This post has a few important messages in it. Like most of this blog it focuses on food and what I’ve eaten during the week. I hope you enjoy.

On Friday morning Bron and I shared a single Mavi Breakfast wrap. What was nice was that as we lined up in the queue, Connor who was cooking this morning saw us and gestured “one” or “two”. I held up a single finger and he nodded. This was before we had ordered and paid money. Before our coffees arrived we had a single wrap cut neatly in two for us to share. You’ll see why later we we shared. In part it was also a good thing so I could keep a work commitment to “Hot Chips Friday”.

Hot Chip Friday #HotChipFriday for hash tag lovers

These are some of the best chips available

Mavi Breakfast Wrap. A full wrap is enough to keep you full all day. Honestly these things are that good. They contain fried bacon, friend egg, sautéed mushrooms, a hash brown and cheese. When cut in half, I can still eat lunch.

Cut neatly into halves for Bron and I to share.

Coffee at work on notebook

I’m really enjoying my Aldi Expressi coffee machine. It’s a pod-based machine and makes a nice cup of coffee.

On Thursday evening Bron and I went to Pho Viet for dinner. In August 2001 I went there for the first time and blogged about the experience. Despite Michael Park calling me a cock that particular post was my most popular for 2012 Check out http://garydavidlum.com/2012/12/31/2012-the-year-of-ups-and-downs/ and the image http://garydlum.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/best-posts.png It’s odd, who would have thought that would be my most popular post.

So Bron and I turned up at about 6.30 pm. There were a few tables taken but most of the restaurant was available. We were shown a table next to the door which was wedged open. Oddly enough, Thursday was the last day of Summer. It was also wet, cold and windy. The door open wasn’t helping but the restaurant was warmer than being outside. As I wrote in 2011 and as confirmed by Michael Park the staff are friendly and courteous.

With a complimentary basket of prawn crackers we read the menu and decided on a couple of starters and two main meals to share.

I think it’s important to understand that when it comes to minced pork dishes I compare everything to my mother’s cooking. That is essentially the standard I live by. Check out Mum’s recipe and a recent endeavour.

I’ve tasted food that has come on a par so I’m not suggesting she has some supernatural power. Mince pork though should be hand minced with meat cleavers for the best result. Ideally another protein should be added like raw prawn meat. Texture can be achieved with chopped water chestnuts. Taste is improved by slapping the pork. The pork used in the Pho Viet pork balls and wonton was very finely minced I expect by a machine. The fat content wasn’t that high. The mince was very dense and lacked texture, it was almost homogenous. That said the taste was good. The pork balls themselves were juicy. The wonton was nicely and lightly fried. I had hoped for more meat in the wrappers.

Pho Viet Barbecued Pork Balls

The sauce was delightful

Pho Viet Deep fried wonton

These were light and tasty

The main course dishes were very nice. They complemented each other although both were quite peppery and fairly salty. Having rice was great. The squid was fresh and cooked just right. The pork was tender and not over cooked.

Pho Viet Caramelised pork

Pho Viet salted squid

The sauce was amazing. It was mainly pepper.

Karin’s Bill Grainger brownie

Bron brought this from a work afternoon. It was just what we needed for dessert.

After I posted the images to Instagram and twitter I received a comment from my friend Jude (check out this post from a couple of weeks ago) Jude has recently commented she is a nagger. I tend to think of her as a caring registered nurse. Check out this comment from Jude

She then followed up with a tweet asking me to read this for homework. I reproduced the text below. “Healthy food: can you train yourself to like it?”

So hopefully you’ve worked out Bron and I are back together. *happy dance*

So after such a big dinner, half a Mavi Breakfast wrap each was enough.

Now for my week in Instagram.

Urban Bean Espresso Bar Passionfruit Whoopie

This was nice and light. The passionfruit flavour was strong but not over powering. It is a good afternoon tea snack.

Urban Bean Espresso Bar Cheesy bacon and chunky beef hot pie

http://instagram.com/p/WQYJjXxNCT/

This pie is the bomb. The bacon is in large slices that you can easily see and recognise. The beef is large, chunky and really tender. The gravy is just right. It doesn’t ooze too much and binds the contents well. The cheese is under and on top of the lid so it’s cooked nicely and still recognisable.

Salmon and salad with Bron

My usual way of cooking salad with a nice avocado salad. The roasted beetroot was also nice.

Lots of spinach in my iced coffee banana smoothie

I’ve really taken to adding some spinach to my breakfast smoothies.

Donut King Pineapple icing and custard and cream Long John

This was such a nice treat.

Office coffee

I can make hot chocolate in my Aldi Expressi coffee machine

Spinach laden iced coffee banana smoothie

Perfect Canberra weather

Bron made me a card

So cute

Chicken and salad

Office coffee

Love my magic bullet for breakfast smoothies

The last Haigh’s dark chocolate ginger

Perhaps my favourite chocolate

Saying goodbye to work mates is only eased with cake

Bron gave me this cookies and cream cheesecake at work on Monday

This was amazing

This was really nice lamb and feta sausage with salad

Mmm…I love sausages

Healthy food: can you train yourself to like it?

I decided against reproducing the text to avoid any copyright problems.

Pho Viet

PHO VIET Take away menu

Unit 62/1 Beissel Street, Belconnen Google+ Reviews
Google Map http://goo.gl/maps/jXyWz