Foodie Berlin: Good morning Vietnam

Our journey through Kreuzberg took some time and especially energy, and a foodie stop was more than welcomed. Out of too many calls, we decided to stop at Good morning Vietnam, hidden in a small interior yard near the busy Bergmannstrasse. It was name after a famous American war comedy at the end of the 1980s.

The restaurant has a simple Asian-inspired design, with big black and white pictures from Vietnam on the walls and luxuriant outdoors vegetation that bring a note of friendliness to the metal construction. It has outdoor places, as well as a terrace, a good idea for the summer meals.

I got in touch with the Vietnamese cuisine relatively late in my foodie life, and I am still on the way to discover its meaning. Compared to the Chinese, Japanese and Vietnamese menus, with whom I am more used with, it involves a lot of fresh vegetables, less oil and frying. But as most of the names on the list did not tell me too much, I needed more time to think. Till a final decision, I ordered a Mekong Jules Mojito: a delicious and very cold combination of: Mekong Rum, Lime, soda, sugar, many mint leaves and a lot of ice cubes. Not too strong, not too sweet.

One of the Vietnamese specialities that I am in love at first sight with is the cold coffee, the perfect treat for the summer days, and after the mojito, it helped me to come back to the ground for finally ordering the proper meal(s).

The first guest: Nem Hanoi Dau Phu - veggie summer rolls, with Vietnamese rice cold noodles, salad and carrots, coriander, plus tofu, packed in transparent rice wraps. The rolls did not have a special taste in itself, but the nutty sauce brings it and makes it unforgettably tasty.

Next on the list: Dau Phu Saté: various veggies slightly boiled, with white rice, tofu and a special sauce. It might look innocent at the first sight but it was hot, way too hot.

The spicy veggies only brought even more appetite and I kept trying something new: Banh Kem - coconut pudding with honey caramel sauce. Very creamy, not too sweet, good for a slow food ending of the menu. As I was still left some cold coffee, the tastes went very well together. 

Was it too much gluttony, or just my curiosity to learn more about the Vietnamese cuisine. I felt a bit embarrassed when the lady in charge with our table asked me - twice - if all the food is only for me, but the ambiance was too pleasant - slow Vietnamese music and the smell of fresh red lily - to feel bad. Maybe the 'irreverent tendency' that made famous the main protagonist of the original movie was part of the customer service training. But right now, I couldn't care less, as I am more than ever interested to come back and order even more than that first time.