Hoi An Market

Morning in Hoi An, before the shops open

 Flower seller in the Hoi An market

 Chicken vendor at the Hoi An market

 Shoppers at Hoi An market.  Note the helmets over the hats.

Dawn at Hoi An

Dawn along the Thu Bon river, Hoi An, a truly beautiful place

Ang Bang Beach at Hoi An

Ang Ban beach is one of two beautiful beaches located just a short bike ride from the centre of Hoi An.  The South China Sea waters are clean and refreshing, there’s usually a nice little body surfer’s shore break, the beach is clean and the umbrellas offer plenty of shade.  The Cham islands in the background can be visited on a low-cost day excursion from the Hoi An wharf.

Swim at An Bang beach, Hoi An taking comfort in the knowledge that the ever vigilant lifeguards are looking out for you. 

If lolling around on Ang Ban beach is all too hard , you can retreat to the bars and cafes overlooking the beach for a cold beer, a fresh coconut, some snacks or whatever else is on offer and takes your fancy.  

Upcoming Events (Walking Tours and Cooking Classes)

Hi all,

The following table are the exciting upcoming events for October 2012 and November 2012:

6 October 2012 VACANCIES	Footscray Walking Tour
13 October 2012  FULL	Footscray Walking Tour
20 October 2012  FULL	Footscray Walking Tour
27 October 2012  VACANCIES	Footscray Cooking Class
10 November 2012  VACANCIES	Springvale Walking Tour
17 November 2012  FULL	Springvale Walking Tour
25 November 2012  (Sunday)	Cleanskin Cooking Class (Phillip Island)  For all bookings, please go to  www.cleanskinkitchenware.com.au

For more details, please contact us at (03) 9332 6848 or leon@vietnamonaplate.com.au

Vietnam Trip 2012

Hoi An’s riverfront outdoor hawker stalls, cafes and restaurants where one can enjoy cool fruit juice, fresh coconuts, Vietnamese beer and delicious foods while gazing at passersby, fanned by the cooling river breezes. 

Dusk in Hoi An, serene and peaceful, viewed from a river boat cruising lazily along the river.

Visiting a Vietnamese herb and vegetable garden along the river in Hoi An, gardener in attendance.  The young herbs and mints are carefully weeded and nurtured

In the heat of the day, shops in Hoi An seem cool and inviting, shaded by lovely flowering plants, quite typical of Vietnamese shop fronts and houses. 

Fresh fruit vendor in the market in Hoi An.  Note the green oranges, dragon fruit, green mangoes and jambu nestling next to the more familiar apples, pears and grapes.

Vietnam On A Plate Footscray and Springvale Tours

Hello all,

2012 has been a topsy-turvy year for us with travel, Melbourne Food and Wine Festival, some cooking classes and lots of personal commitments on weekends, so we haven’t had much of a chance to run many tours. 

We want to change all that and advise you that we have the following Saturdays available for tours of either Footscray or Springvale Asian shopping precincts:

July 14^th and 21^st

August 4^th and 25^th

September  No days available

October 6^th and 13th

We need a minimum of four and have a maximum of eight for each tour, but don’t think you have to have four in your group as I collect names and contact details and put tours together when we have the numbers.  The all-inclusive cost is $77/person.   For more details, please see below: 

GUIDED WALKING TOURS OF MELBOURNE’S BEST ASIAN FOOD CENTRES

Footscray has the biggest and best selection of Asian produce in inner Melbourne.  Fresh and frozen, cooked and uncooked, packaged, pickled and preserved – it’s all there and more.

Springvale Shopping Centre, in Melbourne’s south-east, is home to dozens of exciting food shops operated by people from all over South East Asia – Cambodia, Laos, China, Thailand, Vietnam and India.

Both areas have their own characteristics, but have one thing in common: to the uninitiated, the vast range of food, colours, tastes and aromas is amazing and, for many, bewildering. 

Find your way through your choice of Melbourne’s leading Asian food centres with Vietnam On A Plate’s Ingredients Tours.  We walk and talk you through Asian mini-super markets, fabulous fish shops, Chinese herbalists, great cake and sweets shops and a vast collection of  greengrocers, butchers and  other specialty food stores.  We’ll show you places you never knew existed.    We show you some of the better places to buy the right ingredients and fresh Asian produce for your next Asian dish.  We give you tips on how to buy, use and store the best quality produce.  Our tours are relaxed, informal and informative – and we share with you some of the secrets of creating great Asian food.

