Vietnam rocks: Restaurateur Nikhil Chib

“I first went to Vietnam in 1998, looking for a Vietnamese chef. On my first day there I met a young Vietnamese attractive girl called Nha at a brunch party and she found it very funny that this Indian guy had come looking for a Vietnamese cook or chef. She asked me to come to her home the next day. It just so happened that her mom ran a little cafe right under where she lived.

The place was a feast of Vietnamese delights — fit for a royal gathering. From famous Vietnamese fresh spring rolls or goi cuon made from rice paper stuffed with pickled julienned carrots, mooli, fresh coriander, basil and mint, I also had the pork and prawn one called cha gio (which you say chaa yoaaa) — I still can’t get the pronunciation right. These were fried and served again with the traditional mint, lettuce and basil. So you wrap the spring roll like a paan and eat it together with all the greens and then dip it in  the famous fish sauce with chili.

Then there was this amazing sizzling fish in coconut, tamarind, small onions, and peppers and steamed tiger prawns in lemon grass, rock salt, fresh black pepper and green chili.

The staple they eat is the famous Pho Bo, which is this beef soup with rice noodles. This is eaten morning, noon and night, you can never get sick of it; it’s so good. I also remember eating this fantastic salad called Bun Thit Nuong where you mix rice vermicelli, fresh slices of pork, lime juice, fish sauce, cucumber slices, carrot juliennes, chili and some fresh greens.

What can I say, unbelievable food! The rest is history. I gave her the money for her visa and two weeks later she was in Mumbai cooking for me. All I can say again is that Vietnam rocks!”