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 enlarge | Author: Ann Le
Creator: Julie Fay
Publisher: Globe Pequot
Category: Book
List Price: $15.95
Buy New: $10.85
You Save: $5.10 (32%)
New (22) Used (11) Collectible (1) from $5.99
Avg. Customer Rating:  43 reviews
Sales Rank: 10384
Media: Paperback
Edition: 1st
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 224
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 7 x 1.5 x 0.8
ISBN: 0762738316
Dewey Decimal Number: 641.59597
EAN: 9780762738311
ASIN: 0762738316
Publication Date: January 1, 2006
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Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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| Customer Reviews:
 Don't understand the hype August 21, 2007
17 out of 20 found this review helpful
I am completely perplexed by the multitude of 5-star reviews for this cookbook. 35 of 37 reviews gave 5 stars, the other 2 reviews 4 stars at the time of writing this. Not a single other person out there was even remotely dissatisfied? Something seems wrong...
I'm not Vietnamese but I live near Little Saigon and eat there quite often so I think I have a pretty good grasp of the cuisine and how everything should taste. It's my favorite cuisine, and I have even learned to cook some of the dishes from friends, etc. I bought this book because I wanted to expand my repetoire, however, everything I have tried has come out tasting 'off'.
I found the directions in the recipes to be either misleading or not descriptive enough. Take the bu'n rie^u recipe, for example. The ingredients call for a large onion, pealed. In the directions, she just instructs you to saute the onion in a small skillet. Obviously you are not expected to saute a whole onion, however there is no mention as to whether you should quarter it, dice it, chop or mince it, etc. as you would expect in any other cookbook. Not to mention a large onion + shallots + crab won't even fit in a small skillet. That may sound picky but for a cuisine that is still considered somewhat exotic and unfamiliar to most Americans I think these kind of details are very important if the food is going to come out right.
The good aspects of this book are the descriptions of the culture, cuisine, and history of Little Saigon and it's people, which is really quite interesting. I just wouldn't recommend using this book to try cooking the food. I would suggest maybe trying the more detailed (albeit more difficult) "Into the Vietnamese Kitchen" cookbook for that.
In short, to^i kho^ng thi'ch sa'ch na`y.
Thank you!!! July 9, 2007
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
I am an Indian who is married to a Vietnamese. I have always loved cooking and never have been afraid to try something different. I am always searching for authentic Vietnamese cookbooks in English and I have to say that this one is going to be my favorite. I thank Ms. Le for writing this book in such a detail and for her recipes.
Love it! April 11, 2007
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
I like to try my hand at cooking foods I enjoy eating in restaurants and Vietnamese happens to be one of my favorites. I borrowed this book from the library and cooked several dishes, all which came out absolutely delicious. I liked it so much that after I returned the book to the library, I bought my own copy on amazon.It looks like I'll be able to recreate my favorite rice vermicelli, spring rolls, and pho dishes at home on a regular basis. For anyone who wants to try their hand at cooking Vietnamese dishes at home this one's a definite keeper.
Armenian man with a vietnamese food fetish March 2, 2007
12 out of 12 found this review helpful
I've always had a thing for vietnamese food. I love everything about it, only problem is, I've just never been able to cook any of it. Born into an Armenian kitchen, the flavors, spices, and methods of cooking I've learned do me no good. I had resigned myself to eating out for vietnamese the rest of my life.
Then I saw an article in the March issue of Sunset magazine. A girl with dimples promising to teach me how to make vietnamese food. On a rare impulse, I bought The Little Saigon Cookbook (I think it hit a chord of sentimentality since I live in LIttle Armenia). The recipes are simple, fast, and delicious! I've now been able to make new friends and influence people using my new found cullinary skills. Thank you Ann Le!
Brings a piece of Vietnam to American kitchens. October 15, 2006
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
Southern California's Little Saigon Restaurant serves as the inspiration for a cookbook of the same name, providing Vietnamese specialties geared to home cooks. From Braised Eggplant and Tofu in Caramel sauce to Traditional Spring Rolls and Whole Salted Fish with Lemongrass and Chili Paste, THE LITTLE SAIGON COOKBOOK: VIETNAMESE CUISINE AND CULTURE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA'S LITTLE SAIGON brings a piece of Vietnam to American kitchens.
Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch
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