#i do not know why but rice noodles in broth are just so heavenly to me right now and i'm just gonna embrace it | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

hencethebravery · 5 years

Text

TITLE: A Super Solid History of the “Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy(s),” c. The Beginning (or There About) to Now-ish

SUMMARY: Human beings are absolute fools when it comes to love. It’s largely the reason why God, in all Her infinite wisdom, so cleverly decided that the beings in Her employ (and thereafter) would have nought to do with such petty, earthly matters. Not they had seen a memo or anything, but it merely seems obvious, does it not? (Ao3)

NOTES: Hello, hello! Here be my very first Good Omens fic. Please note that I have only just started the novel and so this is mostly a product of my having watched the series several times over.

. . .

+ Perhaps one of the cruelest tricks that God has ever played (and the list was indeed long) was in allowing angels to believe they were incapable of love. There is some amount of debate as to whether or not this was entirely by accident. She was a busy woman after all━perhaps that was why it, the question of whether or not angels were truly capable of love, had slipped through one of her metaphysical cracks (of which, admittedly, there were many). Those who managed to refrain from falling had quite an easier time believing this particular theory to be very much the case. A largely unspoken, slightly offended, “She would never,” followed by an affirmation of the belief in the long held assumption that they were above such things anyway, so really, what did it even matter, and can we please return to the task at hand?

Those who did happen to fall on the other hand, went in rather the opposite direction. In a somewhat convoluted fashion (they were technically still angels after all), demons argued that, no, celestial beings had never been capable of love, and, yes, this was done with abundant amounts of purpose. Not to mention the longstanding rumor that perhaps they were always capable, which served the purpose of both dividing and controlling the heavenly population by means of dispensing vague, unverified information. And to the more skeptical among them they might say, “Well, she’s God isn’t she? It’s not as if she lacks the ability.”

In point of fact, they were both wrong.

From the very moment they had begun their stint upon the Earth, Aziraphale had often pondered the nature of love. They had heard the rumors, of course, not that they held much affinity for such behavior. No good has ever come from a rumor, they thought, particularly when their mind was especially prone to recalling those terrible centuries of heavenly warfare. No taste for it━the whispering between nebulas; the speculating of who would be staying and who would be going. Aziraphale had often suspected that it was part of the reason why Crowley had ended up doing… what he did. That perhaps the assumption they would fall did more to provoke the descent than anything else. It was a shame, but it had been so long ago, and there didn’t seem to be much to do about it now, at any rate.

Regardless, the question of love as it pertained to earthly beings, that made rather a bit more sense. Not to the humans themselves of course, but to Aziraphale, and even to Crowley, the emotion was in fact easily explained and somewhat predictable when applied in almost every conceivable situation. Usually.

“There is no possible way that girl is worth so few goats.”

Aziraphale had never felt truly comfortable with early human rituals as they pertained to establishing their various relationships. The use of the dowry, for example, particularly when a father might value a herd of sheep over the life of his child (and at this point in time, rather too young, in their estimation), stirred something… untoward in their gut.

“She’s a bit young, don’t you think?”

Even then, Crowley had possessed the somewhat uncanny ability to speak the words that Aziraphale often thought but feared to say aloud, and while a part of them was grateful to hear them spoken, the other part was curious as to how their supposed enemy could be so well-attuned to their thoughts. Could be the point, I suppose, they thought, looking quickly away before Crowley could notice, to catch us unawares with their deceptive bouts of intimacy.

“Well there, Aziraphale, how ‘bout it? Can I count on you?”

“Oh, um, my apologies,” they stammered, unfamiliar fleshy fingers tangling together, “count on me for what?”

“Your discretion,” Crowley reiterated with an air of unrepentant espionage curling around the crown of their head, “she is worth far more goats than... that.”

Aziraphale envied the demon’s seemingly instinctive use of their own hands; tossed about in the air, waved vaguely in the direction of the unfortunate scene which played out before them. How did one use one’s own hands as a means of further emphasizing their point? Marvelous. They would have to spend more time working on that.

“ Aziraphale ,” Crowley repeated, one eyebrow raised smartly above their golden eye, “I know you can’t be a fan of this either.”

“Well, no,” they admitted, “but I am merely here to observe, and I did promise myself that last time would be the last time.”

Crowley hummed with a mildly infuriating tone of knowing skepticism (which Aziraphale didn’t much appreciate), “Alright, well, if you’re here to observe and all, I guess there’s nothing you’d be able to do about this.”

Aziraphale was, as it turned out, not quite quick enough in noting that, as a matter of fact, yes, they would be well within their rights to interfere when a demon was involved, but by that point Crowley had vanished from their side, and a slithering serpent had already begun making its way towards the feet of the large old bearded gentleman who had offered far too few goats for so young and bright a person.

. . .

