Attending the food tasting session – in addition to the members of VNA’ Food and Beverage Specialist Team – were Lotusmiles Platinum members. This provided VNA with more objective input to better understand customers’ expectations in improving service quality.
With rich flavors of Central and Southern traditional cuisine, the four new dishes introduced by Food Ambassador Luke Nguyen were: Braised fish, Pan-fried duck breast with Phu Quoc pepper sauce, Cao Lau, and Grilled fish in banana leaf.
In addition to these four unique dishes, the participants also had a taste of Song Cai Gin, a special type of Gin coming from the northern mountains of Vietnam.
Among the four dishes tested, two typical Central and Southern dishes that meet the criteria of quality and aesthetics will be served as in-flight meals in the future.
Braised fish
As one of the most popular staple dishes in Southern Vietnam, braised fish is a familiar dish of many Southern families. The combination of spicy, salty, and sweet flavors subtly creates an extremely tasty entree. Traditionally, the fish is braised and served in a clay pot. At VNA, Chef Luke Nguyen upgraded this traditional dish by using premium fish sauce and coconut water from the Southern regions of Vietnam.
Pan-fried duck breast with Phu Quoc pepper sauce
The “Southern food tour” continued with pan-fried duck breast with Phu Quoc pepper sauce. The original charcoal-grilled duck is found throughout the southern regions of Vietnam and elevated in the hands of the talented chef using the “sous vide” technique (cooking for an extended period at low temperature, helping to ensure consistency, as well as preserve taste and freshness). It is then pan-fried to make sure the duck is crispy and cooked to perfection. The dish offers both modern flavors with smoked mashed potatoes and traditional flavors with tomato sauce and Phu Quoc pepper.
Cao Lau
Cao Lau is the culinary gem of Hoi An’s ancient town, as referenced in a famous folk song of the Quang Nam people: “People visiting Hoi An ancient town should never miss Cao Lau at Phuc Kien.”
Hoi An Cao Lau noodles are served with soy-braised pork and crispy pork. The noodle recipe is truly a prized family secret in Hoi An. The noodle strings are very unique because they are made using water from Ba Le well and soaked in ash for their turmeric-like pale yellow color. Using al dente pasta for this dish helps create an exciting texture (the strings are moderately cooked to be chewy, not soggy) perfectly harmonizing with the crispy pork.
Grilled fish in banana leaf
As a rustic dish with a taste of home, grilled fish in banana leaf is a very popular dish in the Central region of Vietnam. This dish is medically beneficial thanks to ingredients such as turmeric, galangal, and lemongrass. Chef Luke Nguyen added freshness and flavor to the recipe by plating the fish with a light green mango and some lettuce.
With four dishes of traditional flavors prepared by Food Ambassador Luke Nguyen, VNA’ journey to bring traditional flavors on each flight is expected to offer passengers unforgettable experiences.
Nguyen Mai Huong-COMM
