EAT DRINK ORGANIC. Blue Hen boasts of many Zagat, AOL, and Citysearch recognitions. So I was definitely made curious the moment I stepped inside. I agree, eating and drinking organic will not hurt for one to try, so I was made more enthusiastic to know of their claim about healthy, organic products coming out of their Vietnamese kitchen.
The menu was fairly simple and small. They had specials posted on the board so Joe had to try one of them right of the bat. We ordered turmeric fries (Japanese sweet potato) for our appetizer, vegetable Vietnamese crepe for Joe, and the caramelized ginger chicken and tofu for me.
The fries were served with diluted fish sauce and organic ketchup. WOW. Just something I do not see in my pantry often. I would like to, and I will because it tasted just like ketchup...even maybe how ketchup is supposed to taste like. By the way, the fries were normal. A cross between sweet potato and Yukon gold. If you've read my Spitz blog then you would know how I feel about "abnormal fries".
Work for your food best describes the crepe. Joe had such a hard time keeping it all together. It was a lot of bean sprouts and carrots with some tofu. Wrap it together and dip it in the sauce. Again, nothing out of the ordinary. In fact, working for something that I would rather NOT have defeats the purpose of a foodie enjoying her food. I am thankful I did not get this dish.
My plate sounds promising-BRAISED ORGANIC CHICKEN AND TOFU SERVED WITH RICE AND SIDE OF MARKET GREENS. Yummy, right? I guess. A foodie saying I guess is sacrilegious but this one has no choice. I really dismay in the fact that I have nothing good to say about this dish. Braised chicken that I could not even taste the ginger, simple slices of tofu that has been soaking in the sauce, Chinese broccoli on the side, and undercooked brown rice. The saltiness from the fish sauce just swims and penetrates each and every bite that it hits the back of your throat as you place each bite in your mouth. I was expecting a more ginger taste, but encountered the overpowering fish sauce instead. They also have to know that tofu is like a sponge. It starts tasteless and morphs into whatever liquid it absorbs. So as my chicken, tofu, rice, and side of market greens lay on the ladled sauce, I just had to pray my kidneys would get out of Blue Hen alive.
We had banana pudding after. Even though it wasn't the best I've had, I welcome the change of taste in my mouth. There is hope, after all.
Maybe we just ordered the wrong items on the menu. The place does show proof of many awards. Maybe my palate deceived me and the promise seduced me silly that my expectation were very unreasonable. I don't know, I guess. But it will take a long time for me to try Blue Hen gain. Next time I will stick to Lemongrass. It is just around the corner. It maybe a little bit pricier but organic or not...it is by far better.
The menu was fairly simple and small. They had specials posted on the board so Joe had to try one of them right of the bat. We ordered turmeric fries (Japanese sweet potato) for our appetizer, vegetable Vietnamese crepe for Joe, and the caramelized ginger chicken and tofu for me.
The fries were served with diluted fish sauce and organic ketchup. WOW. Just something I do not see in my pantry often. I would like to, and I will because it tasted just like ketchup...even maybe how ketchup is supposed to taste like. By the way, the fries were normal. A cross between sweet potato and Yukon gold. If you've read my Spitz blog then you would know how I feel about "abnormal fries".
Work for your food best describes the crepe. Joe had such a hard time keeping it all together. It was a lot of bean sprouts and carrots with some tofu. Wrap it together and dip it in the sauce. Again, nothing out of the ordinary. In fact, working for something that I would rather NOT have defeats the purpose of a foodie enjoying her food. I am thankful I did not get this dish.
My plate sounds promising-BRAISED ORGANIC CHICKEN AND TOFU SERVED WITH RICE AND SIDE OF MARKET GREENS. Yummy, right? I guess. A foodie saying I guess is sacrilegious but this one has no choice. I really dismay in the fact that I have nothing good to say about this dish. Braised chicken that I could not even taste the ginger, simple slices of tofu that has been soaking in the sauce, Chinese broccoli on the side, and undercooked brown rice. The saltiness from the fish sauce just swims and penetrates each and every bite that it hits the back of your throat as you place each bite in your mouth. I was expecting a more ginger taste, but encountered the overpowering fish sauce instead. They also have to know that tofu is like a sponge. It starts tasteless and morphs into whatever liquid it absorbs. So as my chicken, tofu, rice, and side of market greens lay on the ladled sauce, I just had to pray my kidneys would get out of Blue Hen alive.
We had banana pudding after. Even though it wasn't the best I've had, I welcome the change of taste in my mouth. There is hope, after all.
Maybe we just ordered the wrong items on the menu. The place does show proof of many awards. Maybe my palate deceived me and the promise seduced me silly that my expectation were very unreasonable. I don't know, I guess. But it will take a long time for me to try Blue Hen gain. Next time I will stick to Lemongrass. It is just around the corner. It maybe a little bit pricier but organic or not...it is by far better.