It was right around the time human beings started getting rather more polite with their food that Aziraphale managed to develop a fair higher degree of grace with his own hands. Rather difficult to eat a steaming bowl of noodles without the use of… “chop-sticks.” Gracious, Gabriel would be horrified by the very idea. Not just by the “sullying of the vessel,” but the notion that one might do so with sticks? Unthinkable. Regardless, it all came fairly easy after that (the hands); throwing a pair of dice, holding a quill or a pair of knitting needles. After a time he discovered that he very much enjoyed the tactility━the variety of sensations felt on the surface of the skin he had been ordered to have.

He had also, around this time, begun to go about being referred to as “he.” Moreso to blend in than anything else. It was hard to pin down when exactly, but at some point humanity became far more reliant upon noting the difference. It made a certain kind of sense, he supposed, if they were going to insist upon such hierarchical-like systems to survive.

“They are Her creations after all,” Crowley reasoned, casually (almost certainly, casually) observing Aziraphale’s hands as they cupped his bowl of broth.

Aziraphale made a somewhat half-hearted attempt to cool his soup, lest the demon sitting across from him note his discomfort. In as polite a fashion as possible, so as not to rock any proverbial boats, he made the potentially ill-advised decision to be predictable and “play dumb.”

“And,” with a mild stutter, “and what is it you mean by that?”

“Oh, don’t be dense, Angel, you know exactly what I mean by that.”

He hated when their conversations took these kinds of turns. When their differences became undeniable and he was forced to reconcile with the truth of their circumstances: That all evidence to the contrary, the demon sitting across from him was supposed to be his mortal enemy━and for what? Some… pesky disagreement? An oversimplification to be sure, it must be conceded, but all the same, for… what, exactly? What had it all been for?

Having accepted the frequent refrain of Aziraphale’s silence in moments such as these, Crowley had returned to his own drink; a sharp yet sweet rice wine that Aziraphale had recommended. All the better for his own sanity, for his own return to his hot bowl of flavorful broth (with some kind of... fish base, in which large pieces of seaweed, accompanied by smaller cubes of to-fu floating alongside; absolutely fascinating, by the way), and unsettling, unwelcome questions that did little good for him to ponder over. But ponder he inevitably would, and he felt it prudent to admit that he had himself often wondered what might have happened if he had been more… present during the whole debacle (the war, as it were), or even if he had known Crowley at the time━would the outcome have been the same?

It doesn’t seem a particularly worthy avenue of thought to continue shambling down, especially if one were to consider the fact that it was all decided upon long, long ago; but as he sneaks a glance upwards, to the sight of a demon sat across from him at a table, taking careful sips of a rice wine he has no reason to drink (other than to acquiesce to Aziraphale’s own enthusiastic request) he does have to wonder, How bad can they really be?

It’s on this particular evening that Aziraphale and Crowley happen to “brush hands” for the very first time. Azirphale had, on occasion, been made aware of the concept, but had yet to fully partake in such an episode. Human beings seemed to make quite a to-do of the whole affair. He had borne witness to such things with his own eyes, and was rather struck by the intensity of something that seemed so bafflingly simple. But then again, that seemed to be the nature of love. At least as it pertained to human beings. Angels were immune to such things, clearly.

They had both reached for the bottle at the same time, is all. Nothing to fuss over. It was bound to happen sometime━trapped as they were in these rather cumbersome… things; adjusting to the speed and the space of it all. Moving with both certainty and uncertainty, holding things too tightly or not tightly enough. Silly, unreliable things. You had to wonder what She’d been thinking (not that Aziraphale would ever say so, of course).

The poets will speak of a spark, but Aziraphale didn’t much know about all of that. He could acknowledge a warmth, perhaps even a… tingle? In retrospect he might even recall a raising of the soft hairs along his arms. But really, there’s not much to say about it. Other than the fact that from the perspective of an outsider there was perhaps an unnatural pause. A stiffness that mortal beings struggled to find. Most living, physical beings required breath you see━they are frequently at the whims of their world; it is, quite nearly, impossible not to be in motion for any extended period of time. That was just the way She wanted it. The unrepentant motion. The force. The push forwards. Don’t stop, never stop. Until, you know, She says so.

These two beings, however, they weren’t human beings. They were created by God, of course, but they were relatively new to this “body,” business, and as such they still seemed to be encountering the unfortunate and inconvenient side effects. Touch being just one of many. Angels didn’t really touch in the same way humans did. Their natural forms failed to really give them the ability. They did in fact… collide with each other from time to time, but it was limitless. There was no barrier. If anything, it was a bit unpleasant━the lack of boundaries. Something about “seamless teamwork,” is what Aziraphale could recall from his discussions with Gabriel, or Michael. It was difficult to tell the difference sometimes. Regardless (or perhaps irregardless), human touch would appear to be quite a bit different. Because there was a pretty significant boundary, and for whatever reason that Aziraphale had yet to identify, it felt somehow more intimate than the traditional, angelic “brushing of hands,” as it were.

