This cookbook brings back many fond memories. When I used to live in the Bay Area, it was such a treat to head into San Francisco and dine at The Slanted Door. Often, the place was packed and you just had to wait your turn. The aromas would tantalize you. You thought, surely by the time I sit down, I could eat the whole menu. That's how great it smelled. How difficult it was to narrow down your choices.
Now that I live in Southern CA, I'm glad Phan relocated The Slanted Door to the Ferry Building because it seats more people comfortably, increasing the odds I can get in.
This cookbook helps me create some of my favorite dishes and discover some new ones. The photographs are stunning, and recipes quite easy to read and understand. I can totally see myself making his chicken watercress soup, braised ginger chicken, shaking beef, roasted lobster with butter herb dressing. I used to treat out of town guests to my version of Phan's roasted Dungeness crab for New Year's Eve -- always a crowd pleaser. This cookbook also includes favorite cocktails like the Royal Pimm's Cup, the Ginger Limeade and shows what pairs well with bold flavors.
If you can't get to The Slanted Door as often as you like, this cookbook is the next best thing to being there. More than a collection of recipes, this book is also a diary of an American Dream come true. Charles Phan chronicles his inspiring journey from the Mission District to the Ferry Building as he shares the dishes that helped us recognize Vietnamese cuisine as world-class.
"I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review."
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