At the end, enjoy a delicious and different Asian meal at one of the many cafes with which both shopping centres are blessed

At Footscray, there is ample parking at our starting point on the roof of the Footscray Market, (enter from Irving Street).  Train, tram and bus take you right to the market.

Melways map 42 reference D4.

 

Getting to Springvale Shopping Centre is easy. It’s right next to Springvale station and  buses run along Springvale Road. For drivers, there is plenty of parking at our starting point at the rear of Nan Yang supermarket, (enter from Warwick Avenue).

Melways  map 79 reference K9.

Walking Tours are held for a minimum of four people.  Allow about two and a half  hours, plus eating time.  Tours are held Saturday mornings, starting at 9:30. Group bookings may be possible  on other days.  The frequency of tours is dependent on demand.

Tour cost is $77 per person, all inclusive.       Bookings are essential for all tours 

Telephone 9332 6848,  9689 1186
Email: leon@vietnamonaplate.com.au

Vietnam On A Plate Cooking Classes

Vietnam On A Plate conducts cooking classes by special arrangement.  We teach you cooking preparation techniques and how to use those mysterious herbs, mints and Asian vegetables you find in the Asian groceries and fresh food markets. We also take you on walking tours to food precincts specialising in Asian foods to discover where to buy and how to select the ingredients required to make your next wonderful meal to cheer your friends and family – watch out for our next blog post!!

Here are some pictures from a recent cooking class at our premises :

How to make your own rice paper rolls

Rice paper rolls and dipping sauce ingredients

Cucumber being sliced for rice paper rolls

Preparation for rice paper rolls

Rice paper rolls - step 1

Rice paper rolls - step 2

Rice paper rolls - step 3

Rice paper rolls - step 4

Rice paper rolls - ready to eat

See you soon at our upcoming walking tours!

From all of us at VOAP :) 

Hello everyone,

We apologise for being a bit slow to respond to your emails.  Work, family, holidays, visitors and a lot of other things just weighed us both down for a while.

We’ve put together the schedule below to let you know what we’re planning.

COOKING

St Albans: 4 classes plus a walking tour commencing Monday 21^st May

In conjunction with Brimbank City Council,  Vietnam On a  Plate is conducting  classes from 6 PM to 9 PM for four Monday nights commencing Monday 21^st May.  The course includes a Saturday morning walking tour through the St Albans Asian shopping precinct for students to learn how to source the ingredients.  The classes will be held in the very well equipped cooking school at the Catholic Regional College, St Albans. 

Cost is $200 for the 5 session course.  If you are interested, you must book with Brimbank Council.  Please click here for booking details. 

Limited to eleven participants and there are still vacancies

_________________________________________________________________________

Footscray:  half-day Saturday “hands on” workshops at our home base.

The next available workshops will be on 30^th June and 28^th July.  

Start time 12 noon through to around 4:00 PM.  Maximum 8 per workshop.  The cost is $99 inc GST.  BYO apron and note book.  Printed recipes will be supplied.

Bookings are now open on 9332 6848, 0411 578 641 or 

by email to:  leon@vietnamonaplate.com.au
_________________________________________________________________________


Cleanskin Kitchenware Cooking Classes at Phillip Island: Sunday 8th July and Sunday 25^th November

Half-day hands on workshops at this very popular and well equipped venue which is within one of the better kitchenware stores one would see anywhere. 

For times, cost and other booking details go to the Cleanskin website   http://www.cleanskinkitchenware.com.au/

_________________________________________________________________________

See you SOON at our exciting events! 


From all of us at VOAP :)  

This is St Albans - The Flavour of the West

Hi all, 

In conjunction with "This is St Albans  - The Flavour of the West" with Brimbank City Council, Mei Ling Perry of Vietnam on A Plate will be conducting the Cooking the St Albans Way" cooking classes over 5 sessions. 

The dates for  "Cooking the St Albans Way" with Mei Ling Perry of Vietnam on A Plate are as follows: 

4 x practical sessions in Food Technology Laboratory, Catholic Regional College St Albans: 21 May, 28 May, 4 June, 18 June 2012 (6.30 p.m. - 8.30 p.m.)

1 x  field visit to the St Albans shopping precinct: 3 June 2012 (9.00 a.m - 11.00 a.m. or 12.00 noon - 2.00p.m.) 

The cost to participate is $200 for the 5 part series, limited to 10 participants. 

In addition, there is also a Vietnamese Language Course, taught by a friend of ours. The course will give one a basic understanding of the Vietnamese language and will be conducted upstairs at Ha Long, 31A Alfrieda Street, St Albans over 8 sessions (21 May, 28 May, 4 June, 18 June, 25 June, 2 July, 9 July, 16 July 2012). Those who like to take part in this course can do so at a cost of $275 for 8 classes, limited to 10 participants. 

