoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 medium shallot, thinly sliced
1/4 cup mint leaves, finely chopped
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, finely chopped

Sous vide
Combine in a vacuum seal bag with steak and cook sous vide at 125° F for 3 hours. Remove from bag, dry the meat, and quickly sear on the grill just enough to get a nice sear. Serve immediately (sous vide steaks do not need to rest - they are already perfectly cooked inside!)

For more details about the sous vide method for cooking steaks, click here.

Grilling
Combine all ingredients in a Ziploc bag and marinated for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight. Before grilling, sprinkle kosher salt and pepper all over the steak.

If skirt steak, grill 2-3 minutes a side for a medium to medium rare steak. If a 2-lb flank steak (the usual size of a whole flank steak), grill 4-6 minutes on each side. Let rest, covered in foil, 10 minutes before slicing (against the grain!) and serving.

*note - whole flank steaks are usually 2 lbs, so just double the recipe above.

Pan-sear
For a perfect steak, use the oven to pan method described here.

Enjoy! Optionally pair with spherified Sriracha and hoisin sauce!

Lee's Sandwiches

I've complained more than once that dining prices in Las Vegas are crazy exorbitant.

I should clarify when I say such bold statements.

Dining prices on the STRIP are insane. Starbucks cappuccinos can run up to $7, while a typical entree at a normal restaurant can still run close to $30. However, the rest of Las Vegas is actually perfectly fine. In fact, I'm a bit jealous of these Las Vegas residents. They have many of the benefits of California in terms of food (In & Out, Ranch 99, Sam Woo's, Ten Ren Tea Station anyone?) without the astronomical real estate prices that follows.

One one the newest California transplants is Lee's Sandwiches, which opened March 2011.

Bryan grew up on Lee's Sandwiches since his church was right next to Little Saigon in Los Angeles. He's always told me that Vietnamese sandwiches on the East Coast don't come anywhere close to the ones out west. He speaks fondly of places out West like Lee's, who bake their bread in-house and serve a mean sandwich for under $3.

After our crazy wedding anniversary photo shoot (and before another hike through more mountains in Las Vegas), we stopped at Lee's Sandwiches to re-fuel.


The banh mi has an interesting cultural history. The French first introduced the basic French bread loaf to the Vietnamese in the early 20th century during the French colonization of Vietnam. Back then, a simple Parisian-style sandwich consisted of a French baguette, butter, and ham. These sandwiches (called "banh mi Tay") were meant for the French locals living in the area, and were associated with expensive European delis.

French rule ended in 1954.  Soon, the Vietnamese began adding their own local ingredients to the simple sandwich, such as pickled vegetables, cilantro, and other Southeast Asian herbs. A "poor man's" version of the sandwich began showing up in local food tricycles (precursor to the modern food truck!) and the like. It became so popular, it eventually overtook the traditional French version (which also petered out because the French were gone from Vietnam by this point in time).

The banh mi was first introduced to the US after the Vietnam war, when refugees from Vietnam set up shops in the US.

Although today the word "banh mi" is today associated with the Vietnamese sandwich in America, the term actually technically only means "bread", and a sandwich having meat would have a descriptor after it (e.g. banh mi thit = bread with meat).

Having fresh bread is crucial for a good banh mi. Lee's is obsessive about the quality of their bread, baking fresh loaves continuous throughout the day. Behind the glass of the automated baguette factory, loaves of bread rotate in this huge oven. 
Going beyond just being a sandwich place, this Lee's in Las Vegas is complete with all sorts of other Asian goodies. For example, they have this automated machine that squirts out batter to make these little cakes called Deli Manjoo, which they serve in boxes of 20 or 24.
The sandwiches are solid here, and we ordered a variety. Prices are pretty cheap and the ingredients are fresh, so it's a great way to grab a quick, healthy snack before heading out on the road.   
They also have other Asian favorites, such as many varieties of boba tea (e.g., soy milk, honeydew, even durian!), taro desserts, Vietnamese spring rolls, and fried sesame balls. If you're not a huge fan of Asian food, you can order more traditional "European Sandwiches," such as a turkey club with bacon on croissant or a turkey cheese baguette. They also have ice cream.

