I start this blog because…
I have been wanting to write a blog at some point before,
Yet I have no idea what I should write about or what topic I am truly passionate about. Up until recently, I started noticing that there are so many new Viet cafes, restaurants even coffee businesses slowly opening up more and more. When I first came to Auckland in 2017, I only remember 1 place in the city center, and now there are way more than 10, which is awesome. Even though I am a fan of Vietnamese coffee, I seem to forget the influence of our culture, cuisine, and how vast Vietnamese coffee is, so today I decided to write about it.
There is quite a lot to learn about Vietnamese coffee, and there is no shortage of articles about Vietnamese coffee and recipes online. This is just another Vietnamese coffee blog, told from my point of view, I want to share my experiences and memories about Vietnamese coffee in Hanoi as well as in New Zealand, and I am curious about everyone's experiences with it. Besides, I want to contribute and support Vietnamese businesses and entrepreneurs out here, and most of all, create a community where Vietnamese coffee lovers can learn, explore more and share their experiences.
Growing up with Vietnamese coffee
I tried coffee a couple of times when I was 17 years old, but I still frowned and criticized the bitterness, still didn't understand how a person could drink 2-3 cups of black coffee in a day. Although it wasn't until I started working in Taupo, gradually drinking espresso blends like latte, and mocha with different sweet syrups, didn’t know that my love for Vietnamese coffee actually started when I was a little kid. If you have read my other article about coffee culture, then you know the after-breakfast routine of me and my father. I will never forget the space and view where we often sit. A cafe on the street, near my house, although it was open inside, most people sat on small plastic chairs on the sidewalk. Every weekend is the same, everything is crowded and noisy, motorbikes honk non-stop, it is hot and humid, and the shop owner installs several wall fans, but none of which can cope with the heat in Hanoi. Here we are with a cup of iced black coffee, along with a cup of tea to rinse off after breakfast for Dad, and for me a cup of yogurt with smashed ice, listening to his conversations with his friends. It's very simple, and the heat might not sound great for some people, but every time I come home, I still regularly have that same morning coffee routine with my dad, I start to chat with his friends now, but instead of that yogurt, I drink Vietnamese coffee. I even have the same routine with my friends, every time we catch up.
As for the first time I drank coffee, it was probably in New Zealand.
In 2016, at Saigonvan, a small Vietnamese restaurant in Dunedin, where my sister and I both worked there, it was my first part-time job in NZ. At that time, I remember that people didn't order many Vietnamese coffee, only people who knew about it or Vietnamese people who came there to eat. For anyone who orders Vietnamese coffee, I have to give a brief introduction on how to drink it. I watched my sisters prepare things to serve our signature phin coffee every shift. She was so familiar with the coffee sets that she almost had a system of making it like a machine, it was fascinating to watch her. After all that encounter, I still haven’t drunk it. The first time I actually drank Vietnamese coffee was not till a year later, in Auckland, the year my mother came to visit for my final year of high school, we traveled up from Dunedin. Mom knew I craved Vietnamese food, but at that time we were in a city far from home. We temporarily stayed in a small rented bedroom while going out, so we didn't have a kitchen to cook. We went looking for a Vietnamese restaurant near the port and found the first Vietnamese restaurant called Cafe Hanoi. We ordered two bowls of pho and a cup of coffee, oh my god, it hit the spot! It really satisfied my cravings, and that's when I realized Vietnamese coffee is incredibly delicious. It's not bitter like the way my father drinks it, it's sweeter than drinking it with fresh milk. Mixing it with condensed milk is truly a great idea and most suitable for people like me who are just starting to drink coffee. I finally get why people love Vietnamese coffee. The bitterness, and the strong earthy flavor blend perfectly with the sweetness from the condensed milk, but not overpowering the coffee taste. From then on, my Vietnamese food order always comes with Vietnamese coffee. With the growth of Vietnamese restaurants in Auckland, I can easily have Vietnamese coffee anytime I want, and that is thanks to all of the restaurant owners and coffee providers.
And those are my experiences with Vietnamese coffee and why I decided to create this blog. I slowly realized that a lot of my Vietnamese coffee experience is attached to my family memories both in Vietnam and New Zealand, which makes this more special. I can’t wait to try more Vietnamese coffee from different places in New Zealand to share many more stories and experiences later if you are interested. Thanks for following.
So what's your experience with Vietnamese coffee?
