Laying on my lounge chair under my bamboo roof, I noticed a local seafood vendor setting shop in front of me. With her granddaughter by her side, they removed their coal burning makeshift stoves from their rugged old-style vendor poles. Behind me sits a high-end German brewery/restaurant. I sipped my 50,000VND (US$2.50) stout from the pint glass and proceeded towards the vendor.
Browsing her goods, something caught my eye: live lobster.
I asked her how big were they.
Answer: 1 kg (roughly 2 lbs).
I asked her how much.
Answer: 20,000VND (roughly US$1).
Without hesitation, I ordered one. Chopped right down the middle, the crustacean was immediately placed on the coal grill. A good quarter of an hour later, a plate of grilled lobster plus three different homemade dipping sauces dispensed from 20oz soda bottles sat right in front of me.
I scarfed it down…. quickly.
Delicious.
Smelling like seafood, I went up to the lady and without any shame ordered another lobster.
