A Taste of Travel: Slow Food in Hoi An

[gorgeous river view]

[SON Restaurant - Hoi An, Vietnam]

On our last day in Hoi An we decided to rode back to An Bang Beach and just have a relax forenoon together with Micha, Iris and Gerdrun. We took the direct way via Cua Dai Street instead through the Pottery Village the day before. Almost at the end of Cua Dai Street we saw this gorgeous restaurant called "SON - Hoi An". A native style lodge, built on stilts and looking over the river. An inviting and perfect place to have a coffee and light snack after the beach. We booked a table in front of the river to safe the best spot. We took some pictures and rode to An Bang Beach.

As we planned, we came back in the late afternoon. The restaurant started to get filled, luckily we booked the best spot already that morning. The staff were amazingly friendly, and as they presented us the Menu, I was surprised that SON is a member of the famous"Terra Madre"network who launched the international "Slow Food" movement. Slow Food started in Italy (where else?!) and founded by Carlo Petrini from the Piemont Region (one of the best food region in the world and Italy's Food Capital).

About Slow Food
I got introduced to Slow Food at the international consumer-goods fair "Ambiente" in Frankfurt years ago. I worked sometimes as a fair hostess for international fairs in Frankfurt during college. When I went to Turin for the first time to visit my friend's wedding,  I realised how Slow Food developed to an international movement. It promoted as an alternative to fast food. It strives to preserve traditional and regional cuisine and encourages farming of plants, seeds and livestock characteristic of the local ecosystem. Slow Food's goal of sustainable foods and promotion of local small businesses are parallelled by a political agenda directed against globalisation of agricultural products.

Refreshments
The Menu was very promising, but unfortunately I wasn't hungry enough while we got a late lunch at An Bang Beach before. I ordered a homemade lemonade and a Vietnamese Espresso first. Everything was served in a very simple but tasteful way.

[Homemade Lemonade and Vietnamese Espresso]

I love homemade lemonade. It reminds me of my childhood in the Philippines. My Lola made calamansi lemonade and later when I moved to Germany with my parents, my dad made lemonade from "real lemon" in the summer time.

[Cua Dai Street and the river]

Slow Food for Slow Life
Since I wasn't that hungry, I ordered the Nostalgic Springrolls while Koev got the Prime Beef Burger and French Fries. As they wrote "Slow Food" don't expect your meal made in less than 30min.(!) but I'll tell you it is worth to wait.

[Nostalgic Springrolls]

The Nostalgic Springrolls pastry was crunchy but not that greasy and the filling was in perfect harmony (grilled beef, tomato, cheese, cucumber and lettuce) with the sauce. My taste buds wanted more but my stomach capitulated. I was sadly still full from our beach lunch.

[Koev's Prime Beef Burger]

A flaw for SON: Koev on the other hand was hungry again. His Prime Beef Burger was simply perfect. But for someone who was very hungry, the serving wasn't satisfying.

We were glad we visited SON on our last day in Hoi An. It's a gorgeous place to chill and enjoy the location and river view. The food is fantastic even though some dishes could served a shade more.

°°°

SON Hoi An

Restaurant

177 Cua Dai, Cam Chua

Hoi An, Vietnam

 

website. www.sonhian.com