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No wonder it was one of Anthony Bourdain’s
It was hot sunny day but I still decided to bike all the way to the restaurant, avoid all the traffic, and park my bike in the inner-door bike rack -a feature not so commonly seen around restaurants in Lima. I certainly was thirsty and what more refreshing than a Lemongrass lemonade (s./11) with lemongrass, lime juice and basil leaves. I also tried the Trada Da, (s./11), an ice tea infusion with wonderful ginger notes, muña and lime. The highly citric Kilulo Fresh (s./14), made of lulo, an orange-family fruit, ginger and tonic water, immediately became the table’s favorite. It was so good that we decided to try the chilcano version and we had the Lulo Chilcano (s./18). We loved it as it was delicious, citric and very refreshing. The Rooster (s./25), a gin-based drink, the famous Sriracha –a popular south-east Asian hot chili sauce-, tonic water and strawberries was another cocktail we tried that day. The taste was interesting but pleasant, and had a nice spicy kick.
With the drinks we ordered some Taro Chips (s./8), fine crispy crackers made of this south-east Asian tuber high in energetic properties. Along with the chips come two types of creamy sauces: a Sriracha-based sauce made with the popular south-east Asian hot chilli sauce mixed with mayo, and a cilantro mayo which rapidly became the table’s favorite. These taro chips, you are warned, are highly addictive, so make sure you leave enough space to try the many other delicacies Viet has to offer.
With over three years in the market scene, Viet has recently introduced some new dishes. One of them is the Bo Tai Chanh (s./36), a beef carpaccio bathed in a delicate and marvelous sauce, fresh cilantro, and avocado slices sprinkled with sesame seeds. We appreciated the freshness and quality of the meat as well as the flavors of the slightly sweet vinegar, soya and lime sauce.
Another new addition in the menu is the Cha Gio Cuon Tom (s./26). These are six golden shrimp skewers filled with fresh basil leaves and crunchy nuts; an extraordinarily delicate sauce comes along. The shrimps were delicate, crispy, and full of taste, beautiful to the eye and to all our senses. Boy, did we enjoy this appetizer!
Another dish that we immensely enjoyed were the Canh Ga Nuong Sa or Lemongrass Wings (s./22). These were six grilled chicken wings marinated in lemongrass topped with Do Chua – pickled sweet carrots and turnips. We could not help but just rejoice ourselves with each one of them. In a second, they were all gone.
If there is a dish for which Vietnamese food is known worldwide is pho, a broth that can be chicken or beef, with plenty of rice noodles and fresh herbs. During our visit we tried the Pho Bo (s./30) which was a savory meat broth with big-sized beef cuts, rice noodles and fresh herbs served in a big bowl where two or more people can eat from. There is also a medium size bowl that you can order for s./26.
Another classic in Vietnamese cuisine is the Banh Xeo or Vietnamese Crepe (s./28). This dish consists of an open basket covered in leaves, an appealing shrimp and pork crepe, bean sprouts, lettuce, white turnip, cabbage and carrots. You are expected to then grab the lettuce and pour in the rest of ingredients and dip it into the delicate sauce that comes along making this dish truly wonderful. The dish is to be shared amongst two people or more, but also available is a personal size order for s./22.
Another big dish to be shared was the Bun Cha (s./ 40). This dish consists of a big round basket with leaves covering it, six medium-sized meat patties, plenty of lettuce, vermicelli noodles, bean sprout, crunchy pancetta, fresh mint leaves, cilantro, and jalapeños. In the middle, a bowl with an incredible sauce –although it looked more like a soup or broth to me- of a mix of fish sauce, ginger, garlic, cilantro and a little bit of sugar. The taste of it all was superb, and I can totally understand why it is a favorite amongst Viet customers, and also enjoyed by Barrack Obama and Anthony Bourdain.
We had plenty of noodles that day so we switched to a rice dish. We ordered the Viet Rice (s./28), a fried slightly-sticky rice made with coconut milk, pork, mango, carrots, radish and an intense yellow-colored omelet with black sesame seeds on top, served in a large bowl. The rice had a peculiar taste, but it did not make it for me.
We also tried one of their sandwiches, the Banh Mi Thit Nuong or Lemongrass Pork Sandwich (s./ 24). The toasted baguette sandwich had grilled pork cuts marinated in lemongrass, cucumber, fresh cilantro, Do Chua, and kuri mayonnaise. This sandwich comes with a small purple coleslaw salad on the side.
It was time for dessert and we opted for the Naked Lemongrass Brulee (s./18). We found this crème brulee to be one of the best we have ever had. The texture was perfect while the delicate flavors of the lemongrass and the caramel top layer were fantastic. I could so just return for this one dessert.
Actually, I could return to Viet once again, twice and many times. All the dishes were wonderful, fresh, and full of flavor and color. We enjoyed the different textures – typical of Vietnamese food-, and the uniqueness of each and every plate. At Viet, portions are generous and easily shared amongst family and friends. The more dishes you order, the more you will get to try, taste, and enjoy. This Viet experience is one I highly recommend.
Viet, a taste of Vietnam
Av. Aviación 2590 San Borja
Telf. – 225 1884
Opening hours – Tuesday to Saturday 12.30 – 11 pm, Sundays 12.30 – 4.30 pm
Starters – s./ 8 -28
Soups – s./ 26 – 30
Rice – s./ 28 – 40
Noodles – s./ 32 – 40
Salad – s./ 25
Sandwiches – s./ 22 – 26
Desserts – s./ 10 – 20
Cold refreshments – s./ 11 – 16
Beer – s./ 10 – 18
Coffees and teas – s./ 6 – 14