Banh Xeo ( Ban Chow)

Today is Vietnamese National Day so it's a public holiday. All around the city cars, buildings etc are flying the red Vietnamese national flag with the yellow star in the centre. The majority of the shops are still open with a skeleton staff, however there are very few people out and about in the district I live in. As it's Vietnamese National Day it seemed appropriate to go out and eat local food. I have often heard about a local restaurant called 64 that serves bamh xeo a very traditional dish, so today was banh xeo day. Bang xeo is like a very fine crepe with pork, onion, shrimps and bean sprouts as the filling. The crepe arrives looking like a very crisp omelette, accompanied by a bowl of lettuce, sprigs of mint and other herbs. You prepare a small lettuce leaf, a few herbs, break the crispy crepe with your chop sticks of course, take a segment and place inside the lettuce. Roll the lettuce up, dip in an oil sauce condiment and devour. Delectable and of course accompanied with a drink of local Tiger beer. Beer and soft drinks all cost the same amount at the local restaurants. I've been having the conversations lately about the cost of living in Vietnam and one would have to agree food prices are cheap. Eating out at a local Restaurant or food stall is not expensive. Beer 15,000 banh xeo 60,000 a total of about $6. The atmosphere priceless. ">banh xeo recipe