Vietnamese student makes music with his insight into local eateries

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Vietnamese student makes music with his insight into local eateries

Duong Bao Khanh adding ingredients to a hotpot at Hello Saigon, a Vietnamese restaurant in Jongno District, central Seoul [LEE JIAN]

Duong Bao Khanh adding ingredients to a hotpot at Hello Saigon, a Vietnamese restaurant in Jongno District, central Seoul [LEE JIAN]

 
Vietnamese cuisine has the world hooked on its crunchy, aromatic dishes and Korea is no exception. Their eateries, including pho venues, are as ubiquitous as fast food chains in Seoul and are enjoyed by locals from all walks of life.  
 
Korea’s familiarity with the cuisine is largely tied to the dynamic trade and cultural exchanges between the two countries. This year marks the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and Vietnam.  
 
“While I do love the food here, many Vietnamese-style restaurants serve a menu limited to a few of our dishes and are modified to suit the Korean palate,” said Duong Bao Khanh, a 31-year-old Vietnamese student enrolled at the Korea National University of Arts who is studying for a master’s degree in Korean traditional instruments. He is on a full government scholarship and has been in Korea since 2020. He is also a member of the fusion gugak (Korean traditional music) band “Silkroad Music Friends.”
 
Duong sat down with the Korea JoongAng Daily on July 29 at his favorite Vietnamese restaurant in Seoul where he explained that there is much more to the country’s cuisine than pho and bahn mi. The Korea JoongAng Daily also visited another recommendation from Duong as well as a restaurant specializing in Vietnamese breakfast.  
 
Duong Bao Khanh, front row left, performing with his band mates of Silk Road Music Friends [SILK ROAD MUSIC FRIENDS]

Duong Bao Khanh, front row left, performing with his band mates of Silk Road Music Friends [SILK ROAD MUSIC FRIENDS]



Hello Saigon
 
Hello Saigon in Jongno District, central Seoul, opened in February and is operated by popular Vietnamese YouTuber Khanh Ssiwho. His channel is about studying abroad in Korea and has some 24,000 followers.  
 
Vietnamese YouTuber and owner of Hello Saigon Khanh Ssiwho, left, and Duong Bao Khan pose in front of Hello Saigon in Jongno District, central Seoul [LEE JIAN]

Vietnamese YouTuber and owner of Hello Saigon Khanh Ssiwho, left, and Duong Bao Khan pose in front of Hello Saigon in Jongno District, central Seoul [LEE JIAN]

 
Due to Covid-19, Duong hasn’t been back home for over two years, “but this place really brings me back home with the food because the owner is actually from the same region of Vietnam as me,” he said.  
 
Duong grew up in the southwestern region of the country, in a city called An Giang until he was 18.  
 
From dozens of menu options from appetizers to desserts, Duong chose two appetizers to begin the meal: fried corn (8,000 won or $6) and chicken feet salad (15,000 won).
 
“There is a saying that corn makes people smarter in Vietnam,” said Duong, as he scooped up a spoonful of the battered corn that had been pan-fried in butter. “So I ate a lot of it when I was a child and it is still one of my favorite foods.”  
 
Fried corn kernels at Hello Saigon [LEE JIAN]

Fried corn kernels at Hello Saigon [LEE JIAN]

 
The tangy flavor of the chicken feet was also nostalgic for Duong’s taste buds.  
 
“Chicken feet is a commonly served dish, especially during the annual ceremony of commemorating an ancestor’s death,” Duong explained. “I wasn’t a fan of this salad growing up because it was something that I ate so often, but now, in Korea, I’ve come to like it because it reminds me of home.”  
 
The salad at Hello Saigon consists of boiled boneless chicken feet that are tossed with various raw vegetables such as carrots, mung bean sprouts and cucumbers, topped with peanut flakes and dressed with a light, sour sauce made in-house.
 
Chicken feet salad at Hello Saigon [LEE JIAN]

Chicken feet salad at Hello Saigon [LEE JIAN]

 
Next came stir-fried river snails (11,000 won), which reminded Duong of his childhood playing by the Mekong River.  
 
“When the water level of the river rose, my brother and I would go outside the house and scoop up dozens of river snails and feed some to the chickens in our yard,” Duong recalled.  
 
The river snails at the restaurant have a firm, chewy texture. They're cooked with lemon grass and Vietnamese pepper which gives the dish a slight kick and some muskiness.  
 
