Together with Mekong delta, Saigon, Hoi An and Hue, Hanoi is a famous culinary center of Vietnam.
In 2011, CNN’s travel website, selected Hanoi as one of the Asia's 10 greatest street food cities with comment: “Hanoi and its environs are the birthplace of many quintessential Vietnamese dishes, such as pho and bun cha, and the city is often cited as one of the world's great food capitals. It is also a street-eater's paradise, with a plethora of options for those who want to eat like a local. In fact, many swear that the best food in Hanoi is found on the sidewalk, with dishes that often feature fish sauce, lemongrass, chilies, and cilantro and other fresh herbs. The city, which celebrated its 1,000th birthday last year, has put those centuries to good use perfecting its curbside nibbles. Although vendors often cook in small shop fronts, they serve their wares on the sidewalk, on small plastic tables and chairs that can seem woefully inadequate for overgrown foreigners.”
Below are CNN travel website’s pick and what I like
1/ Pho
Famous
chef Martin Yan (Yan Can Cook) told Tuoi Tre newspaper that he would enjoy Pho
right before he passes away.
Pho is sold everywhere in Vietnam but Hanoi is the birthplace of it.
So, what is Pho? It is a noodle soup, usually served with beef or chicken. The soup includes noodles made from rice flour and is often served with fresh herbs such as basil, sawtooth herb, cilantro, thinly sliced green onion, lime juice, and bean sprouts.
Time: You can enjoy Pho anytime.
Price: Most local people pay 35,000VND for a bowl of Pho.
But there are some restaurants serving luxurious Pho with Kobe or Australian beef for VIP eaters at the price of 100,000
– 650,000VND (32USD)
Where: Pho is sold evreywhere in Hanoi. But most of Hanoi eaters prefer "Pho Thin" which has a history of more than 40 years. If you stay in Old Quarter, try Pho 23 Hang Muoi street
Note: Many people in Saigon and the South of Vietnam dont really feel Hanoi Pho is delicious. Its because of different taste (Saigonese and the South ones prefer something sweet and they have quite same taste with Cantonese... Therefore, those come from Singapore, Malaysia, Thailands, Laos, China... maybe wont say Hanoi Pho is the best)
Pho Thin eatery (only sell Pho with beef)
Address: 13 Lo Duc street (about 10 - 15 minutes by motorbike from Old Quarter)
Tel: (04) 3821 2709
Open: 5:00AM - 10:00PM
Close: The first days of Vietnam traditional new year
Price: 40,000 - 50,000VND
Note: Many people in Saigon and the South of Vietnam dont really feel Hanoi Pho is delicious. Its because of different taste (Saigonese and the South ones prefer something sweet and they have quite same taste with Cantonese... Therefore, those come from Singapore, Malaysia, Thailands, Laos, China... maybe wont say Hanoi Pho is the best)
Pho Thin eatery (only sell Pho with beef)
Address: 13 Lo Duc street (about 10 - 15 minutes by motorbike from Old Quarter)
Tel: (04) 3821 2709
Open: 5:00AM - 10:00PM
Close: The first days of Vietnam traditional new year
Price: 40,000 - 50,000VND
Pics: vietnamguidebook
Pho 23 Hang Muoi
Pics: vietnamguidebook
2/ Bun Doc Mung
Bun Doc Mung was not on the list of CNN travel. But Its one of the most popular dishes of Hanoi
What is Bun Doc Mung?
Its rice vermicelli soup served with round pork meat mixed with peziza mushroom, Doc Mung vegetable...
