Seeking an unpretentious bowl of happiness....

With a sudden drop of 30 degrees on the thermostat, despite all the required readings at hand, my subconscious mind helplessly drifted towards the bowls after bowls of savoury broths that never failed to impress at each meal I dined in Vietnam..under the immense heat of the summer months.


To those who have traveled to this unique paradise, Nguyen Thi Thanh at 23 Hoang Sa shouldn't sound foreign.


Despite the famed drawn by Anthony Bourdain's "A Cook's Tour" that was aired a decade ago, it was to my delight that such fame is still well deserved. It is often reality that most eateries that their quality decline at steady rates from time zero when their fame was exploded, but this "Lunch Lady" resisted such temptatious fate. As simple as this bowl looks, I was surprised that with a single sip of the broth, I was transcended to a state of happiness....it was unpretentious, the perfect balance from the freshest local ingredients.


Some might not agree, but it is an experience that can hardly be discovered here in the east coast. Whether it was the ambiance, the company, or the genuine nature, I simply miss that bowl of happiness!