Stir-fried river snails at Hello Saigon [LEE JIAN]

Stir-fried river snails at Hello Saigon [LEE JIAN]

 
For the main dish, Duong’s pick was a hotpot with broth made from Chinese mitten crab (33,000 won). It is served with a large plate full of items to add in, such as various types of clams, shrimp, tofu, thinly sliced beef, Vietnamese beef and fish balls, mushrooms and lettuce. A side of fish sauce is provided for dipping.
 
Hotpot ingredients at Hello Saigon [LEE JIAN]

Hotpot ingredients at Hello Saigon [LEE JIAN]

 
Because he likes a certain level of acidity in his foods, Duong prefers to squeeze in some lemon juice and toss sliced tomatoes into the hotpot’s broth.
 
“I also recommend putting in the raw seafood and meat first and the tofu last,” Duong said, because that makes the broth richer. “I also usually leave tofu in the hotpot for the longest so that it can absorb the crab broth.”  
 
Whether it is his food or his instruments, Duong is always looking for ways to make improvements. One of his hobbies is structurally enhancing traditional instruments. In Korea, he worked on yunluo, a traditional Asian instrument comprised of small gongs that are held together by a frame. Duong modified the Korean yunluo by adding more gongs to the instrument and making a foldable frame so that it is more portable. According to professors at Korea National University of Arts’ traditional music department, a foreigner structurally enhancing a Korean instrument is almost unheard of in the field.  
 
The Korean yuluo that Duong Bao Khanh modified so that the frame folds for better portability [DUONG BAO KHAN]

The Korean yuluo that Duong Bao Khanh modified so that the frame folds for better portability [DUONG BAO KHAN]

 
“It’s important to preserve culture but also, it is equally important to develop it,” said Duong whose dream is to become a professor in Korean traditional musical instruments in Vietnam. “Efforts to move cultures like music or food forward while maintaining its origins should be encouraged and actively pursued.”
 
Alaghi
 
Bun thit nuong with fish sauces served at Alaghi in Seongdong District, western Seoul [ALAGHI]

Bun thit nuong with fish sauces served at Alaghi in Seongdong District, western Seoul [ALAGHI]

 
For another authentic Vietnamese fare, Duong recommended Alaghi in Seongdong District, eastern Seoul. The restaurant is operated by chef Doan Ngoc Cuong who came to Korea for a study abroad program and a few years later opened Alaghi to bring more authentic Vietnamese food to Seoul.
 
Though it offers a variety of Vietnamese dishes including pho, bahn mi and bun cha, it is most famous for its bun thit nuong (8,500 won), or noodles with grilled pork.  
 
According to the restaurant, bun cha and bun thit nuong are both types of dry pho, however, bun cha is indigenous to northern Vietnam and contains roasted meatballs while bun thit nuong is eaten in southern Vietnam and is served with fried spring rolls known as cha gio. 
 
The generous amount of thin rice noodles is topped with pieces of marinated beef, chopped fried spring rolls and vegetables including lettuce, carrots and mung bean sprouts. It is served with a small bowl of fish sauce which customers can pour onto their noodles.  
 
Duong said that he enjoys the food at Alaghi because it feels healthy and the flavors aren’t overpowering.  
 
Alaghi has a second location in Cheonan, South Chungcheong.  
 
Nampark
 
The breakfast set for one at Nampark in Yongsan District, central Seoul [LEE JIAN]

The breakfast set for one at Nampark in Yongsan District, central Seoul [LEE JIAN]

 
Opening at 8 a.m., Nampark in Yongsan District, central Seoul, serves pho for breakfast in a quaint shop that recreates the warm feel of Vietnam.  
 
It only offers two types of pho — a spicy bowl (12,000 won) and a non-spicy bowl (13,000 won). The bundle of herbs served as a garnish on the hot soup gives the bowl a richer aroma compared to many other Korean pho venues.  
 
For sides, there is an egg salad (5,000 won), carottes rapees (4,000 won) and rice with stir-fried pork (4,000 won). 
 
The interior of Nampark [LEE JIAN]

The interior of Nampark [LEE JIAN]

 
The breakfast set for one (16,000 won), which is available until 11 a.m., is comprised of one bowl of pho, a half-order of the egg salad and a cup of Nampark's made-in-house pulpy orange juice. There is also a breakfast set for two people for 29,000 won. Last orders are at 3 p.m.   
 
Nampark is run by chef Nam Joon-young, who is also the owner chef of the popular local Vietnamese restaurant chain Hieutu. 
 

BY LEE JIAN [lee.jian@joongang.co.kr]
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