Of all the things that I am, connoisseur of Vietnamese food is certainly not one of them. I suppose…read moreI have avoided the cuisine for so long because so many dishes make use of fish sauce, and asking for it to be omitted can sometimes be a hassle (particularly when some cooks insist it is the cornerstone of a recipe).
But when I first heard about Huong Que - incidentally on the first date with my now-dude - I was intrigued. In particular, he spoke of the faux duck dish, which he said is not only exceptional, but also 100% vegan. Naturally, this was welcome news to me.
Fast forward a couple months and he decided to treat me to a meal here so I could experience it for myself. We rode our bikes over to the hip yet quaint Bergmannstraße, and since it was a Sunday afternoon, and Easter day no less, the place was relatively deserted.
We were seated immediately in a quiet corner, where we were able to take in the decor (dark furniture with splashes of colour, like the bright green ceiling) as well as partake in a bit of people watching. We both ordered the duck - one with peanut sauce and the other with coconut milk - and naturally shared bites with one another. And my goodness, it was amazing.
I've only had duck one time in my pre-veg days, and I remember it being rich but greasy. This vegan duck was rich but not so greasy, yet definitely full of flavour, and with a wonderful consistency to boot!
I know there are other veg options on the menu, but in all likelihood, I will not ever try them, because this is the only thing I am interested in; you just can't try to one-up perfection.