Honor Rovai

Hanoi is THE town for sidewalk dining in my opinion. I suspect that people there don't do anything but ride motorbikes and eat delicious meals on the sidewalk. I'm so jealous that you're going there. There are many differences between northern and southern cuisine - pho is a great example. In the north they give you a bowl of soup - a perfectly balanced, delicious bowl of soup. In the South they give you a delicious bowl of soup plus a plate piled sky high with different herbs (basil, cilantro, mint, lime etc.) and you engage in some major self-garnishing. At first, being used to the southern way, I thought the northerners were crazy. What's pho without a squirt of lime juice? But now the northern style is my FAVORITE (Don't tell my relatives!) Not that I think you need a guide book, but if you're curious for some online recommendations, you can't go wrong with Reid on Travel: http://www.reidontravel.com/http://www.reidontravel.com/ This pho place Mr. Reid raves about in Hanoi was fantastic. My Vietnamese husband, who grew up eating pho every week, called the place "revelatory." He doesn't normally use words like that. So jealous, enjoy your trip!

wow, great photo! The greens look delicious and crispy.

I'd second the Sawtelle comment - there is good and reasonably priced Asian in west L.A. Yakitoriya on Sawtelle is great if you like yummy chicken skewers! Be sure to try the chef's homemade ice cream for dessert. Yakitoriya 11301 W Olympic Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90064 Map * (310) 479-5400 In Santa Monica, try Yabu. They do good Soba noodles and really interesting small dishes like fried okra and tataki beef. If you get the Soba noodles, don't forget to ask for some broth at the end. Yabu Restaurant 11820 W Pico Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90064 Map * (310) 473-9757 If you are adventurous and want to drive for mile and miles definitely head east - I live near Thai Town (just east of Hollywood) and ADORE Ord Noodle for some delicious soups: Here's a link: http://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=ord+n...=Los+Angeles+CA Jitlada Thai is a totally cult place, where L.A. foodies go to order $1000s of dollars worth of super hot yummy food (but it's cheap, they just order a lot!). The mussels are a MUST. Here's a link: http://www.yelp.com/biz/jitlada-thai-resta...uery:Jit%20lada I also recommend that you go to laweekly.com and check out Jonathan Gold's columns in the food section. He's our city's authority on cheap, authentic, delicious food. Or screw the Asian food and go to In and Out Burger! Oh, and Fathers Office in Culver City for an amazing beer menu and the best burger in town. And Versailles (West Side) for delicious cuban food. Have fun!

Hi Dave, Supposedly, yes. I really can't confirm anything because I didn't visit any puppy farms or grill my relatives on the specifics (pun sorta intended!) Here's what Corinne Trang says in her book "Authentic Vietnamese Cooking": "The Vietnamese do not eat just any dog but use only a few, very specific breeds - the preferred one being called "yellow dog." (I have also heard of "black dog" being eaten.)" I've found similar info with my online research. Vietnam is a very food rich place, so it's definitely not something people eat because they have no alternatives. But those puppynapping rumors persist and Vietnamese themselves like to joke about eating neighbors' dogs. So it's a bit of a gray area, at least as far as I can tell with my limited research and experience.

Hello! Thanks for the comments. I'm starting to discover Thai food in all it's delicious, funky brilliance. We had a little in Thailand on this trip, but most was kind of resort-ified. Good think I live in L.A., where I just had the most delicious steamed mussels in a firey hot sauce. Haven't moved onto the raw pork, yet! Motorbike action is one of the highlights of a trip to Vietnam! Puppynapping not so much (but I'm still not totally convinced that it happens!)

I third Pho cafe, and heartily second both Skooby's and Yuccas. At Skooby's you get your hotdog and (the best) frenchfries (in the world) and sit at an outside counter right on Hollywood blvd. Far from being a tourist trap, I'd argue that it is a fun way to hang on Hollywood Blvd. without going into tacky sex shops. Pinks is much more of a touristy scene than chilled out Skooby's. Yucca's is a great suggestion. I always go on Saturdays right after watching Rick Bayless on PBS. Very satisfying! (I overheard once when listening to a plaintative vegetarian trying to place an order that they cook everything in pork fat -- no wonder the line is down the block!) Portos on Brand in Glendale is a crazy experience -- great and cheap Cuban sandwiches and yummy pastries. Try the Inca Cola. The line goes faster than you'd think, especially since you can watch 1000's of entertaining families picking up their birthday cakes -- some of the cakes are so big they are decorated with half pineapples!