The aromas of lemongrass, mint, and a medley of other herbs and spices accompanied the end of International Education Week in the Student Union on Friday.
The Vietnamese Graduate Student Association offered students an opportunity to try traditional Vietnamese dishes in "A Taste of Vietnamese Food and Culture," in 145 D Student Union.
"This is our fourth time doing this," said Trieu Le, VGSA's president. "This is International Education Week, so we want to give people a taste of Vietnamese food."
Admission to the room was $1, and the event sold out within minutes of the food's arrival, which included mango curry, stewed beef, fried rice, shrimp lotus salad and Vietnamese-style iced tea. Many of the dishes combined sweet with sour, or salty with spicy.
"If you have a chance to observe the nature of a traditional Vietnamese meal, you will see that there are four flavors: salt, sour, sweet and spicy," said Diep Thai, VGSA's event organizer. "In our culture, these four flavors remind us of hardships in life as well as the pleasures."
Vietnamese cooking combines the four different tastes to create complex and gratifying dishes, according to Thai.
"If you study about the structure of the tongue, you know that each part of the tongue responds to different things," Thai said. "So when you combine the four flavors, you pleasure the tongue."
Thai said that the food for last year's event was catered by Saigon Bangkok, but this year the VGSA had less club money.
"We had to cook everything by ourselves, so it's really homemade and authentic this time," Thai said with a smile.
Thai added that the VGSA had wanted the event to be free of charge.
"We wanted to make it for free for UB students, but the Graduate Student Association wouldn't let us do that," Thai said. "But we sold out all (100) tickets and I think around 150 people showed up today."
Students didn't seem to mind paying a dollar for the meal, though.
"It was a really good bargain," said Duy Vu, a senior computer graphics major.
Erin Hershey, a first year graduate student of biology, said that the chicken curry was her favorite among the dishes offered.
"It was nice and spicy," she said. "I'm really glad that we have diversity at the University at Buffalo."
Phu Vu, VGSA's secretary, apologized for the delay of the food's arrival, which caused the event to start almost half an hour later than advertised.
"We wanted to bring the food right on time, and not too early so it wouldn't get cold," Vu explained, "but then our two cars got in a traffic jam. We hope people forgive us and enjoy the food."
Vu also regretted the crowding in the room where the event was held. According to Vu, the VGSA's original plan was to have the event in the SU lobby, but that plan was discarded out of consideration for those attending Friday night films in the SU Theater.
"Actually, in Vietnamese culture we eat together, so a small room gives a family feeling," he added.
The success of the evening's events could be seen in the rapidly-emptied basins of food.
"Everything is going smoothly," Vu exulted. "This is the first time we sold out the tickets."
Eric Comins, a coordinator of International Education Week, agreed.
"This event was great," he said. "Great food, great people, a good time. Even though it's a very small room, it didn't keep the people away."
Binh Mai, a VGSA member, saw the event as an opportunity.
"We have a chance to serve our foods and exchange cultures," she said.
The success of the evening was a time of pride for Vietnamese students.
"We're all proud right now," said Bao Hanh, a freshman exercise science major. "A lot of people who aren't Vietnamese are trying our food."