Crowley, in a rare moment of clumsiness, must have felt similarly because in his shock had pulled his hand back so swiftly that he managed to knock the half-empty bottle to the table with a soft snick, with a gentle, rhythmic dripping of the remaining wine to follow.

“Oh, dear,” Aziraphale muttered, moving quickly to right the bottle and dab at the developing stain. Crowley had stood rather abruptly after that, and not in the smooth, serpent-like manner that Aziraphale had become accustomed to, and with hardly a “so long,” turned and fled the scene. They would never mention that particular moment again, but Aziraphale, to his great, great consternation, did struggle to put it entirely out of his mind.

. . .

Oh, centuries pass. Not entirely unlike an unfathomably long sigh, the world continues as the world often does. As do the angels and the demons playing their parts in some… hip yet indescribably vague off-broadway production (with no discernible plot) written by and for an audience of precisely one. Maybe. Probably. Over the course of The Great Exhale (™), Aziraphale observes. He learns. Which should be obvious, as that was something of the job assigned to him in the first place, but he really takes a genuine interest in the task. So much so that he keenly starts to observe other observers, humans who frequently come to be called “authors.” Authors are truly outstanding observers in their own right; even going so far as to record their observations in impressively long works of art━in letters and in image, the authors and artists in question lend a helpful amount of weightiness to a position he had come to doubt on occasion.

“They see things in ways we can’t, you see,” Aziraphale had tried explaining to Gabriel during one unexpected (and painfully awkward) meeting. As he had come to expect, Gabriel listened with a look of mild confusion (and pity), but it didn’t bother Aziraphale all that much. He had his books. “You can tell the others there’s no reason to worry,” he continued quickly, hoping their conversation had reached its conclusion, “I have all we need right here.”

“No surprises, Aziraphale,” Gabriel warned in goodbye, slipping out the door, “and remember, they can’t see nearly as well as we can.”

“Well, we know that’s not true.”

The surprising (yet unmistakable) tenor of Crowley’s voice echoed from the darkness of Aziraphale’s office, which had been empty the last he checked. The angel in question could do little to prevent the slight hitch in his breathing, concerned with not only the unexpected appearance of a demon, but so quickly after the departure of an angel that would certainly see said demon immediately and irrevocably smited.

“That’s cheeky,” Aziraphale mumbled as Crowley sauntered out of the back room, his hair in its usual impeccable coif.

Shortly after Aziraphale acquired the bookshop, and not without some degree of honest ignorance as to why, Crowley did what he unfortunately happened to do best, and asked Aziraphale precisely what was the point of it all? And as had become usual practice, Aziraphale had a maddeningly difficult time coming up with an answer.

“You know, I’m not quite sure,” he finally admitted, “as soon as I do I shall let you know.”

“With bated breath, Angel,” Crowley had responded in distraction, his own nose lost in one of Aziraphale’s many books that he had seemingly no definitive explanation for.

. . .

The thing about Aziraphale’s exchange with the archangel Gabriel, that is the somewhat truncated version of an answer to Crowley’s “why,” was much longer and perhaps more blasphemous than Gabriel wanted to hear. But it was, possibly, exactly the kind of thing a demon (or rather, this demon) would want to hear.

Though Gabriel’s visit made for something of a stressful few hours, it was a particularly lovely day nonetheless. The leaves had begun changing their colors, but it was still pleasantly warm when standing in the sun, and should he feel just a touch too warm, a perfectly timed (some might say, miraculously timed) gust of wind would breeze on through the open window. Despite the fresh autumnal air, the smell of the books often lingered; the unmistakable scent of old paper and ink blending seamlessly with the decaying leaves which wound through the air and along the pavement.

“Do you happen to recall,” Aziraphale began, pouring Crowley an exquisitely steeped cup of Earl Grey, “when I first acquired this shop?”

In so much as Crowley could be predictable, he did, quite predictably, feign forgetfulness (not that angels or demons could forget very much by the very fact of their design). “Not certain,” he pondered theatrically, his sharp chin resting in the palm of his hand. “About what century was this, d’you think?”

Making the conscientious decision to refuse to participate in Crowley’s strange theatrics, Aziraphale continued, adjusting his vest as if it had suddenly shrunk while he was wearing it (which was certainly possible, he supposed). “Well, you had asked of me an admittedly fair question as to why I had purchased the shop at all, and I had told you I wasn’t quite certain as to why, and━”

“Yes, yes,” he interrupted, taking a sip of his tea, “let’s hear it then.”

“Well,” he began, somewhat taken aback by Crowley’s abrupt demand for an answer he had recently pretended to have forgotten, “I━I do believe it might have something to do with… love. Of all things.”

Crowley’s nose did indeed wrinkle, as if a bad sort of smell had passed beneath it from having even heard the word, but he did have a thoughtful look. If Aziraphale had to describe it, he might find himself comparing it to a rather more subdued version of the look that had passed over Crawley’s face subsequent to the infrequently mentioned Flaming Sword Incident (™). An expression of pleased surprise which, in retrospect, betrayed a yearning optimism that most demons should not, under any circumstances, possess.

