More about eating

Enjoyment at eating establishments is a common theme of our travels and blog posts. With the torrential rain and flooded streets of the last 3 days Hoi An has proved no exception.
On our first night here we went to something of a Hoi An institution, Cafe de Amis. Along the river near the market this place only serves a set menu (about 6 courses)for 40,000 VND (about $5US), with a choice of meat, seafood or a vegetarian menu. The menu changes every night and is whatever the chef/owner Mr Kim decides to cook that night. Apparently if the menu is the same you eat for free. Mr Kim is more front of house these days I think, he was very attentive to all the guests, explaining the dishes and showing us his book with recommendations from visitors - including for us all the ones from New Zealanders. He even greeted and farewelled us with Kia Ora and Hare Ra.
The three of us (we were with an Australian girl K) ordered three different menus and all were delicious in thier own way - the only problem was the number and size meant that getting through all of them was near impossible (and made my clothes fitting the next morning a little difficult).
Our other major discovery was a wonderful place called Cafe 43. I noticed it is in the newest addition of Lonely Planet, but unlike many of the other places they recommend it has not suffered what Simon and I have termed the "Lonely Planet kiss of death" where sufferers are afflicted with very poor service and/or have turned into something akin to a family restaurant (Cobb&Co/Valentines for NZers). We went there three times and I honestly don't think it will change - the food is fantastic and the family are generous, inviting and very humble. Our second visit was for a cooking class, where they took us behind the scenes and taught just Simon and I to cook up dishes we chose from the menu - awesome I now know the secret to their delicious steamed fish in banana leaf!! If you go there make sure to talk to their daughter, she can write English very well but doesn't get to practice her English and is too shy to ask. We found out so many more interesting things about Vietnam from her.