Vifon Cháo Cá (Fish Instant Porridge)

I’ve had this before, but I’m always on the lookout to get it for under $1 per bowl, because it’s enjoyable enough to be worth it.

Subjective snapshot

Quality:
Spiciness:

Review

Porridge doesn’t get much respect as a lunch in America, but this stuff is unusually good and well-balanced. Instant-rice isn’t quite as satisfactory texturewise as stuff that’s actually properly cooked, but they make up for it in this presentation with lots of excellent flavor. The strongest note is of ginger, unsurprisingly due to the ginger powder and freeze-dried ginger in the packets, and a second spice edge comes from the pepper this is amply provided (but in a separate packet, so you can use less or none if you wish). But the fish carries its weight pretty well too — the chunks of fish in the foil packet have a consistency akin to tinned fish, and while they’re not quite up to par with fresh fish, they add the right fishy notes to this porridge. Unless you’re averse to the idea of a rice-soup instead of a noodle soup, or violently dislike ginger or fish, this is a very nice one to try out. I advise filling it to a little ways below the interior “edge”, as that makes for a thicker and richer soup.

Summary details

Brand: Vifon
Product Name: Cháo Cá
Origin: Vietnam
Purchase details: $5.99 for 6 at Oriental Market on December 10, 2011
Nutritional information:

• Weight: 120g
• Calories: 301, 41 from fat
• Fat: 5g total, 2 saturated, 0 trans
• Cholesterol: 10mg
• Sodium: 1680mg
• Carbohydrates: 56g total, 0g dietary fiber, 3g sugars
• Protein: 9g
• Vitamins: 0% DV Vitamin A, 0% DV Vitamin C, 0% DV Calcium, 0% DV Iron
• Ingredients: Porridge : rice. Stewed fish pack: basa fish, refined palm oil, shallot, sugar, salt, garlic, monosodium glutamate, pepper, corn starch. Soup base pack: salt, sugar, monosodium glutamate, disodium 5′-guanylate, disodium 5′-inosinate, fish powder, shallot, pepper. Dried vegetable pack: green onion, ginger. Oil pack: refined palm oil, red shallot, coriander flavor. Pepper pack: pepper.

Photographs