See, as it happened, Aziraphale had been doing a lot of thinking as of late. Not a great habit, a stern-looking Gabriel would often scold in his head, It’s all been figured out anyway, no need to go reinventing the wheel. As it happened, Gabriel was quite unimpressed with the invention of the wheel. No great feat, in his estimation. Not that he found humans to be impressive in most cases. Aziraphale couldn’t blame him, he supposed. Gabriel hadn’t been tasked with the job Aziraphale had━maybe if he had been, he would’ve arrived at similar conclusions (likely not so, but it was hard for Aziraphale to deny giving others the benefit of the doubt).

If you were in fact playing one of the two roles assigned to you (that of Angel or Demon), you might be privy to something of a hotly debated topic. Love. What was it? Who was capable of it? Was it a uniquely human trait? Was it freely available to all beings? And of course, as was the question in most things, how in the world was God involved in all this?

“Oh, Angel, not this old… chestnut,” Crowley nearly spat. Despite the darkened frames over his eyes, Aziraphale practically felt his rolling of them.

“Now, hold on,” he continued, hoping to cut Crowley off at some self-righteous pass he knew wasn’t far behind, “just… wait.”

Obviously, it was rather difficult for anyone to speculate with any degree of certainty the true machinations of God’s mind. Whether God had designed everything (angels included) with the capability to feel and/or express love in its entirety or not, Aziraphale had begun to wonder whether or not it very much mattered (the debate, that is). You had to start with the Assumption (™).

“Which is…?”

A self-fulfilling prophecy. An angel such as Aziraphale, assuming that it didn’t much matter (whether or not God had given angels the capacity for love), which was the general opinion of the heavenly chorus━or Crowley and other demons similarly assuming it was all a vile manipulation borne of boredom and the Almighty’s irrepressible urge to have a hand (metaphorically speaking) in just about everything. All this and still the usual refrain from both sides: Humans and love, they know not what they do. As if the heavenly (or not so heavenly) were, at the very least, immune.

“It’s the isolation you see,” Aziraphale managed to somewhat tangientally conclude, “the being… trapped, as it were. In their bodies.”

It was in that moment that Aziraphale worried whether or not he had gotten a tad too close to the Spilled Wine Incident (™) which had occurred several centuries earlier ( long unspoken of). Wondered if perhaps Crowlely had, in his own time, reached a similar conclusion, and was in fact thinking the same exact thing. That of angelic… mingling and the somewhat invasive ability to see into the heart of someone’s soul, versus the perfectly human ability to hardly know a person at all except perhaps through a brief brushing of hands. The arrangement of words on a page. The splashes of color on a canvas. That perhaps God, in all her… strange, bureaucratic dereliction of parental duty had in fact given human beings one single instance of superiority.

“Love.”

In a limit imposed by God, human beings could only love one another given truly uncomfortable degrees of uncertainty, and what angel or demon had ever taken such a risk?

In case you (the reader) were wondering, interrupted God with a very gentle boom (otherwise one’s head was quite likely to explode), it’s them. The two of them. Idiots.

“So, the bookshop,” Crowley spoke, filling the void of Aziraphale’s silence, “you wanted to know more about this… Risky Business?”

There was almost certainly the undercurrent of a joke in there that Aziraphale would require an explanation for at some other juncture, but for now he merely nodded. “I believe so,” smiling into his cup, “for how valuable are our observations if we’ve only ever made them through our own omniscience?”

Long, long story, very much shortened to a far more reasonable and linear degree: Since The Beginning, angels and demons had largely felt confident in their belief that they knew far more than the average human (Agnes Nutter aside, of course); and Aziraphale, in the midst of an occasional crisis as to who knew what and how well, had, with the acquisition of his quaint little bookshop been unconsciously soothed by a truth several centuries in the making. That angels, like humans, did not in fact know everything. That they were not necessarily immune to what it was they had supposed, and that, quite blessedly, there was just… so very much to know. Even after all this time. Pages and pages and pages of things to know.

“It’s a fair point,” Crowley answered with a brief smile of his own, “never much cared for all the…” A signature wave of his free hand, bereft of his teacup, “...business anyway.” Referring of course to the traditional forms of angelic and/or demonic communication, which funnily enough, neither gentleman had experienced for quite some time.

And it was, during this particular turn in the narrative (quite nearing its conclusion, I promise you), that an angel and a demon would brush hands for a historical second time. Historic for the existence of hands, the fact of their briefly touching again, and of course the reality of their circumstances (which Aziraphale had become rather tired of noting). They both reached for the teapot at the same moment you see, which, if one were a betting man (or woman), they might imagine a divine hand or two, or several, or however many hands God might prefer to have, in the mix.