For more information or to register your interest, please contact Brimbank City Council's Economic Development Unit at ecodev@brimbank.vic.gov.au or call Brian O'Dwyer on 9249 4630. 

Alternatively, please visit the Brimbank City Council website for more details:

http://www.brimbank.vic.gov.au/News/Media_Releases_2012/May_2012/This_is_St_Albans_New_program_offers_opportunity_to_experience_%E2%80%98The_Flavour_of_the_West%E2%80%99

Short Singapore Trip

Hi all,

Singapore has many food courts offering an array of hawker style foods at reasonable prices.  One such place is a food court where the decor is scholarly with bookcases and fake book covers.  It is located in the Suntech Convention Centre, which is easily accessed from a number of MRT stations.  

Quite a good range of food is available ranging from suckling pig (the real thing, not the larger teenage piglets) to one of the best parathas in the island of Singapore and also Thunder Tea soup noodles (using tea for flavouring).

It is not to be confused with another foodcourt in the adjacent Suntech shopping centre which houses the (yet to be world famous) Japanese Royce' chocolate boutique with its signature luscious green tea chocolate.  I first came across the Royce' chocolates in Niseko in a Royce' cafe outside the Niseko Hilton.  Royce' has the very best hot chocolate I have ever tasted after a morning of skiing in powder snow but I have yet to bring myself to try their potato chip chocolates.  

It was a wonderful surprise to find that Royce' chocolates are available in Malaysia in the Tropicana City Shopping Mall in Petaling Jaya, Selangor and also in Singapore’s Suntech food court. However, I did not see any sign of the Royce' chocolates in Vietnam but there are other equally expensive foreign brands available in the more exclusive parts of Ho Chi Minh city. 

VOAP Footscray Walking Tour (10 March 2012)

Hi all,

Hope you all had a great long weekend! As mentioned before, we had two Vietnam On A Plate Walking Tours in Footscray in conjunction with the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival on the 3rd of March 2012 and the 10th of March 2012. Thank you for joining us and we hope you had as good a time as we had!

Further to that, we got a testimonial blog post from one of our customers, Kyrstie from last Saturday (VOAP Footscray Walking Tour 10th March 2012).  Below are some screenshots of her post:

Thank you for your lovely blog post, Kyrstie! http://afreshlegacy.net/fried-flour-cake 

She also took some lovely pictures of vegetables at the Footscray Market, of the different kinds of traditional Vietnamese food at lunch and of various grocery store goodies. 

Thank you for that! :)

Upcoming Event: 
Please register with our Cooking Classes (Vietnam On A Plate: The Main Event #2 and South-East Asian Curries with Mei Ling Perry  in Philip Island over the Easter Weekend (08 April 2012) at  http://www.cleanskinkitchenware.com.au/  if you're interested!

Please feel free to contact us at (03) 9332 6848 or leon@vietnamonaplate.com.au if you have any queries!
We look forward to seeing you at our next event!

From all of us at VOAP :)

VIETNAM ON A PLATE®: THE MAIN EVENT #2 with Mei Ling Perry (08 April 2012, 9.00 a.m. - 12.00 p.m.)

VIETNAM ON A PLATE®: THE MAIN EVENT #2 with Mei Ling Perry

Date: 08-Apr-2012
Capacity: Not Set (0% booked)

Sunday April 8, 9.00am – 12.00pm (3 hrs) Cost $89.00

VIETNAM ON A PLATE®: THE MAIN EVENT #2 with Mei Ling Perry 

Fully Hands On 

For many years Mei Ling Perry has been conducting walking tours of Melbourne‘s best Asian centres in Springvale and Footscray. Specialising in Vietnamese and South-East Asian cuisine, Mei Ling’s knowledge of ingredients and culinary skills are legendary. She has appeared on TV cooking shows including Huey‘s Cooking Adventures and Coxy‘s Big Break. Vietnam On A Plate conducts tours of Vietnam and Mei Ling also teaches cooking classes in the USA. Discover the fresh delights of authentic Vietnamese food that caters for vegetarians and meat eaters alike!  Zinging with freshness, Mei Ling’s dishes truly are an absolute culinary event ... delights for the eye as well as the palate. You will also learn some essential techniques used to prepare these, and many other, Asian dishes. Dishes to be prepared include Vietnamese Beef Stew in Red Wine, Cai Ngoc (leafy asian green vegetable) with  Chinese Sausage, Tofu with both Oyster Sauce or Vegetarian Sauce, Chinese Broccoli prepared two ways, and Jasmine Rice scented with Pandan Leaves. Class participants will prepare, cook and consume, these delicious dishes as theclass progresses!

