Took a leap in faith, talked the husband to forgo the amazing hotel breakfast for a famous roadside breakfast cafe, Hoa Ma Quan. This cafe only operate from 6.30am till 10am or when supply runs out, so be there early or you will miss this awfully good breakfast.
It is a very local cafe, so people here don't speak English, i regreted for not reading much of the reviews. After communicating with some simple English words and hand signs, we still get our order wrong, they sent up two plate of cold ham platter, lucky the lady boss is kind enough to change for me after i showed her some review photos on the web.
Ice Vietnamese coffee to kick start the day
"Lim" kopi like a Vietnamese
"At Hoa Ma Quan they do things the old-fashioned way, which means banh mi and op la ingredients -- mayonnaise, pate, and many of the sausages -- are made in house. Baguettes are kept warm in an oven heated with charcoal." says EatingAsia
I would say the pate was amazing, warm crust baguette is so crispy on the outside, not too hard when you sink you teeth in and so soft and moist in the inside. I never expect eating this quality of a perfect baguette on a roadside store. It's so hard to refrain yourself from tearing small pieces off the loaf before my main course comes.
The yummy dish one have to order here is their "Op la", also their signature, which consist of sunny side up, mixed sausages, meat and beancurd slice in a sizzling hot pan. I decided to come here after accidentally reading EatingAsia's review, their description is so palette pleasing, i will have to quote them:
"Think Western-style bacon and eggs given a twist and a leg up courtesy of Vietnamese culinary ingenuity.The eggs arrive in individual pans, yolks done just so and bottoms browned and crackly. Nestled in the egg whites are slices of pork sausage and a few chunks of a bacon-ish meat that, unlike many lesser pork products, really taste of the pig. Triangles of chewy gluten browned in pork fat add an intriguing textural dimension. The op la is served with a plate of sliced tomatoes and cucumbers and a bit of bracing carrot pickle. And, of course, a big warm, crusty baguette."
Creating my very own banh mi (sandwich).
Imagine having the most amazing Op La with two cup of ice coffee for only 6USD for two pax, how awesome is that. I will definitely come be back whenever i decide to visit HCM.
After breakfast we cabbed back to Ben Thanh market for some last minute shopping.
Preferred to shop in this government controlled fixed price shop, lazy to bargain, since we are not buying much.
Hotel roof top pool, not really a lap pool, just a dipping pool.
The "lap sap" spa Mel recommend. lol. Well, apparently there is a change in management after her visit few month back and the new management hired some girls whom provide extra service (I assume). My massage ladies came into the room with mini skirt and thick make up, they are totally not professional at all, walked out the room with door wide open when i am naked lying on the bed, massage is a nightmare, touching a little too much of the husband, kept asking him weird questions and demand for tips, yes demand.
It's a nice spa but too bad the management changed their direction for some extra profits.
Last meal in the airport before jetting back home, Big Bowl of good pho, good stuff up there.
Slurp slurp, yummy yummy Ho Chi Minh.
Those who says HCM is boring sure does not know how to do their research, this place is awesome for a short relaxing getaway. Air ticket is dirt cheap (paid mine all in at 87SGD), husband will be happy since there is no fashion item for their wifey to go crazy, just pure good food, good massage and relax.