What made this particular time so different from the first was not only the fact of their very recent conversation, but the privilege of having several hundred years to have a good, rational think on the matter. So rational, in fact, that the urge to spring violently apart and knock something over seemed to be entirely absent.

“You know, I’ve often found it rather funny,” Aziraphale began quietly, painfully aware of where their fingers touched, “that despite my theory, you have often been quite good at mirroring my own thoughts.”

“Ironic,” Crowley agreed, “though you are rather easy to read I’m afraid.”

The beautiful thing about a brush is the secondary movements that might come after━particularly when the brush might provoke a pause. Most anything can occur in the midst of a pause. One might move a finger, for example, which in turn might elicit a not unpleasant shiver down one’s spine. There’s also the accompanying sound, which, for all his talk of humans being superior, it was a shame that their hearing was so dreadfully ordinary. It would be rather difficult for a human being to hear breath in the same way Aziraphale or Crowley might, sitting apart as they were. The intake and the exhale, all occurring within a brief, blissful pause which, along with their shared breath and the clinking of china, was accompanied by the continued autumnal breeze, and the scattering of dried foliage.

“I think,” Crowley continued, his hand moving, ever so slowly, to fully grasp Aziraphale’s own, “that we should consider testing your theory again.”

“Q-quite,” Aziraphale managed to answer, wonderfully overwhelmed by all the knowing (and marvelous not-knowing) occurring within the tangle of their hands. “I do enjoy a thorough undertaking of the scientific method.”

. . .

They were both wrong (the gossiping, angelic and demonic masses) because, in an infuriatingly on point God move, they were both partially right, weren’t they? Yes, of course, angels were always capable of love, but God was rather busy wasn’t She? She’s a deity just like any other━lots to do. Being in charge while also doing Her best to refrain from micromanaging, which She’d been told employees didn’t actually like, so can you really blame her for being a bit aloof sometimes? An honest mistake, really. Nothing quite so sinister as the demons might like to believe, nor so benevolent as the angels would like to think. And besides, She’d given them humanity, and She did love a good game of risk.

#good omens #good omens fic #ineffable husbands #@hencethewriter #y'all it has been #about 5 months #working on this garbage #also i wish tumblr #would fix it's fucking formatting #but we know that'll never happen so

12 notes · View notes

eatvangelist · 3 years

Text

Hello Hilo

I’m finally trying a real vacation in a post-COVID world, and the first stop is Hilo, Hawaii. I’ve been to Hawaii several times in my life, but never have I been to the Big Island until now. Doing my research ahead of time, it seems people tend to go to Kona or Hilo, the former more touristy and the latter more laid back. We wanted to be cautious and chose Hilo for the smaller crowd size. We also knew we would eat well, but I had no idea how right we’d be! Here are my must-visit picks for foodies.

Hilo Bay Cafe

This restaurant has the reputation of being one of the best in Hilo, and it's easy to see why. First, there is a killer view as the location is right on Hilo Bay (true to its name). Call to make reservations - you can do so online, too, but it's not necessarily accurate. OpenTable showed no availability for 3 days, so I called and scored the last table available for that evening. If you're really lucky, try to get a table outside so you can enjoy the sunset. You pretty much can't go wrong with anything you order there, and this is especially true when it comes to the seafood, which is caught fresh daily. I couldn't resist the special of the day, which was the shrimp with grits. Absolutely delicious - you can taste how fresh it is. The polenta grits and boar sausage pieces that shared the plate were great, too, but the shrimps were clearly the stars. We also had room for dessert - had to get a lava cake on the island! It paired perfectly with the macadamia nut ice cream.

Hawaiian Style Cafe

The most classic Hawaiian dish is the loco moco, so we went to Hawaiian Style Cafe for dinner to get that crossed off our checklist. Loco moco is basically an egg and hamburger patties served on top of rice with brown gravy. It's definitely comfort food, along with the luau stew that we ordered. The stew is tender chunks of pork cooked in a broth with taro leaves. We realized once we got to Hawaiian Style Cafe that most people come here for breakfast, as they are famous for their pancakes. We had to get one, and one was really more than enough for us. One pancake is larger than the size of my face! It is topped with haupia (coconut pudding), toasted coconut shreds, and whipped cream. If all that isn't sweet enough, there's also maple syrup on the side. Even without the haupia, this pancake is delicious - thick but fluffy. The only slightly negative part of this experience was we needed leftover containers. When the bill came, I was surprised to see we were charged $0.25 for them. I mean, a quarter is really insignificant, but I was surprised that they 1) charged for it; 2) didn't tell us they were charging for it until I saw it on the bill. When I questioned the cashier about this, she said "oh this is new for us, too," as if that made it all okay. I still recommend a visit though because the food is just too good.

