Le La Restaurant Far From Home

Wandering for Flavors – A Love Letter to Ninh Hòa Cuisine

This reflective collection of personal essays delves into the distinctive cuisine of Ninh Hòa, a coastal town in Khánh Hòa Province, Vietnam. Through rich memories of food, the author invites readers to discover not only the unique flavors of this land but also the warm spirit and everyday life of its people.

Written in a gentle, nostalgic tone, the book expresses a deep love for the homeland, a longing for the taste of childhood, and a yearning for the familiar comfort of the motherland—feelings all too familiar to anyone living far from home.

Structure of the Book:

• Wandering through other people’s eateries

• Coming home to sit down at our own family meal

Excerpt:

“For six years, I wrote about the U.S., Saigon, England, Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, Egypt, Nepal, Bangladesh—places I wandered through in my younger days. About people I met, and romances left unfinished between the crashing waves of distant shores.

But now, I feel it’s time to return to where I was born. My readers, my friends have been waiting, messaging, hoping. So they can once again enjoy the taste of Ninh Hòa’s dishes through my words.

So they can sit in faraway Saigon, Hanoi, or even the U.S. or France, hold this book, and find their way to Chợ Dinh (Dinh Market)—to taste a local delicacy and smile at a charming vendor who feels like an old friend.”

A tender tribute to hometown flavors and memories – for those who left, those who stayed, and those who long to return.