To say that I love Vietnamese coffee is really an understatement. I am crazy over Vietnamese coffee more aptly describes my attachment to it. I have a collection of stainless steel coffee filters in different sizes and I only grind, brew and drink Vietnamese arabica-robusta at home. Whether one goes to an upscale coffee shop like Highlands or a roadside stall, real Vietnamese coffee is best brewed the traditional way - coffee grounds are placed on an aluminum filter that sits on top of a cup. The cup is laced with about a tablespoon or more of sweetened condensed milk. Hot water is then poured over the grounds and the coffee drips slowly. It takes about 10 minutes or so of waiting for the dripping to be done. Whether you drink it hot ice cold, it is so good.
In most Saigon coffee shops, an order of coffee comes with a free glass of iced lotus tea. The tea is light and does not drown the coffee taste. This kindness is most appreciated especially on a warm day. I used to go to Trung Nguyen coffee shop which has several branches around th city until a Vietnamese friend took me to AQ coffee shop. AQ uses its own NP brand coffee beans. The coffee shop that I go to is on Mac Din Chi St. in district 1. It is a quaint old wooden house and a starfruit tree in the yard provides shade. Bossa music in the background gives it a nostalgic feel. But just as I was getting addicted to AQ coffee, I discovered a more superior blend of robusta-arabica coffee beans sold by Tan Thanh coffee and tea store at My Tho market in Tien Giang province. Price per kilo of coffee beans is 80,000 dong or PHP 224.
Recently, Trung Nguyen has reinvented itself by establishing new coffee shops around Saigon with contemporary interiors and wifi access. A cup of traditional coffee with milk (hot or with ice) costs 21,000 dong or about PHP59. As in most places in the city, smoking is tolerated even in air conditioned establishments like in Trung Nguyen coffee shop, which can drive out customers who don't want to inhale second-hand smoke.
3 comments:
Dear Ma'am Moni,
Wow! surely, less steam goes out of the pot. Now I know the function of the pot and cover. A friend gave me something like that. She said it was good for steam heating. Somehow, I did not get what she meant for I have not seen something like that functioning. Thank you very much for sharing your very impressive savoring vietnamese coffee heater. Really, its my first time to see such kind in actual use. So, I have to recall where I kept mine Thank you again Ma'am.
Hi Ophelia. The small Vietnamese coffee filter can usually accommodate just a cup of boiling water. No steam can escape from the lid. Pure coffee, rather like espresso, trickles down the cup. Sometimes I suspect that it is the wait and the delayed gratification from a caffeine fix which enhances the joy of sipping Vietnamese coffee.
hello, i also live i hcmc...very much hooked on ca phe sua da (iced coffee with milk!) may i ask the complete address for the mac din chi coffee shop? seems like an interesting try.
i personally like the trung nguyen brand...it's rich and sweet - straight to the point, of course with the individual filters to enjoy :)
do you think a vietnamese coffee shop would be successful in the manila? :)
thanks for sharing!
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