Australian media hails Vietnamese “beef in a leaf” as one of world’s best dishes
VOV.VN - Australian travel publication Traveller of The Sydney Morning Herald recently published an article calling the classic “thịt bò nướng lá lốt”, or “beef in a leaf”, as one of the best dishes on the planet.
According to Ben Groundwater, the author of the article, the mix of sweetness, savouriness, smokiness, sourness, and crunch makes the dish one of the best globally.
In order to make it, minced beef is mixed with all sorts of goodness, including shallots, garlic, black pepper, sugar, fish sauce, and oyster sauce, before being rolled in a lolot leaf and grilled, ideally over charcoal, the article wrote.
These little fingers of deliciousness are then topped with crushed peanuts and fresh herbs, before being dipped in a pungent, fermented anchovy sauce called mắm nêm.
“Bò lá lốt” comes from the south of Vietnam. In Ho Chi Minh City guests are recommended to make their way to Bò Lá Lốt Phương Cô Giang, a classic eatery in District 4, the Australian newspaper shared.
The Sydney Morning Herald also recommended that Sydneysiders enjoy an excellent “Bò lá lốt” at Gia Dinh in Marrickville. In Melbourne, this delicacy should be sampled at Viet Kitchen in Footscray. In Brisbane, foodies can find “Bò lá lốt” on the specials board at Mister Bui Banh Mi.
Though “Bò lá lốt” is often translated on Australian menus as “beef wrapped in betel leaves”, these are not actually betel leaves. Betel leaves are scientifically “piper betle”, with the more subtly flavoured leaf used for “Bò lá lốt” is “piper sarmentosum” which is sometimes called wild betel.
