Getting schooled in central Vietnamese food: Quan Mien Trung
Banh beo
The first time I saw the “No Reservations” episode in which Anthony Bourdain eats some banh xeo in Ho Chi Minh City, I nearly freaked out. What the heck was that savory concoction that was part crepe part Vietnamese seafood delight? I must have this dish, but where to find it? Other than banh mi and pho, I knew hardly anything of Vietnamese food. So I turned to my blogger friends who specialize in Vietnamese cuisine, and Wandering Chopsticks pointed me to Quan Mien Trung in Rosemead to get my banh xeo fix.
Now, this restaurant specializes in central Vietnamese food, so the banh xeo would be different from the southern Vietnamese version I saw on television. Nevermind — I trusted Wandering Chopsticks to make a good recommendation, and she did a great job. I also learned about other dishes along the way, too, as she (and Anisha of Food Is My Nish) was kind enough to accompany me to lunch one rainy Saturday afternoon.
