Hung Vuong and L&M, San Jose

[Melanie Wong]

My sister stopped in San Jose today to pick up some lunch fixings. From Hung Vuong, we had the tofu fa with ginger sauce. Still warm when she got it to us, as well as extremely tender and smooth. More interestingly, she picked up a zampino or galantine-like pork roll encased in pork rind, shown below. We don’t know what it’s called, but a whole one weighs a pound and cost about $6. It was surprisingly lean and firmer with more whole pieces than ground meat. Finely seasoned, it was studded with whole peppercorns. Housemade, it tasted much fresher than other Viet cold cuts, less salty too without that metallic preserved taste.

Next door, she popped into newly opened L&M Bakery and Deli. We had a sampling of custard buns – baked or steamed – at 3 for $1.50, a baked pork bun, and some small samosa-like fried triangles filled with banana. None were good enough to buy again, but with the number of customers milling around that she reported, maybe we got the wrong things.

L and M Bakery & Deli
1741-A Berryessa Rd.
San Jose
408-937-7676

Hung Vuong
1741-A Berryessa Rd.
San Jose
408-254-1740

Link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/28108#117053

Image: http://home.earthlink.net/~melaniewon...