Lee's Sandwiches is located not far from the Strip in Chinatown on Spring Mountain Road. The parking lot can get a bit crowded at times, as this is just a very popular place to visit. Bring $10, an adventurous spirit, and an empty stomach. You'll have lots of fun sampling the various things they have (and it will be a nice break for the wallet after being on the Strip!).


This is part 3 of a larger Series The Vegas Anniversary. Other posts in this series:
Bouchon Bistro (lunch)
Aureole
Lee's Sandwiches

Lee's Sandwiches
3989 Spring Mountain Rd
Las Vegas, NV 89102

Pho Hoa

I've been missing out all these years.

I'd always heard from my sister (and my brother-in-law, among others) that the best Vietnamese food in Boston is in Dorchester. I guess for one reason or another, I've mostly kept to my microcosm here - Cambridge, with bits of the North End, downtown, and occasional jaunts to the suburbs. Heck, the South End even feels too far away even though there's tons of interesting restaurants there.

Thankfully, thankfully, my sister decided to take the entire family down to Dorchester after her graduation to try some Vietnamese food from her favorite haunts.

Yes, I know this is a chain, but  . . . wow! Fresh ingredients, very reasonable prices, and a brand new, beautiful space. It's no surprise that Pho Hoa grew as quickly as it did.


Pho Hoa is a chain of Vietnamese restaurants that started in California and is now all over the world. They have locations all over Asia (Korea, Philippines, Singapore, Macau), in Canada, and spread throughout the US (Georgia, California, Boston, and Utah, just to name a few). The restaurants are franchises but all have similar menus and philosophies ("health conscious choice").

We were immediately impressed with the freshness of the ingredients. You won't see any limp bean sprouts or tired vegetables here. My brother-in-law also noted that they carry the more unusual rau ngò gai, or thorny coriander or sawtooth herb alongside your more typical Thai basil and bean sprouts.

Bún Gà Nướng
Grilled chicken with vermicelli, pickled carrots and daikon, beansprouts, and peanuts. You toss this together with a fish-sauce based broth. Absolutely delicious.

Bún Thịt Nướng Chả Giò

Pork, pork skin, and tiny spring rolls on top of vermicelli.

Bryan got a RAW(!) beef noodle pho, something he had never seen in Boston up to this point.

Essentially, they give you raw slices of prime beef, which you just dip into the hot soup!

Bryan loves rare meat, so he was thrilled.

For dessert, they had ice cream from Christina's on the menu! Yes - we are talking about the uber famous ice cream shop in Cambridge. Of course, we were thrilled. I tried the green tea ice cream and it was definitely much better than what you typically get at an Asian restaurant.

I had a lot of fun at Pho Hoa and I would definitely return. There is another location in Chinatown, which I have not tried. I'm hoping it's just as good as this one. I hate to say it, but Pho Hoa has replaced Le's & Pho Pasteur as my favorite pho place in Boston (though Le's still holds a special place in my heart just because it's so close to home and is such a great cheap dining option in Harvard Square!)
 
This post is part of a larger series dedicated to my sister, Patricia, and describes meals we had when my parents came to town for her graduation. Other posts in this series:

Joyful Garden
Moves and Changes 


Pho Hoa
1370 Dorchester Ave
Dorchester, MA 02122

Teranga

Growing up, my exposure to international cuisines was limited, to say the least.

Perhaps it's because I was raised by immigrants, and thus mostly ate Taiwanese food at home. Or, maybe it's because, when our family did eat out, we almost invariably ate mediocre "Chinese" food, pizza, or your typical Midwestern suburban buffet.

I still remember trying my first falafel (from a food truck, no less!) when I arrived in Boston for school. What delicious exotic flavors! Hummus? What a neat concept!  I can still picture my first meal at a Korean restaurant (also around college time). I marveled at all those little freebie appetizers that kept appearing on the table, plate after plate after plate. What treasures! Why don't other cuisines do this?

