“We will have racks of lambs, mashed potatoes and gravy, pie, bún bò huế (noodle soup) and mì quảng (noodles with a little broth),” said Phung Vu, describing the mix of American and Vietnamese food at her family’s Thanksgiving table. Like Vu, Minh Nguyen’s family also incorporates Vietnamese dishes into a traditional Thanksgiving meal. “Besides some traditional American dishes, we also have spring rolls and tempura shrimps, and for desserts, we like banana chè (a coconut-based pudding),” said Nguyen.
What was most surprising to you when you first came to America?
“There is a large sense of personal space … when someone gets close, people freak out.” — Candace Chin “Everything is so much bigger: the people, the buildings, even the boats.” — Yong Kwon “People are so big and tall.” — Amber Nguyen “It’s beautiful and much nicer than Canton.” — Chau Juh Deng