Two Ladies Kitchen

This is a must-have on Hilo. I've had mochi before - and good ones at that, too - but Two Ladies Kitchen puts all the ones I've ever had before to shame. They are most famous for their fruit ones, especially the strawberry daifuku - soft, chewy mochi on the outside, a thin layer of red bean paste, and a whole strawberry at the center. Two Ladies Kitchen uses only fresh fruit, so the menu is updated with what's in season. A very close runner up for me was the momo (peach) mochi. The peach was just so juicy and sweet, and pairing it with the mochi was perfection. I also tried pear and apple, and while I liked the contrast in their crunchy texture, the momo and strawberry were the best. I also bought a couple without fruit - the plum flower (which is just mochi colored and shaped into a plum flower and filled with red bean paste) and the lilikoi (passionfruit), and they were good, too.

A helpful tip if you do visit Two Ladies Kitchen - call ahead to pre-order. We arrived about 10 minutes before opening and there was already a line. By the time they opened, the line was down the block. This is mainly because they are adhering to COVID-19 guidelines and permitting no more than two people in the shop at one time. Those who pre-order can jump to the front of the line. They don't have a website, but I've linked to their Instagram above, which has their contact information.

Hilo Farmers Market

The Hilo Farmers Market is open all 7 days a week from 7am to 3pm. It is the place to go for the freshest produce for a reasonable price. We picked up a couple of strawberry papayas for $1.50. I was very tempted to buy the enormous dragonfruit for $4. I recall seeing much smaller ones for sale for $7 at Whole Foods in comparison! What I love about shopping at Farmers Market in general is you get the opportunity to actually talk to the people who grow your food. In Hilo, it's even more meaningful to me because I know the money is going directly to the community.

While you're at the Farmers Market, stop by Kula for some organic shave ice. They make their own syrup with natural ingredients. I got the Lilikoi Dreamsicle, and it was heavenly!

While I knew practically nothing about Hilo prior to going, I absolutely fell in love here. Not only was all the food I had wonderful, this was one of the most beautiful places I had ever been. Whether it's going up to the summit of Mauna Kea and having some Cup of Noodles while stargazing or strolling through Liliuokalani Park and Gardens, the natural beauty that can be found in Hilo is astounding.

#hawaii #hilo #big island #mochi #eating #vacation #travel

0 notes

anycontentposter · 4 years

Text

The Best Foods to Try in Hoi An & Where to Eat Them

I love to eat. Like, really love it. In fact, it’s such a high priority when we travel that not only do I make a list of things I want to do and see wherever we’re going, I also make a list of all the foods I want to try while we’re there, too.

That said, I’ve never been particularly skilled at food photography, and I’m always too impatient when my food arrives to even think about risking a cold meal in order to get some practice in, so my food photos when traveling are usually little more than hastily snapped, often blurry iPhone images. Certainly nothing worthy of sharing on the blog, that’s for sure.

I decided to make an exception in Hoi An, though, and actually put some effort into documenting my meals before frantically digging in like a half-starved mountain lion. One, because Vietnamese food is my favorite and I really want to be able to share my love of it with you. And two, well, this one’s a little more selfish – I wanted higher quality images to remember these amazing meals by.

Having heard that Hoi An was somewhat of a foodie destination in Vietnam, I arrived with dangerously high expectations for the meals I was about to consume. And how many times did I end up disappointed? ZERO. Chefs in Hoi An really know their way around a spice rack.

We’ve traveled to quite a few places over the past five years, but nowhere have we enjoyed the food more than we did here. Because I want you to have the same heavenly food experience in Hoi An, I took one for the team and sacrificed a few hot noodles to create this list of the best foods to try in Hoi An, plus give you a few tips on where to eat them. No need to thank me. It’s all part of the job. :)

Hoi An Food Guide: What to Eat and Where

1. Cao Lau – Hoi An’s Signature Noodles and Pork

What is cao lau? The dish Hoi An is most famous for consisting of thick rice noodles, savory slices of barbecued pork, bean sprouts, fresh greens, and crunchy crackers served with a light sauce.

Why you should try it: Because Hoi An is the only place you’ll be able to try a truly authentic bowl of cao lau. Supposedly, to be considered true cao lau, the water used to make the noodles must come from a very specific well located in Hoi An and the ash used for soaking the noodles must come from trees grown on the nearby Cham Islands.

While I think this is likely more old wives’ tale than actual practice these days, it’s always fun to sample a local dish in the place it was first created, and in this case, it’s so good you’ll probably want to sample it more than once!

Read More: 7 Things to Do on Your First Trip to Hoi An + Travel Tips

Where to Try Cao Lau in Hoi An – Mot

Finding cao lau in Hoi An won’t be an issue. Most restaurants and cafes have it on the menu at varying prices.

Our favorite spot for cao lau was a small, open-air cafe in the Ancient Town called Mot. Here, you can enjoy a delicious bowl of cao lau for just 30,000 VND (a little over $1 USD).

Besides the excellent prices, the quirky decor, and the convenient location, the other thing we loved about Mot was the owner – a friendly elderly lady who, when she wasn’t busy serving, always came around to talk to customers. Despite wanting to try as many different Hoi An restaurants as we could, we found ourselves back at Mot a second time just because we felt so welcome there.

