Comfort food

Chicken soup, oatmeal, and mashed potatoes are comfort foods to some people here in the states...but for an immigrant from Viet Nam like me, nothing says home like a nice plate of broken rice with BBQ pork (even if it's served in a restaurant). Vietnamese cuisine is, hands down, my favorite. What I particularly love about Vietnamese food is how amazing the food tastes, yet is relatively easy and inexpensive to make. Herbs, spices and sauces are all key to the big flavors.

For my two cousins' graduation from high school, their parents took everyone out to celebrate at the Vietnamese restaurant across the street from their house. This was in San Jose, so we drove there.

Here are some tips for dining at a Vietnamese restaurant:

• Don't worry if the menu's a little grimy, that just means it's authentic. (Same goes for the table tops)


• Now that you're at an authentic restaurant, it probably wouldn't hurt to wipe down the authentic grime from the spoons, chopsticks, etc.


• Hoisin sauce and Sriracha sauce go well with most things. Use them generously.


• Slurping is ok.


• At the end of the meal, tip what you feel is appropriate. But if you're low on cash, a dollar or two would be perfectly fine, yoo.

The condiments and utensils: various kinds of peppers, vinegar, soy sauce, chopsticks, forks, spoons.


One of the most delicious dishes (besides a bowl of pho): com tam thit nuong, or broken rice with barbecued pork and veggies and fish sauce.

Like fried chicken in New York, the best Vietnamese food is usually found at Uyen's place.