So all this shopping chatter has really gotten my appetite going. Once the eyes are stimulated by fashion candy, the belly follows suit and all I crave is some really good VN food. Or a sinful chocolate cake. The former reminds me of one of the spectacular meals (that my mom didn’t make, though she knows how to crank this dish out quite well herself) that I had with my parents in Dallas days ago. It was at an almost-hole-in-the-wall place that specialized in cá nÆ°á»›ng, or grilled whole fish. My dad refuses to eat catfish–and if i tell you the reason why, you will also stop eating it–so my mom had called ahead and ordered the smallest fish they had for just herself and me.

And my oh my, when the fish arrived, my eyes jumped out of their sockets. The fish was the size of the state of Delaware. This was small??

Anyway, you’ve seen my posts before about how to roll the fish…

After 4 rolls or so, you feel like you might die. But it’s a pretty light meal and that feeling of bloatedness won’t last…it’s just grilled fish and tons of veggies and herbs. Now I may be biased, but I think VN cooking makes the best diet in the world–healthy, fresh, and so rich in flavor. If you have never tasted it, do it at least once in your life. Your tummy will thank you for it.

Look at my dad, a product of 70 years of eating VN food. The proof is in the pudding (or phở)!

I can only hope to look this good in my 7th decade. Without botox. Or the knife.