The Intercontinental Da Nang, a luxury hotel nestled within a pristine nature reserve along Vietnam’s central coastline, has recently gained traction for its delicious snacks! Designed by the renowned architect Bill Bensley, every facet of this extraordinary hotel is exciting, from carpets with joyful monkey motifs to verandas overlooking the bay filled with greenery. Yet the highlight of this remarkable hotel isn’t the decor, the breathtaking vistas, or the amenities. Instead, it’s a modest offering found poolside: corn on the cob!
The Unexpected Star: Corn on the Cob
Like clockwork, every day between 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. a staff member strolls around the pool’s edge, extending an unpretentious snack to the guests: a piece of corn on the cob.
This is no ordinary poolside treat, and it’s not garnished with extravagant toppings or bathed in butter. It’s a simple, two-inch portion of steamed yellow corn, still gently warm from cooking, presented without any fanfare or napkin. Corn on the cob might not strike one as an extraordinary choice for a poolside snack, but there’s something special about this Vietnamese offering!
Vietnam’s Love for Corn
Vietnam is a place where corn is considered an extremely common and popular snack. The bustling city streets are full of street vendors that sell bao nuong and bap hap, beloved local corn dishes. Scallion oil is the common topping option, unlike other places where melting butter is the way to go.
What elevates the steamed corn, whether by the pool or on the streets of Hoi An, to a culinary revelation is not the corn itself, which appears quite ordinary. The secret lies in the unique steaming liquid: coconut water. This infusion imparts a rich, buttery, and mildly sweet flavor to the corn, transforming it from a mundane snack into an extraordinary treat.