bánh mì love: quốc hương

Sometimes I find it quite difficult to explain how or why I love certain places. After initiating a restaurant into your regular rotation, you rarely think about those things anymore. It just becomes a part of you, a part of the things you like, and a part of your regular experiences. Remarkable things turn into habit, almost like eating a bowl of cereal. Growing up on home-made Vietnamese food myself, I took for granted how great it is until I left home and couldn’t have access to it anymore. Luckily, I ended up moving to a city that is more than plentiful of places serving the exact things my inner child craves.

Quoc Huong has been my go-to place to knosh on the beloved Vietnamese treat known as the bánh mì sandwich. Its ingredients are so simple yet so satisfying; nothing really beats a warm crunchy french bread loaf paired with marinated meat and pickled vegetables inside, right? I mean, right.

This stuff hits the spot so well, that I haven’t been able to bring myself to try many other places; the only time I have, I was greatly disappointed. And so I will stick to what I know, what I love. Not to mention, they also have another one of my favorite noodle soups – a dish not even my mother cooks at home! It’s similar to its famous cousin pho, but the ingredients are a bit more subtle and clean (usually featuring seafood and pork). To some extent, I think I’m probably just drawn to the look of the clear noodles themselves.

I’m not quite sure what else to say, other than I’m lucky. I’m lucky to have grown up with great home-cooked meals. I’m lucky to be in a relationship with someone who loves the same cuisines I do. And I’m lucky that this food is all around me, making me feel at home again.