NOM NOM How To: Quick Iced Coffee

Ever made too much coffee and still have half a pot at the end of the day? Instead of throwing it out, try it Iced for a nice change!

1. Grab a mug big enough for 1-2 cups of coffee and microwave until hot, but not scalding.
2. In another mug (glass, sippy cup, whatever!) fill with ice 3/4 full. Add sugar.
3. Pour the coffee into the ice glass, and stir until all the sugar is dissolved. Fill with milk to the top, or to your taste. Stir again, and add more ice if you prefer.

Easy as 1-2-3! It's crucial to warm the coffee up since the sugar needs to dissolve...crunchy iced coffee doesn't work well.

TIP #1:
If your making a pitcher, try melting the sugar with equal parts water (EX: 1/2 C water/sugar) in a pot to make a syrup...then you can skip warming up the coffee.

TIP #2:
Try a dash of vanilla extract for a flavor kick!

NOM NOM Food Review: Pho Truc Lien

Most Vietnamese food lovers would be found within a two block radius of each other on Somerset and it's delicious reputation for Pho. Definitely worth the drive to St. Joseph Blvd, is Pho Truc Lien.

Tucked away in a bungalow across from Place D'Orleans Shopping Center, this restaurant has ample seating with friendly staff. We arrived around 5pm on a Thursday night and were able to pick wherever we wanted to sit. The tables are large, which is key since you receive quite the spread as you would other Pho places.

We started with Vegetarian Spring Rolls, and Vietnamese Iced Coffee, along with the standard tea served at most Pho restaurants.  The rolls were piping hot, and came with a tart dipping sauce...sorry, I didn't catch the name!. Once they cooled down enough to eat, they were nice and crispy on the outside, without being greasy. On it's own, the dipping sauce is funky tasting, but I can see how it compliments the rolls when eaten together. I have spring rolls every chance I get, and these were by far the freshest tasting. The iced coffee was made with sweetened condensed milk, which is a nice change from cream and sugar. There was no sugary kick, but instead, balanced out the bitter taste coffee can leave.

If you are a Pho lover, you know attempting the medium and large sizes is a crazy idea. My date (6'2 and 220Lbs) forgot how much you get, and ordered a medium....needless to say, there were left overs! His contained rare beef, brisket, chicken, and meatballs...yeah, you wont leave hungry!. I opted for a small rare beef regular. No funky tastes, very tasty broth. Came with the usual mountain of crispy bean sprouts/lime/mint plate. I drowned my soup with bean sprouts and a dash of hot sauce, and attempted the chop sticks. YUM!!

While finishing up, a couple sat down across from us, and I overheard the guy mention that it was a well kept secret...he was right!. The service was quick and like I said before, very friendly with a smile and warm goodbye. The bill came to $25 for the drinks, appetizer, and main meal for two people. Worth the try, especially if you want a quieter Pho experience...no neon lights!! haha