Transcript HERE - Zane Family Website

Remember this guy???
Duc, our favorite waiter
from the old Vietnam
Restaurant on S.P.I.D. in
Corpus Christi, Texas is
alive and doing very well.
He now owns and operates
his very own restaurant.
Hoi An
Duc lives in the small
town of Hoi An, just
south of Danang in
central Vietnam and
has a very successful
restaurant called
“Mango Rooms”.
We went to visit him
in January, 2007.
Mango Rooms
Cuisine
Vietnamese, Fusion
Hours
Daily 8am-midnight
Addres
s
111 Nguyen Thai Hoc
Locatio
n
With an entrance on riverside Bach Dang next
to the Saigon Times Club and just across
from Tam-Tam Café, Around Town
Phone
0510/910-839
Frommer's Review
You found it! The hippest little restaurant between Ho
Chi Minh and Hanoi. Owner and chef Duc spent his
formative years in Texas before earning his stripes in
hotels and fine-dining establishments. He brings to
Hoi An his own blend of cuisines, putting words like
salsa and Vietnamese nuoc mam (fish sauce) in
jarring juxtaposition, and serving up cool
combinations of California cuisine, down-home
barbecue, and Pacific Rim -- all stylishly presented in
a fashion that would make the grade among the finest
bistros of New York or San Francisco (he calls it
"Vietnamese with a twist served California-style").
Duc runs the show from an open central kitchen and
greets guests with a flamboyant, "Oh man, we're
rockin' tonight!" as he steps out from behind the grill
to see if he can help you find a seat and tempt you
with some new idea. Judging by the packed house
every night alone, he's doing something right. I
enjoyed some light mango spring rolls and a
"Buddha's Appetite" of tofu lightly sautéed in lemon
grass. Try the likes of La Tropicana, a chicken breast
with lemon grass and garlic, the "Asian Sins" of rice
noodles pan-fried with vegetables, garlic, onion, and
sweet basil, or seared tuna in rice paper. There are
fresh-fish specials daily. The drink list is long, and you
can't stump the Italian barman. Try the delicious
sticky rice with mango for dessert.
http://www.frommers.com/destinations/hoian/D57078.html
Duc’s restaurant is right on the main drag in Hoi An
Of course, getting there is half the fun, as Pam arrives via rickshaw.
Duc and some of his
crew were waiting at the
door as we arrived. It
was great to see his
smiling face!
Duc employs no less than 17 of these young Vietnamese ladies!
Duc is very proud of his little restaurant, which he decorated himself.
Mango Rooms is aptly named – it’s very colorful and cheerful.
Duc offers live cooking
demos and nights with
special entertainment.
As he says:
Come in and
He has a small but fully featured bar offering many specialty drinks.
Pam catches Duc up on all the latest gossip from Corpus Christi.
Duc and his girlfriend Lý share a toast in this cushy seating area in the back room.
Randy enjoys one of the tropical specialty drinks chock full of fruit.
Lý is from Philadelphia and stopped in for dinner one night. Since then, they’re a couple!
Duc prepares to do his magic. Note his scarf is now wrapped around his head!
The chef in action! He prepares 90-140 meals here each night.
Duc does the majority of the cooking, and his staff helps him plate it up.
Our appetizers, beautifully presented.
Pam smiles knowingly
after two cocktails
and a glass of wine.
The feast is about to
begin!
Our salads had fresh
shrimp and mango.
It tasted as good as it looks!
Local fish prepared with mango and other fresh vegetables. Note the garnishing.
Randy’s beef and noodles was excellent – no dog served here!
King prawns in pepper sauce. Yum! Life is good in Hoi An.
Lý smiles as we enjoy our meal on the terrace overlooking the river.
Duc continually came out
of the kitchen to make
sure all of his guests were
enjoying his creations.
Pam overheard the couple
next to us say theirs was
the best meal they had in
Vietnam.
Vietnamese aren’t known for desserts – but Duc serves wonderful fried bananas.
Mango Rooms as seen from across the river. The restaurant is 1st on the left with lights.
Duc, the master chef, hams it up!
Randy & Pam give Duc and Mango Rooms a big ‘thumbs up’.
Duc and Lý see us off.
He sends his regards to
all his friends and
former patrons in
Corpus Christi.
He would love for you to
come for a visit too!
Pam sports her going away present: a Mango Rooms T-shirt!
Tam biêt (goodbye) from Hoi An, Vietnam. Thanks for everything, Duc!
Many more photos from our trip to Cambodia and Vietnam (January 2007)
will soon be available on our website: www.zanefamily.com
You can contact Duc one of these ways.
He would love to hear from you!
Tran T. Duc
Mango Rooms Restaurant
111 Nguyen Thai Hoc
Hoi An, Quang Nam
Vietnam
Phone: +84 (510) 910839
Mobile: +84 (903) 840287
E-mail: [email protected]
(he checks e-mail only occasionally)