Thien Duong means “Paradise” in Vietnamese. And that is what you will discover at the latest Thien Duong Vietnamese Restaurant at the Dusit Hotel Nikko Manila. Extraordinary cuisine served in an elegant setting will surely satisfy every picture’s dream.
The last 200 years brought to Vietnamese cuisine a unique combination of Asian and French cooking. Of Asian origin is the importance of vegetables in the daily diet, and the habit of chopping up food before preparation. In common with most Southeast Asian cuisine, the Vietnamese have a very tasty fish sauce (nuoc mam). It is added to many dishes and also used as a salad dressing. Commonly prepared as salads are not only vegetables but meats as well. For instance, the appetizer Thien Duong Kha Vi, is a special combination of Goi Cuon (fresh spring rolls), Bo La Lot (beef in “Good King Henry” leaves), Chao Tom (sugarcane skewer of shrimp), and Nem Nuong (charcoal grilled pork balls).
The French influence is quite apparent in the base of most Vietnamese soups, actually a consomme, and many terms in cooking. However, in Vietnamese cuisine noodles are often added to the soup. The resulting “noodle consomme” is called pho bo. Canh Chua (Vietnamese fisherman’s soup with prawn, mussel, fish, and mushroom) or the traditional Pho (beef and rice noodle soup) are usual fare of Vietnamese eaten at any time. An indigenous paste of mashed shrimp, black pepper, and coriander is called pate. Chao Tom Voi Me (shrimp with sesame seeds on toast) is reminiscent of tangy pates on French toasts.
Healthy specialties include Ca Chu Nuong (charbroiled seabass fillet in banana leaf with chili paste), Tom Hap (steamed prawns with garlic sauce), and Ca Nuong (grilled salmon steak with spicy lime sauce).
Other meats – pork, beef and chicken – are also common, although not as vast as seafood. However, delightful grilled courses like Nem Nuong (pork balls with sesame sauce), Ga Nep (chicken served with deep fried glutinous rice), or Canh Ca Kno Gung (duck breast with tamarind sauce) are both filling and more than satisfactory.
Of course, Asian cuisine will not be complete without the rice and noodles complement. Highly recommended is the Com Sen (special Vietnamese fried rice with prawns, chicken, and asparagus encased in lotus leaf), or the Mi Xao Gion (fried crispy egg noodles with chicken, ham, prawns, mushrooms, and sesame seeds) their sweet, fragrant taste a pleasurable experience one should take time to enjoy.
Vegetables are often left raw to act as a fresh contrast to the spicy cooked meat. The distinct flavors of Vietnamese food come primarily from: mint leaves, coriander, lemon grass, shrimp, fish sauces, star anise, ginger, black pepper, garlic, basil, rice vinegar, sugar, and green onions. Lettuce, basil, mint, coriander leaves and Romaine cabbage are served up front with many flavorful marinades or pickled vegetables, atchara as we Filipinos call them. Marinated meat or fish is quickly sauteed in the wok and served immediately. All this may be eaten over rice or rolled in lettuce leaf (or both) then dipped into a pungent sauce.
The perfect climax to an otherwise exceptional meal is the sweets. Co Tran (Longan pudding), Hat Tran Chau (sweet sago with cantaloupe, flavored with coconut milk), or Chuoi Va Thomchien Gion (banana fritters with vanilla ice cream) are just a few of several desserts, which are both pleasing to the sight as well as the palate. Try also Thien Duong Chef’s recommended new dishes which include Gha Juan (curry puff served with prawn salad), Kha Yai (baked chicken in black pepper sauce), Jaan Jho Nuok (braised slab bacon with skin served with Vietnamese siopao), Do Kha Ko (grilled fish fillet topped with vegetable and coconut rice), and Tom Xa Ot (stir fried jumbo prawns with lemongrass).
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