Han Duyen Food

Some of the parties which the restaurant has entertained have been large,
at this one there were some 170 people Cutting up meat.

This, the last of the set of pages on the Hân Duyên Restaurant, has shots of the food, its preparation and some of the occasions on which it was being enjoyed in the first few weeks. The previous page had pictures of the building itself and its rooms, before that there were pages on the construction and conversion of the old buildings, and the series started with a page about the opening day. Here the chefs and their work is shown, and then there are some shots of occasions of celebration for the owners and workers. Carrying a tray with plates of chips.

Cutting meats on a substantial wooden block - tattoos are in. Sadly, considering the range and depth of Vietnamese cooking, chips are also in Making starters.

Hoan making starters by rolling... Moving cut meat.

The broad bladed Vietnamese all purpose knife lets the cook cut up the item, the knife can then be turned and slipped under the food to transfer it to another plate Making chips.

Making chips with sweet potatoes Rolling mushrooms into ham.

...mushrooms inside ham strips Motor cycles at the restaurant.

The picture at the top of the page showed the diners inside, here is a picture outside the restaurant with some of their 96 motorcycles Two large crabs about to be boiled.

And here a couple of rather expensive and very large crabs about to be boiled - one of the aspects of Vietnamese life that is less edifying The washing up area.

Washing the debris of scores of diners is a major part of the establishment's work - no machines here... Dishes waiting for washing.

...dishes are dumped unceremoniously, until the entrance is blocked Staff at celebration.

A meal for the staff celebrates the first month of the restaurant A full restaurant at New Year.

Both floors of the restaurant fully occupied near New Year Twelve small bowls of soup.

A small bowl of sea-food soup starts most meals Thread mushrooms wrapped in ham.

Thread mushrooms in ham Plates of meat for hot pot.

Plates of meat ready for steaming Oysters.

Oysters in sauce Chicken pieces with sauce and pak choi Chicken and pak choi.

Plates of vegetables ready for steaming Vegetables for steaming.

Squid and prawns, these latter costing up to £15 a kilo without any transport costs Translucent thread noodles, salad and dumplings Translucent noodles.