ĂN CỖ VOL. IV - JULY, 2024

WHAT IS ĂN CỖ?

A passion project by Thu Buser, Ăn Cỗ is a limited event series that spotlights lesser-known regional Vietnamese dishes and traditional food art with a new menu each time.
Every event includes rare ingredients and materials flown in from our friends & family in Vietnam and is served as a sit-down meal to be enjoyed in an intimate setting.
To bring out these rare flavors, we pair key dishes with wine and a little storytelling about the dish.
Ăn Cỗ means “attending a banquet” in Vietnamese, and signifies our invitation for you to experience our food and culture across the entire series.

ĂN CỖ VOL. IV - VIETNAM’S JUNGLE BOUNTY

Across more than 2,000 miles, the dense canopies of Vietnam's jungles are a world apart from the bustling cities and rice fields. The tree tops shelter the meandering rivers, teeming with fish, and their enveloping leaves protect some of the most bio-diverse areas on the planet.

The Viet peoples and their tribal cousins are the inheritors of many centuries of culinary innovation based on the jungle's bounty - grilled fish wrapped in banana leaves and flavored with forest spices, roasted wild quail, and countless tropical fruits & vegetables.

To celebrate the peak of Summer in New York City, we have curated a smoky, colorful "Ăn Cỗ" jungle BBQ feast that tours the diverse flavors of Vietnam's jungled regions.

EDIBLE VIETNAMESE FOOD ART:  KEEPING A DYING TRADITION ALIVE

Vietnam’s royal capital of Hue was famous for its visually-stunning, edible arts served at the court. Few now practice these arts, and the heritage is being lost even in the home country. For this event, Thu served bánh màu pháp lam - a rare Vietnamese dessert cradled in a handmade colorful paper origami box.

Every event features some traditional edible art to bring these treats off the pages of history and to a global audience.