A Vietnamese Lunch

Last Saturday we decided to try Matica, a vegetarian place that we've been meaning to get to for a long time.  With my detox cleanse, its been hard to eat out, so we figured this would be the perfect oppurtunity to lunch on super healthy Vietnamese food.  We started by sharing a salad that had dried algae {I just love the crunch!} and an orange/semi translucent vegetable that I really have no idea what it is/called!

We drank iced tea; his was a berry blend and mine was lavender/lime with a touch of honey.  A had a raw veggie stuffed "burrito" and I had the spring rolls wrapped in rice paper, which is surprisingly gluten free!  They tasted so fresh and were bursting with flavor when dipped in the soy/lemongrass/ginger sauce.  I can't wait to get back to Matica to try their dumplings, accompanied with different dipping sauces, the rosemary cookies, and the rice noodle dishes!

The meal inspired me to learn more about Vietnamese cuisine, especially since I've never been to Asia and always hear that the food is excellent.  Did you know that Vietnamese dishes balance a combination of 5 taste elements?  The all-knowing Wikipedia tells me that the meals incorporate 5 distinct flavors: spicy [metal], sour [wood], bitter [fire], salty [water], and sweet [earth].  Cool way to think about food, right? 

I would love to try Vietnamese pho (broth soup made with noodles, meat, and lots of herbs) and these chocolate filled sticky rice balls!  Post-cleanse, of course. 

Have you been to Vietnam or tried the cuisine?

What dish is your favorite?