For bookings, please go to: http://www.cleanskinkitchenware.com.au/BookingRetrieve.aspx?ID=26507&A=SearchResult&SearchID=3516704&ObjectID=26507&ObjectType=48

SOUTH-EAST ASIAN CURRIES with Mei Ling Perry (08 April 2012, 2.00 p.m. - 5.00 p.m.)

SOUTH-EAST ASIAN CURRIES with Mei Ling Perry

Date: 08-Apr-2012

Capacity: Not Set (0% booked)

Sunday April 8, 2.00pm – 5.00pm (3 hrs) Cost $59.00

SOUTH-EAST ASIAN CURRIES with Mei Ling Perry

Combination Observation & Hands On

For many years Mei Ling Perry has been conducting walking tours of Melbourne‘s best Asian centres in Springvale and Footscray. Specialising in Vietnamese and South-East Asian cuisine, Mei Ling’s knowledge of ingredients and culinary skills are legendary. She has appeared on TV cooking shows including Huey‘s Cooking Adventures and Coxy‘s Big Break. Vietnam On A Plate® conducts tours of Vietnam and Mei Ling also teaches cooking classes in the USA. The focus of this class will be the various techniques used to create three very different, yet complimentary curries: Vietnamese Chicken Curry Lemongrass and Coconut milk, Malaysian Beef Rendang Curry with Coconut Milk, and Thai Vegetable Curry with Kaffir Lime Leaves. You will learn how to create these curries, making curry pastes with fresh ingredients and Asian spices. Preparation and cooking techniques covered include the correct use of the mortar and pestle in comparison to the food processor, and many tips on selecting and prepping Asian vegetables. Class participants will observe and help prepare these delicious dishes, with tastings for all as the class progresses!

For bookings, please go to: http://www.cleanskinkitchenware.com.au/BookingRetrieve.aspx?ID=26565

Testimonials and Comments

2012
25 November 2012, 9:30 a.m. - 12.30 p.m.
Cleanskin Kitchenware - 'Vietnam On A Plate Cooking Classes'
http://www.cleanskinkitchenware.com.au/BookingRetrieve.aspx?ID=34041
Write-up on Mei Ling Perry: http://www.cleanskinkitchenware.com.au/_webapp_1424823/Mei_Ling_Perry

3 March 2012, 10 March 2012, 9.30 a.m. - 2.00 p.m.
'Feasting in Footscray - Vietnam On A Plate'
http://www.aroundyou.com.au/events/feasting-in-footscray-vietnam-on-a-plate#.T1WiWfEgeSo
http://www.melbournefoodandwine.com.au/event/2689
http://www.vu.edu.au/events/vietnam-on-a-plate
http://www.liveguide.com.au/Arts_and_Theatres/723466/Melbourne_Food_and_Wine_Festival_2012_Vietnam_On_A_Plate/Melbourne_Food_and_Wine_Festival_2012_Vietnam_On_A_Plate_2012?event_id=723466

28 February 2012
'Footscray and food make a fine mix' by Charlene Gatt
http://www.starnewsgroup.com.au/star/footscray-yarraville/337/story/149422.html
Herald Sun - 'Vietnam On A Plate'
http://events.heraldsun.com.au/featured/vietnam-on-a-plate#.T1WsbvEgeSo
Fodor's Travel Intelligence - 'Tours in Melbourne (Food Tour)'
http://www.fodors.com/world/australia-and-the-pacific/australia/victoria/melbourne/travel-tip_2341932.html
Sunbury Leader - 'Vietnam On A Plate'
http://events.sunbury-leader.whereilive.com.au/featured/vietnam-on-a-plate?occurs_on=today#.T1WwrPEgeSo
Whittlesea Leader - 'Vietnam On A Plate'
http://events.whittlesea-leader.whereilive.com.au/featured/vietnam-on-a-plate#.T1aQOfEgeSo


2011
July 29 Business Newsletter - "Learning, Earning and Networking No 1 - Vietnam On A Plate"
http://www.maribyrnong.vic.gov.au/Page/Page.asp?Page_id=7214&h=-1&newsletter=true
http://www.whitehat.com.au/melbourne/Events/ToursM.asp

