Ba Noi's

We were supposed to go to the OB last night but the doc had to leave early for an appointment. We were very frustrated, to say the least. Plus C had to take care of a tiny emergency at work.

The plan was to go to the OB and go home early to enjoy a homemade oriental salad.

But sometimes our plans just go haywire on us.

Thank God for new places to eat at!

Ba Noi's has been on our mind for a week now. C's officemates have been trooping to this small Vietnamese restaurant for lunch for several days now.

I like Vietnamese food because of the fresh, simple and clean taste.

Perea Street, I discovered, is lovely at night. Quiet and almost homey. You don't even hear the traffic in neighboring Paseo.

There was a waiting list at Ba Noi's but thankfully there's a courtyard outside where you can sit and dangle your feet.

Ba Noi is paternal grandfather in Vietnamese.

In this restaurant, one is encouraged to use the hands and play with food.

And play we did. First we had Fresh Spring Rolls. Great way to awaken the palette. The peanut sauce could be a tad bit more peanut-y but otherwise this dish was good.

Then we had Shrimp Pomelo Salad. As suggested by the little how-to brochure on each table, we piled lettuce, shrimp, pomelo, chicken strips and sweet sauce on the shrimp cracker. I also added some wansoy. This dish was divine.

Then we had Deep-Fried Catfish with Salad Greens. C loves catfish. In Ba Noi, we learned that the best way to eat this dish is to debone the catfish, drizzle the sweet sauce on it and mix with the greens. Or you can also wrap the fish meat with the lettuce and make it like a roll. Yummy.

Eating this type of food, it takes a while for you to realize how full you are. C kept asking if we should order some more. Good thing we didn't! We felt so stuffed and the iced coffee was just a perfect end to the meal. You have to order this one soon as you're seated as it takes a while to make.

We had a great time playing with our yummy food. Ambience is alright. Simple and clean, like the food. Service is great. Food is "to come back for".

Photos by Flexi S. Sarte of clickthecity.com.

Happy weekend everyone! Don't forget to go to church and thank God for His provisions and safekeeping!