Over a decade later, the journey still continues.

Imagine my excitement the other day when I found out that Boston opened its first authentic Senegalese restaurant. The food of Senegal is really really interesting. Because of its unique history, Senegalese cuisine incorporates aspects of French, Asian, Arabic, and African cuisine.

Can you even imagine how one lumps all those cuisines together?

Thiébou Djeun (National Dish) -15
Herb-stuffed white fish cooked in tomato stew with broken jasmine rice served with cassava, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, eggplant, and pumpkin

We were so surprised when we got our appetizers and saw things that looked like spring rolls ("nems" pictured at top). Not only did they look like spring rolls, they were filled with rice vermicelli, beef, chicken, carrots, scallions, and dried mushrooms! That sounds almost downright Asian!

Oh . . and you dipped them in Nuoc Mâm! Yes, the Vietnamese sauce!

Why Vietnamese? 
As former French colonies, Vietnam and Senegal actually have several links throughout their history. Senegalese men served in Vietnam as soldiers from France, many of whom married local Vietnamese women. In the 1990's, several groups of Vietnamese people sponsored by the United Nations' Food and Agricultural Program went to Senegal to teach the Senegalese various agricultural practices (such as beekeeping) and food ideas (such as how to make Nuoc Mâm).

Michoui 17
Marinated roasted lamb shank served with a caramelized onion sauce and Moroccan couscous

We really enjoyed all of the appetizers. In fact, they turned out to be our favorite part of the meal. I loved the Croquettes de Poisson (pan fried fish cakes), which were served with this absolutely addictive cilantro garlic sauce. The Accara (black eye pea fried cake) was also really really good.

We tried two really unique sounding drinks. The Bissap juice is sorrell juice (petals of a flower) mixed with pineapple juice. The Bouye juice was made from baobab tree fruit mixed with cream. Both are flavored with orange flower water and vanilla sugar. Though a bit too sweet for my tastes, I think the juices are still really unusual and definitely interesting to try.

Mafé 14
Lamb stew with carrots, sweet potatoes, white potatoes, and cabbage in a ground nut sauce and served with jasmine rice

The main entrées were delicious as well. The Michoui lamb shank was fall-off-the-bone tender and worked really well with the caramelized onion sauce. Likewise, we really liked the ground nut sauce in the Mafe (lamb stew).

The only dish we did not like was the national dish, Thiébou Djeun. The waitress had cautioned us that the fish is cooked "really really well" - something not everyone likes. I guess that should have been a warning. The fish definitely was waaay overcooked, although I have a feeling this is the authentic way to prepare this dish. The fish was very tough and dry, and not really fun to eat at all. I would skip this if you like any moisture in your fish. Despite the disappointment with the fish, I really liked the texture of the "broken Jasmine rice" that accompanied the fish.

Thiacry 6
Thin pudding made with couscous, tropical fruits (optional) and raisins in a vanilla-cream sauce

Dessert was the Thiacry, which was like a watery rice pudding made with couscous. To be honest, I thought it was quite average, and I much prefer normal rice pudding. But then again, this is most likely a cultural preference.

Impressions
Overall, it was really really fun and interesting to try such a unique cuisine right here in Boston. The word "teranga" actually means "hospitality" in Wolof (one of their main ethnic languages), and the service at Teranga lives up to that meaning. The staff is super friendly and the ambiance is warm and cozy. It can get quite crowded on weekends, so come on a weeknight if possible.

Some say that Senegalese cuisine is one of the best in Africa, largely because of its diverse influence from different cultures. I thought it was fascinating to see how local African ingredients (like cassava) could co-exist peacefully with seemingly really Asian ingredients (like nuoc mam and rice vermicelli!).

It's a neat (and tasty!) lesson in seeing how geography, history, and migration patterns can have such an effect on food.


Teranga
1746 Washington St.
Boston, MA 02118