fresh spring rolls @ Ben Than Market

She makes it in front of my eyes within seconds. It looks so easy. Rice paper, noodles, shrimp, and a tiny slice of chicken. Roll, tuck et voila. Some herb that I have never seen sticks out of one end. You need the sauce; otherwise the roll is a little dry. The sauce is thick. Thicker than what they serve with fresh spring rolls in France. This one is smooth with shrimp paste and peanuts, and it brings in meatiness. Meatiness. Freshness. Crunch. Soft center. Surf. Turf. Complete. When I eat it, I’m thinking to myself: This is the real McCoy.

lined up spring rolls