A “Western Moment” in Saigon (skipping Saigon Street Food for a day)

A “Western Moment” in Saigon …

… skipping Saigon Street Food for a day

Even the most committed (obsessed) Saigon “Street-Foodie” occasionally has a weak moment and longs for some western food treats – or at least a meal at a restaurant that has a comfortable chair with back support!

Yesterday, I had that “western moment”.

Sitting on the bus, riding down super-crammed Cách Mạng Tháng Tám street on my way to center city Saigon, with the bus air conditioning NOT operational, I decided, this was a morning to pamper myself. (And tomorrow would be my birthday after all – so I certainly deserved it!)

Okay – So WHERE to eat lunch – in comfort??

I decided on Annam Gourmet Market.

There, I could sit upright in a comfortable chair, have a table at a level that would support my elbows, enjoy refreshing air conditioning while I ate, and have a nice selection of gourmet sandwiches from which to choose.

And the real bonus – afterward, I could browse their food market filled with quite an amazing selection of western gourmet treats.

A wonderful trip across the sea to another continent and another culture – all a short walk from my Saigon bus stop!

I decided on the smoked ham and emmental cheese sandwich.

Very yummy! Fresh greens and tomato slices complimenting the tasty slices of ham and sharp cheese in a rather large baguette. My token gesture this meal to my current country of residence – I order sô đa chanh to drink. Soda water (Shweppes), freshly cut lime wedges, and sugar syrup all squeezed, mixed together and poured over ice. Life was good again this morning – in a western kind of way.

I decided to skip dessert at lunch. I still had those unwelcome extra kilograms (2.2 pounds) following me everywhere.

But, that didn’t mean I couldn’t enjoy assessing the chocolate content in the brownies or the freshness of the lemon fruit tarts in Annam’s bakery display.

Or marveling at the French mustards, the Italian pastas, or the American canned soups available there. And all at standard western prices (adjusted upwards a bit for the “convenience” of not having to consume your 50-pound airline baggage weight limit with smoked gouda cheese balls or cans of Pringles potato chips tucked between your swimming trunks and mosquito repellent.)

The real “find” of my shopping day at Annam Market was the crunchy low-fat granola with raisins (packed by Sweet Home Farm in Eugene, Oregon, USA)! My classic breakfast back in California, and my favorite non-Phở breakfast here in Saigon. I snatched up 2 boxes. That would hold me for a month’s worth of eat-at-home breakfasts on those days I chose to retreat from the street chaos and enjoy a casual breakfast in my own kitchen.

And, oh yes, one bottle of Tequila for tomorrow night’s birthday margaritas!!

UPDATE – January, 2020:  Annam Gourmet Market has several new locations that I’ll need to explore!

Annam Gourmet Market
16-18 Hai Ba Trung Street
District 1
+848 8822 9332
(other locations in Saigon: www.annam.gourmet.com)

View Annam Gourmet Market in a larger map