GENUINE MENU ITEMS
OBSERVED AND RECORDED
IN VIETNAM BY BRUCE CARLETON

FROM Quan Tre
  • FISH ON HOT FIRE1
  • CHICKEN GREASE -- POURED2
  • BEEFSTEAK ON IRON FRIED
  • SLIM SHRIMP DEEPED IN VINEGAN SAUCE
  • CRABB STEAMED INTO BEER3
  • EEL IN "BOILED ISLAND"
  • EEL W/MINED FOODS4
  • DEER ROLLING-FRIED
  • FRIED WIDE PIG5
  • ROLLING-FRIED WILD PIG
NOTES
  1. That's the best kind of fire for cooking.
  2. That's how I like my chicken grease -- pour me another!
  3. You can make beer out of just about anything.
  4. They've got to something with all these mines they keep digging up.
  5. In Melanesia, "long pig" referred to human meat. I have no reason to suspect that there is any connection here.
FROM THE REVISED MENU AT The Mabuk Restaurant1
  • BOILED WILD BOAR DOTING WITH GINGER SAUCE2
  • MIXED UP RABBIT3
  • MIXED UP EELS4
  • MIXED UP SOUP COOKED WITH EELS
  • TURGID FRIED NOODLES5
  • DUCK'S EGG TOOK OUT IT'S BONE TO FRY WITH DA LAT'S PIMENTO6
  • STEWED CARP (IN HOT STEAM)7

and from the wine list...

  • LUSTY, TONIC MEDICIEN WINE8
NOTES
  1. We could never remember the name of this place, but somebody there was always drunk, so, being recently out of Indonesia, we called it "The Mabuk."
  2. Probably an old grandpa boar, caught while playing with his grandchildren.
  3. Obviously a misprint. It should be "Cwazy Mixed Up Wabbit."
  4. Are there any other kind?
  5. Those noodles give me a tingly feeling just thinking about them.
  6. How do they get the duck's egg to take out its own bone?
  7. See #1 under Quan Tre above.
  8. Best served with Turgid Noodles.
FROM Can Thai
  • THRIMP AND RICE RIBS1
  • LIVER, PORK, FIED PEASE
  • HASHED COOKING STOVE2
  • RICE FLOOR BEEF BALL SOUP3
  • CHICKEN FRED GINGER4
  • CHICKEN FRED SAITED5
NOTES
  1. I didn't even know rice had ribs.
  2. For a while here times were tough, and people had to learn to eat some strange things.
  3. MMM! Save an extra bowl for me!
  4. It practically dances across your palette.
  5. After Fred has had Ginger, how could he be satisfied with anyone else?
FROM Cay Xoai
  • TEN ANGELS IN ISLAND SOUP
  • STEAM PORK UTERUS1
  • STEAM BACON DRAFT EEL IN BUTTER2
  • STEAM PENIS COW IN CHINESE HERB3
NOTES
  1. This is actually a fairly common dish, not a misinterpretation. It was listed as "Ovule Duct" on the menu at the "Bosom Friends" restaurant (see the relevant page for more on this place).
  2. Just blow a little of that bacon smoke over it!
  3. The term "penis cow" would normally be translated as "bull," I think.
FROM A Bia Hoi Joint on Le Loi Street
  • JUNGLE ANIMALE MEATS1
  • FROGS FRY BUTTER. "FROGS FRIED BUTTER" 2
  • ILGE FRY WITH ONION
  • "CHEP" FISHS FRAID3
  • FIELD SHRIMPS "GRILLED"4
  • BEEF FRY WITHOUT WATER5
  • WATER SUGAR IN THE BOTTLE
NOTES
  1. Guaranteed to get your testosterone flowing.
  2. I guess someone corrected their verb tense.
  3. If I were those chep fishs, I'd be fraid too.
  4. I hope "field shrimps" aren't anything like prairie oysters.
  5. Then they'd better at least use hot fire.
FROM Hue-Nha Trang
  • SALAD OF SHRIMP'S UNDERDONE SLICED SKIN AND GRILLED RICE FLOUR AND AROMATIC HERBS1
  • CANE BIRD ROASTED WITH TAMARIND BOOZING INTERMITTENTLY AND LIGHTLY2
  • COCKLE-SHELL SET FIRE IN STOVE3
  • ROCKET SHRIMP
  • BEEF CRAWLS AROUND FIRE4
NOTES
  1. That's kind of a catchy name, isn't it.
  2. It's never any good when they booze too heavily.
  3. I told cockle-shell not to play with matches.
  4. You would too!
FROM Dong Tam
  • BEEF CRUSHED WITH FINGERS
  • FALSE DOG MEAT
  • HALF DONE SNAKE
  • SPECIALTY: COPPERHEAD -- PERFORMANCE OF STICKING COPPERHEAD FOR DRINKING IT'S BLOOD CARD AND BILE ON THE SPOT (AT THE DINNER TABLE)1
NOTES
  1. No, I'm not making any of these up.
FROM Com Ga Thuong Hai
  • DORKED STIR-FRY
  • INTERNAL ORGANS OF A CHICKEN (BOILED)1
  • COLJA STIREY WITH OIL CLAM2
NOTES
  1. Just as long as they're all internal.
  2. I honestly have no idea what this is, except that it might have something to do with some industrial accidents in the Vung Tau area.
FROM Trung Duong
  • SPINED EDIBLE NAIL1
NOTES
  1. Once you've spined 'em, they taste just like chicken.

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