Find Mot on a map: 150 Tran Phu, Hoi An

2. Com Ga – Vietnamese Chicken Rice

What is com ga? White rice cooked with pandan leaves in chicken broth and served topped with tender, shredded chicken, fresh coriander, and onions.

Why you should try it: Accustomed to the milder flavors and more simple presentation of Singapore’s chicken rice, we were pleasantly surprised to discover Vietnam’s version to be far more fragrant and colorful. There is an abundance of flavor packed into this relatively simple dish as well.

Another upside – if you’re traveling with picky eaters (aka: kids), you can ask that the onions and greens be left off, easily making this a child-approved meal.

Where to Try Com Ga in Hoi An – Wind and Moon Restaurant

Com Ga Ba Buoi in the city center is generally considered to be the best place to taste this zesty dish. Unfortunately, we didn’t get the opportunity to try it there, but we did discover a great restaurant along An Bang Beach, Wind and Moon Restaurant, that served what we considered to be an excellent plate of com ga.

Besides, if I had the choice to enjoy a meal with this view or in a crowded street cafe, I would choose the scenic view every time.

Find Wind and Moon Restaurant on a map: An Bang Beach, Quang Nam

3. Banh Bao Vac – ‘White Rose’ Shrimp and Pork Dumplings

What is white rose? Delicate rice dumplings filled with either shrimp or pork and sprinkled with scallions and crispy fried onions, served with a dipping sauce of shrimp broth, sugar, lemon juice, and chilies on the side.

Why you should try it: Given the nickname ‘white rose’ due to their appearance, banh bao vac are little taste explosions. Even without the dipping sauce, they pack a punch thanks to the many spices the shrimp and pork are cooked with.

Supposedly, the recipe for white rose is a highly guarded secret and all of the dumplings sold in the city are made by the one family who knows it, so if you ever want to try them, you’ll have to do so while in Hoi An.

Where to Try White Rose in Hoi An

If you want to try banh bao vac directly from the source, you can pull up a chair at White Rose Restaurant where Tran Tuan Ngai and family serve their secret recipe.

However, you’ll be able to find them much cheaper elsewhere in town, and if the legend is true, you’ll still be eating the exact same dumplings you would at White Rose Restaurant. We loved to have these for a little snack in between meals and our favorite ones came from the same place we first tried com ga – Wind and Moon Restaurant on An Bang Beach.

Read More: Lasenta Boutique Hotel: A Scenic Place to Stay in Hoi An

4. Ca Phe – Vietnamese Coffee

What is ca phe? A strong cup of coffee balanced by the addition of sweetened condensed milk.

Why you should try it: Well, it’s served in a unique contraption for starters. When you ask for a cup of ca phe in Hoi An, you’re handed a coffee cup topped with a phin filter (French drip) that’s been filled with coarsely ground, dark-roasted coffee beans and hot water. The hot water slowly trickles through the filter, and after about 4-5 minutes, you’ll have a freshly brewed cup of coffee in your hands.

Secondly, it’s deliciously strong. To truly drink it Vietnam-style, be sure to stir in the sweetened condensed milk provided on the side.

Where to Try Vietnamese Coffee in Hoi An – Reaching Out Teahouse

Even if you don’t drink coffee, it’s still worth paying Reaching Out Teahouse a visit. The coffee and tea they serve is top of the line and their teahouse and back patio gardens are beautiful, but what really makes this place special is their mission.

Every person employed at Reaching Out Teahouse is either deaf or unable to speak. When you visit the teahouse, you’ll be asked to keep your voice low and you’ll communicate with your servers via written messages and visual cues.

Located in the center of the city, visiting Reaching Out Teahouse is a one-of-a-kind experience, and a wonderful way to support the deaf community in Hoi An.

Find Reaching Out Teahouse on a map: 131 Tran Phu, Hoi An

5. Banh Mi – Vietnamese Baguette Sandwich

What is banh mi? A hot, crusty baguette spread with homemade mayonnaise, signature sauces, and pâté, then filled with your choice of juicy meats and fresh vegetables. Vegetarian options are also available.

Why you should try it: If you’ve ever wanted to try something so tasty that it will quite likely cause you to drool as you’re eating it, do yourself a favor and try a bahn mi. Easily customizable to your own tastes, I can’t imagine anyone not enjoying the unique blend of flavors in these sandwiches.

In addition to being a super tasty lunch easily eaten on the go, banh mi is also ridiculously cheap. You’ll find banh mi commonly sold throughout the city for 20,000 VND or less. That’s under $1 for what may be the best sandwich of your life. Totally worth it.

Where to Try Banh Mi in Hoi An – Banh Mi Phuong

It doesn’t look like much from the outside, but the long queue that stretches halfway down the street is an excellent indicator of the treasures that await inside Banh Mi Phuong.

