Oodles of Noodles

You can get rice noodles in any shape and form practically everywhere in Vietnam. But one memorable experience was learning how to make them and enjoying a special lunch at Oodles of Noodles in Hoi An. It is not just a cooking school and restaurant; it is a social enterprise, part of Streets International Orphans and homeless teenagers are given an opportunity to take a 18-month course (with accommodations and meals provided) during which they learn how to make noodles, prepare and serve dishes, they learn English, make presentations and lead cooking classes for visiting groups, and then have a chance to get a job in the tourism industry. G Adventures, the company we traveled with, supports this venture as part of their mission to support local communities. A very impressive program, and we enjoyed interacting with the participants. I probably won’t be making rice noodles from scratch again, but now I do know how they are made. See the photo for information about the process. A simple rice noodle is used in many forms and shapes for a variety of dishes, from the Pho noodles soup to a wrapper for a crunchy pancake (which is another circular rice noodle, BBQ’ed to form a type of a cracker). Thumbs up to G Adventure, Oodles of Noodles, and Streets International for making a difference to many young people, through food.