2010
October 30 Vietnam On A Plate Tours
http://www.aroundyou.com.au/events/vietnam-on-a-plate-tours--2#.T1arZPEgeSp
October 23 'Vietnam on city doorstep' by Tricia Welsh http://www.smh.com.au/travel/activity/food-and-wine/vietnam-on-city-doorstep-20101022-16x4n.html
May 9 'Delicious Vietnam #1 - 'Vietnam on a Plate'' by Lauren
http://footscrayfoodblog.blogspot.com.au/2010/05/delicious-vietnam-1-vietnam-on-plate.html
May 23 'Vietnam on a plate' by Enza Gandolfo
http://femaleflaneur.wordpress.com/2010/05/23/vietnam-on-a-plate/
May 1
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thescooponnutrition/4567572396/ by Scoop Nutrition
March 23
"Vietnam on a Plate" Food Tour by Q Strategies
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.379651650605.158965.177195710605&type=3


2009
Maribyrnong Leader. 'Vietnam on a plate - it's yours for the walking'
http://maribyrnong-leader.whereilive.com.au/news/story/vietnam-on-a-plate-it-s-yours-for-the-walking/


2003
August 14 'Eating in Footscray' by Leon Betheras
http://www.miettas.com/restaurants/rest_96-00/footscray.html

Good Food #1

Beef jerky salad, Hanoi

Pomelo Salad, Hanoi 

Beauty of Sapa

We made a recent trip to Vietnam in December 2011. Here's a few pictures from our trip to Sapa, Vietnam. Sapa is situated close to the border with China, in the Lao Cai province. 

Sapa market 

Among the few things that caught our eye were the vegetarian ingredients for hot pot in the Red Dzao restaurant, especially after having a glimpse of the young men preparing the ingredients at the back of the restaurant! 

Here's a souvenir shop in Sapa.  

 Young hill tribe mom carrying her baby at the souvenior shop. 

 Dad carrying his son on his way up to the hill. 

We were amazed by the scenic beauty of Sapa, to say the least! 

More pictures and updates to come! 

From all of us at VOAP :) 

Blogsite Revamped!

Hello all, 

First, thank you for your continuous support over the years! 

Our Footscray Walking Tour over the weekend was quite a success, despite the light rain. It was held in conjunction with the 2012 Melbourne Food and Wine Festival. Very excited for our next Footscray Walking Tour this Saturday (10 March 2012), and it's already booked out! 

Secondly, as you may have noticed, we have done some revamps with many exciting new features (located at the sidebar) to our blog site and we will be having regular updates with pictures of good food finds soon! 

Stay tuned! 

From all of us at VOAP

Guided Walking Tours 2012

GUIDED WALKING TOURS OF MELBOURNE’S BEST ASIAN FOOD CENTRES

Footscray has the biggest and best selection of Asian produce in inner Melbourne. Fresh and frozen, cooked and uncooked, packaged, pickled and preserved – it’s all there and more.

Springvale Shopping Centre, in Melbourne’s south-east, is home to dozens of exciting food shops operated by people from all over South East Asia – Cambodia, Laos, China, Thailand, Vietnam and India.

Both areas have their own characteristics, but have one thing in common: to the uninitiated, the vast range of food, colours, tastes and aromas is amazing and, for many, bewildering. 

Find your way through your choice of Melbourne’s leading Asian food centres with Vietnam On A Plate’s Ingredients Tours. We walk and talk you through Asian mini-super markets, fabulous fish shops, Chinese herbalists, great cake and sweets shops and a vast collection of  greengrocers, butchers and  other specialty food stores. We’ll show you places you never knew existed. We show you some of the better places to buy the right ingredients and fresh Asian produce for your next Asian dish. We give you tips on how to buy, use and store the best quality produce. Our tours are relaxed, informal and informative – and we share with you some of the secrets of creating great Asian food.

At the end, enjoy a delicious and different Asian meal at one of the many cafes with which both shopping centres are blessed

At Footscray, there is ample parking at our starting point on the roof of the Footscray Market, (enter from Irving Street).  Train, tram and bus take you right to the market.

Melways map 42 reference D4.

 

Getting to Springvale Shopping Centre is easy. It’s right next to Springvale station and buses run along Springvale Road. For drivers, there is plenty of parking at our starting point at the rear of Nan Yang supermarket, (enter from Warwick Avenue).

Melways map 79 reference K9.

Walking Tours are held for a minimum of four people. Allow about two and a half  hours, plus eating time. Tours are held Saturday mornings, starting at 9:30 a.m. Group bookings may be possible on other days. The frequency of tours is dependent on demand.

Tour cost is $77 per person, all inclusive.                 

Bookings are essential for all tours

Telephone 9332 6848                                         Email: leon@vietnamonaplate.com.au