Regarded as the best banh mi in Hoi An, I can personally attest to the fact that the sandwiches served here are well worth the wait. (The line moves relatively quick, but there’s also seating inside if you want to sit down and order.)

I recommend making this one of your first food stops in Hoi An, because chances are you’re going to love it so much you’ll want to return again before you leave.

Find Banh Mi Phuong on a map: 2B Phan Chu Trinh, Hoi An

6. Bun Bo Nam Bo – Beef Noodles with Veggies

What is bun bo nam bo? Thin strips of marinated beef, stir-fried, and then tossed with soft vermicelli noodles, vegetables, and nuoc cham – a blend of fish sauce, lime juice, chilies, and a little sugar.

Why you should try it: Ever so slightly spicy due to the chilies, the marinated beef in this dish is out of this world. A feast for the eyes and the stomach, I wasn’t even all that hungry when I ate this and I still finished the whole plate. (A by-product of having a long list of foods to try in a short amount of time meant my stomach forgot how to feel hungry here.)

The veggies included with bun bo nam bo seem to differ depending on who’s making it, and sometimes you might even get crushed peanuts sprinkled on top, but regardless of which version you receive, it’ll be a hearty, filling dish perfect for dinner after a busy day sightseeing.

Where to Try Bun Bo Nam Bo in Hoi An

Often called beef noodle salad (to differentiate between beef noodle soup), this is another dish you’ll find served all over the city.

Most restaurants in the Ancient Town have a version of bun bo nam bo on their menu. However, if you want to go the cheapest route, on the outskirts of Hoi An, you’ll find street food stalls that only serve this dish. If you decide to give bun bo nam bo a go here, I recommend choosing the one with the longest queue.

Read More: Snapshots of Hoi An: A Photo Series

7. Pho – Vietnamese Noodle Soup

What is pho? The national dish of Vietnam – a healthy and highly tasty broth-based soup consisting of rice noodles, herbs, assorted vegetable garnishes, and either beef (pho bo) or chicken (pho ga).

Why you should try it: It’s the perfect introduction to Vietnamese food. Mild, but not the least bit bland thanks to a genius combination of herbs and spices, enjoying a bowl of pho in Vietnam is like eating pizza in Italy, sushi in Japan, or burgers in the US – you just have to do it, no matter how cliche it might feel.

It can be a little tricky scooping up the broth with a soup spoon in one hand and maneuvering chopsticks in the other for the noodles, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll be full of yummy pho (and self-pride at your newly acquired skills) in no time.

Where to Try Pho in Hoi An – Cham Cham Restaurant

Typically eaten for breakfast by locals, you’re still welcome to order pho any time of day you like. Since breakfast was provided at our hotel, we had no qualms about ordering pho often for lunch and dinner.

The best pho we tried was at Cham Cham Restaurant, located along the waterfront in An Hoi (the little island across the Thu Bon River from the Ancient Town). Popular with locals and tourists alike, we received great service at Cham Cham Restaurant and prices were extremely reasonable for the area. The best part, however, was definitely the gorgeous view of the river and the lights of Ancient Town we had from our table.

Find Cham Cham Restaurant on a map: 49 Nguyen Phuc Chu, Hoi An

8. Mot Tea – Iced Herbal Tea

What is Mot tea? A refreshing herbal tea concoction of lemon, lemongrass, ginger, honey, and various herbs.

Why you should try it: Because it gets murderously hot in central Vietnam in the summer and you’re going to need something to cool you down as you make your way from site to site in the Ancient Town.

Sold out of a giant tea cauldron at the front window of Mot (yep, the same Hoi An cafe I recommend you get your cao lau), Mot tea costs just 10,000 VND a cup (under 50 cents) and comes complete with lotus petals and kaffir leaves, nature’s version of the paper cocktail umbrella.

FYI: No need to grab a table to order Mot tea, just queue up at the window.

Where to Eat in Hoi An on a Budget – Central Market Food Hall

While it’s likely everywhere you’ll eat in Hoi An will feel like eating on a budget since everything costs so little in Vietnam, there is one place you’re always guaranteed a cheap meal – the Central Market Food Hall.

The Central Market is Hoi An’s biggest and busiest street market selling all sorts of fresh fish, fruits, and vegetables for reasonable prices. If it’s a hot meal you’re after, though, head into the Food Hall where you’ll find an abundance of stalls serving up many of the things included on this list.

A bonus for travelers: Prices are marked on nearly every stall, so you won’t have to worry about being charged the ‘tourist price’ for your meal.

Any delicious foods to try in Hoi An I missed? I’d love to hear your favorite dishes!

Read More: Hoi An Ancient Town Guide: Everything You Need to Know

Did you enjoy this article or find it helpful? Save it for later on Pinterest!

Read more about this at thewanderblogger.com

https://blogsandtravels.com/the-best-foods-to-try-in-hoi-an-where-to-eat-them/

#asia #food #vietnam #blog

0 notes