Zen, the Asian speciality dine den at The Park Kolkata, is all set to serve some mouth-watering authentic Vietnamese dishes at a special food festival that begins tomorrow.
From fresh salads to street specials, broths and delightful seafood preparations, the extensive menu covers all things Vietnam and we had a blast going through some of the dishes at an exclusive preview.
Here’s getting you a taste.
(Clockwise from left) Vietnamese Vegetable Mango Curry: I was pretty apprehensive about ripe mangoes in a curry, but this decadent and soothing preparation loaded in veggies, coconut milk and curry leaves proved me otherwise. A must-try for sure.
Pho: A Vietnamese staple, this broth was fresh, hearty, aromatic and zingy all at the same time. Mushrooms, fried onions, scallions, ginger, coriander, and aniseed were the dominant flavour profiles in this noodle soup that hails from Northern Vietnam.
Shrimp White Rose Dumplings: These juicy shrimp dumplings are served with vermicelli in fish sauce, vinegar and chilli. A great seafood appetizer.
Fried Salted Caramel Banana Ice Cream: This creamy and luscious banana ice cream had a crisp coating when fried and paired well with the coconut creme served on the side. Absolutely stellar use of tropical flavours.
Ga Nuong Tuong-Den Trong La Dua: These chicken chunks marinated in black bean sauce and chilli and then wrapped in pandan leaves and grilled had an intense smoky and rich taste.
Shrimp Mousse on Sugarcane Skewers: The sugarcane skewers ooze a sweet juice that adds to the flavour of the minced and marinated shrimp that is wrapped around it and then grilled. This dish is pretty popular in Southern Vietnam.
Sweet Coconut Purple Rice: Purple cabbage lends a beautiful colour to this rice that has the crunch of fried garlic and peanuts and paired well with the mango curry.