Bò 7 Món

Once I was done with the museum, I drove to Little Saigon to visit my parents, whom I haven't seen in months. Turns out they already had dinner plans with old friends but hey, I was invited to join (of course). The best part was that it was Bò 7 Món (7 courses of beef) at Pagolac Restaurant, a traditional Vietnamese culinary extravaganza, a glorious celebration of beef. Sounds too beefy? It's actually quite healthy for you, lots of veggies and protein, prepared 7 different ways. Some restaurants also serve Cá 7 Món (fish) and Chó 7 Món (dog) but that's only available in Vietnam. :)

Not eating any Vietnamese for a month, I was eagerly waiting for the gluttony. My favorite part of this dining experience is the dipping sauce, mam nem. It's not fish sauce (though my parents prefer this), it's fermented shrimp with freshly chopped lemongrass and pineapple, very specific to this dish. Sounds gnarly right? It's so damn good, I go through it like it's nobody's business.

The banter during dinner was of the usual sort: "you look cuter now," my mom's friend would say to her, or "she has good sweat," referring to my jade bangle which has become quite green of late, or "you should tell jokes in between songs, the audience will love it!" my dad's friend was advising me.