HUE CUISINE - NEM LUI & LEMON TEA

Nem Lui Huế in Phu Cuong Commune - An Authentic Central Vietnamese Culinary Experience On a hot day, my friends and I decided to explore a renowned nem lui shopt in Phu Cuong commune, Hue. For a while, I had heard my friends talk about the distinctive flavors of Central Vietnamese nem lui, and finally, the opportunity to visit this establishment arose. Nem lui is a specialty dish in Khanh Hoa province. This dish has become famous throughout Vietnam because it is very delicious and the recipe for this dish is also very sophisticated.The skewers of nem were meticulously marinated, then grilled over charcoal, resulting in a crispy outer layer while retaining the tenderness of the meat inside. Moreover, the interplay of fragrant spices and smoky aroma from the charcoal fire made each bite of nem lui irresistibly tantalizing. However, each place makes spring rolls in a different way, so the flavor is also different. At this restaurant, grilled spring rolls have a very fragrant honey and lemongrass flavor.

This restaurant has moved addresses 5 times in 4 years because they were too crowded. I know the owner of this restaurant and I know why they have to change addresses so many times, I feel sad for them. The owner of this restaurant rented the premises from a bad landlord. When the owner of this restaurant made a lot of money and had many customers, the landlord increased the price. I asked the restaurant owner why she didn't sign a 3-year or 5-year lease, she said that the landlord didn't agree to that, and that's why diners like me always Had to chase this restaurant for the past 5 years. Lol anyway, this restaurant is always crowded even though it's not beautiful, but the quality of the food is delicious and worth it.

This exceptional dish boasted an array of fresh and delectable ingredients. Commencing with the circularly rolled rice paper skewers, expertly fried to a crispy, golden brown perfection, yielding an irresistibly crunchy exterior. The choice of thinly sliced green mangoes contributed a refreshing and crunchy element, harmonizing beautifully with the sweet and tangy cucumber and carrot salad, resulting in an overall sensation of freshness, crispness, and utmost healthiness.

Each serving of Nem Lui showcased rice paper meticulously rolled into sticks and then fried to a delightful crispiness. These crunchy sticks exuded a tantalizing golden hue and a satisfyingly greasy texture. The addition of green papaya salad, alongside the sweet-salty flavor of cucumber and carrots, complemented by the verdant freshness of lettuce, basil, and perilla leaves, culminated in a harmonious and nourishing ensemble.

A quintessential aspect of Vietnamese cuisine lies in the inclusion of raw vegetables. The incorporation of lettuce, perilla, and mint in this dish underscored this tradition. These verdant elements were meticulously rolled alongside the aforementioned ingredients and enveloped in a delicate layer of rice paper. They are all dipped in a thick brown sauce. Sauce is an important ingredient to determine whether a dish is good or bad. The sauce is elaborately made with many ingredients such as minced meat, pork liver, shrimp, dried onions, peanuts, sticky rice, and other spices. It can be said that the steps of making sauce are much more complicated than making other ingredients. I find this restaurant's sauce rich and full of flavor, sometimes I have to ask the restaurant owner for more sauce. .

As the weather was quite hot, I decided to complement my meal with another cup of kumquat tea. The tea emanated a delightful fragrance and boasted the tangy essence of kumquat, coupled with a hint of sweetness from honey, rendering it exceptionally refreshing. Despite its affordability, priced at only $2.50 for the lunch combo, I found myself thoroughly satiated.
However, one drawback of this establishment was its lack of adequate cooling. It seemed that the restaurant owner, who had only been operating for just over a year, was hesitant to invest significantly in improving the restaurant's facilities. There was no installation of air conditioning or modernizing the restaurant's appearance. Consequently, despite the presence of numerous ceiling fans, the dining atmosphere remained uncomfortably warm during lunch hours. This discomfort may potentially deter prospective customers, thereby impacting business.

Nonetheless, loyal patrons such as myself could still place orders online, and it was evident that the restaurant had a sufficient number of staff to manage operations effectively.

This article has images and content 100% from me @a-alice!!
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