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<\/a>Vietnamese Cuisine<\/p>\nGrowing up in England with two Asian parents, both of whom previously lived in Vietnam, meant inevitably I was to be exposed to the eastern delights of Vietnamese home cooking. The half a year I have spent in Japan has been filled with sushi dates, ramen meet ups and sober soba get-togethers but alas my Pho-dar was acting up and it was time to submerge myself into a bowl of the soupy stuff.<\/p>\n
Pho (\u00e3\u0192\u2022\u00e3\u201a\u00a9) is a type of Vietnamese rice noodle served in a clear broth, usually with meats or veggies and topped with coriander, bean sprouts and a good wedge of lemon. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a recipe my grandmother passed onto my mother and to all my aunts; it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a meal that summarises my childhood. So finding the perfect pho would be like visiting home.<\/p>\n
Rive Gauche is the southern bank of the river Seine in Paris and also the namesake of a very sophisticated looking Vietnamese restaurant in the basement of a white, stone building. The building itself stands out architecturally in the Yodoyobashi business district. Entering the restaurant felt like being transported into Europe; the winding stone steps lead to a heavy wooden door; behind the door was a very elegant-looking hangout for suave Japanese trendsetters. I figured the name was a reflection of the French-Vietnamese connection but the host simply said \u00e2\u20ac\u0153the boss likes France\u00e2\u20ac\u009d.<\/p>\n
<\/a>We were seated beside a window with faux vine leaves hanging outside of it; the d\u00c3\u00a9cor was minimal but chic, vintage posters of French airlines with Vietnamese models decorated the walls. The bar was sat on a slight platform with the handsome, barman peering through hung glasses and liquor bottles. The setting was comfortable with the right amount of space between tables for one not to be tempted to eavesdrop on other diners\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 conversations.<\/p>\n<\/a>I was on a mates\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 date and we were not afraid to share so we dismissed the set menu and selected a pick \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 mix off the \u00c3\u00a0 la carte. We started with the fresh prawn rolls with plum dipping sauce (\u00e3\u0192\u0090\u00e3\u201a\u00a4\u00e3\u0192\u00b3\u00e3\u0192\u00bb\u00e3\u201a\u00af\u00e3\u201a\u00a9\u00e3\u0192\u00b3 \u00ef\u00bf\u00a5720), a signature Vietnamese dish. The pink prawns wrapped in a mixture of mint leaves, coriander, lettuce and vermicelli were unsurprisingly crisp and fragrant. Getting this simple starter was key to the success of the night, may the night continue.<\/p>\n<\/a>The modestly named \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcSeafood Salad\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 (\u00e3\u201a\u00b4\u00e3\u201a\u00a4\u00e3\u20ac\u20ac\u00e3\u0192\u008f\u00e3\u0192\u00bc\u00e3\u201a\u00a4\u00e3\u20ac\u20ac\u00e3\u201a\u00b5\u00e3\u0192\u00bc\u00e3\u0192\u00b3 \u00ef\u00bf\u00a51050\u00ef\u00bc\u2030 came next. A huge China bowl arrived covered with a temporary lid made of deep fried rice paper. Breaking through the rice paper gave the same satisfaction as cracking a cr\u00c3\u00a8me br\u00c3\u00bbl\u00c3\u00a9e<\/a>. Tossing the salad revealed the contents; squid tentacles, prawns holding onto to their tails and plump round scallops all among lettuce and a zingy, light dressing. This seafood sensation was complimented with the crisp, weightless taste of Vietnamese white wine (\u00ef\u00bf\u00a5550 by the glass).<\/p>\n<\/a>The next addition to the free-for-all was described as Vietnamese okonomiyaki\u00e3\u20ac\u20ac\u00ef\u00bc\u02c6\u00e3\u0192\u0090\u00e3\u201a\u00a4\u00e3\u0192\u00b3\u00e3\u20ac\u20ac\u00e3\u201a\u00ab\u00e3\u201a\u00aa \u00ef\u00bf\u00a51260\u00ef\u00bc\u2030. It looks like a folded omelette without the eggs. The pancake is made up of rice flour, water and coconut milk and the filling was beansprouts, fresh herbs and pork. Accompanied by handy pictured instructions, this was a completely fool-proof dish! It came with a nuoc cham sauce: Vietnam in bottle. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s fishy, has a slight chili heat, and is a little sweet. There\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s no other comparable condiment. Step one was to cut the pancake, step two: wrap in lettuce leaf, step 3: pour nuoc cham all over it, step 4: remember the food you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve been missing. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a great sharing dish; something you can literally get your hands into.<\/p>\n