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“...menu that offered up grilled cobra, mari-
nated ostrich, crocodile, fried lizard, curried
sea eel...”

he high end resorts were populated eel, and barracuda, in addition to the more
mostly by slender, fashionable mundane dishes like fried snapper. The
TAsians, sipping Mojitos and taking atmosphere at Vietnam Home was, to say
selfies. The locals were concentrated in the least, “casual.
nearby fishing coves, mending their nets Residents of Ho Chi Minh City still refer
and selling their catch, or drying anchovies to it as Saigon, and the old, ornate French
in the sun in preparation for the produc- architecture co-exists alongside shiny new
tion of their famous fish sauce, nước mắm high-rises. The streets are teeming with
.
motor scooters and pedestrians. In fact,
Apparently the South China Sea, unlike there was little on display, either culturally
the oceans off the coast of the United or economically, that screamed “com-
States, are still fertile with sea life. In Mui munism”. Marijuana is openly sold and
Ne, locals and tourists have their choice of smoked on the side streets and, at night,
dozens of seafood restaurants, all serving young Vietnamese hipsters pack the bars
fresh catch, creatively prepared Vietnam/ and discos.
French style, in hot pots, wrapped in ba- There is the Ben Thanh central market
nana leaves, pan fried, raw, or steamed.
(cleaner and more orderly than similar
One local restaurant where I dined one ones found in Latin America), along with
evening, Vietnam Home, had a menu a few other reminders of Vietnam’s 2nd
that offered up grilled cobra, marinated world status.
ostrich, crocodile, fried lizard, curried sea

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