Address: Phat Loc street (cut Luong Ngoc Quyen street, in the Old Quarter, near Youth hostel)
Price: 20,000 - 30,000VND/bowl
Open: There are two Hanoi women sell Bun Doc Mung in this narrow street. One is in the morning and One is in the afternoon
3/ Bun Dau Mam Tom
Another dish not on CNN travel's list but I like it very much
The one makes Bun Dau Mam Tom delicious is purple shrimp paste mixed with lemon, chilies (and sometimes with a little bit sugar). Dip the rice vermicelli, fried tofu and fresh herbs in shrimp paste and you will know why Hanoi people "miss" it when they are far away from home
Note: If you dont really eat fish sauce, Bun Dau Mam Tom is maybe not your choice. It has a stronger "smell" than fish sauce
Price: 15,000 - 25,000VND
Where: many hawkers sell it in the morning on Tran Nhat Duat street and in Old Quarter
4/ Bun Rieu Cua
Freshwater crabs flavor this tangy tomato soup that's made with round
rice vermicelli and topped with pounded crabmeat, deep-fried tofu and,
often, congealed blood. An odoriferous purple shrimp paste is offered on
the side, but don't be afraid -- it tastes delicious. Chilies and fresh
herbs are the finishing touches for a complete one-dish meal. (written by CNN travel)
Price: 30,000VND/bowl
Time: 11:00AM - 11:00PM
Where: Lo Su street (near Hang Dau street and Hoan Kiem lake)
5/ Bun cha
Bun cha is the lunch of choice all over Hanoi. Pork patties and slices
of pork belly are grilled over hot coals and served with fish sauce,
tangy vinegar, sugar and lime, which, when combined, creates a sort of
barbecue soup that is eaten with rice vermicelli, fresh herbs, sweet and sor papaya *, garlic and chilies. (written by CNN travel. Pictures of Vietnamguidebook)
"*": Vietnamguidebook
"*": Vietnamguidebook
Where to eat: Phat Loc street in the afternoon (recommended by Vietnamguidebook)
34 Hang Than street (recommended by CNN travel)
Pics: vietnamguiebook
6/ Chao ga
A bowl of steaming hot chicken gruel served with slivers of ginger (or pepper/chilies) and green onion.
Where to eat: 06 Luong Ngoc Quyen street in Old Quarter
Time: 5:00PM - 10:00PM
Price: 25,000 - 50,000VND/bowl
Pics: vietnamguidebook
7/ Nom Bo
The main materials to process this cuisine include green papaya, dried beef, fresh herbs, peanuts, chilies and sweet and sour fish sauce.
Where to eat: Ham Long street in the afternoon (near Ham Long church, about 15 minutes br motorbike from Old Quarter)
8/ Nem Chua Ran (fried fermented pork)
This dish is especially popular among teenagers.
Pieces of fried fermented pork are grilled over hot coal and are eaten with chili sauce. Its great to enjoy it with the friends in Hanoi winter
Address: 10 Au Trieu street (near St Joseph Cathedral)
Time: at night
Price: 25,000 - 50,000VND
Pics: vietnamguidebook
9/ Com Hanoi
Steamed rice served with many dishes (fish, pork, beef, eggs, vegetable, tofu, soup...).
Want to become a Hanoian? Try steamed morning glory and sour "Cà rém" (one kind of tomato with white colour) eaten with purple shrimp paste
Where: Phat Loc street in Old Quarter
Time: 6:00PM - 9:00PM
Price: 30,000VND up/meal
10/ Xoi yen
Address: 35B Nguyen Huu Huan street
Tel: 043 926 3427 - 043 926 4707
Open: 5:30AM - 11:00PM (Somtimes till 00:30AM)
Price: 30,000VND up
Overview: One of the most famous restaurants in Old Quarter selling sticky rice called "Xoi Yen". You will sit on a low chair, not really comfortable for a Western, but its clean and the staffs are friendly. They will bring you a bowl of sticky rice which is often topped with savoury fired Vietnamese onion (hanh phi), finely ground green bean, boiled chicken/pork.You can also ask for pâté (pate), mushroom... And the dish is perfect with some sour cucumber.
Note: Make sure you go to the real Xoi Yen. There is another small restaurant with the same name Xoi Yen beside it. The real one is always full of local eaters and motorbikes
Note: Make sure you go to the real Xoi Yen. There is another small restaurant with the same name Xoi Yen beside it. The real one is always full of local eaters and motorbikes
11/ Nha Hang Mau Dich So 37
Address: 37 Nam Trang street, Ba Dinh district (near Truc Bach lake and West lake)
Tel: (04) 3715 4336
Price: 30,000VND up/dish
Overview: Go back to Hanoi's subsidy period (Thoi bao
cap: 1976 - 1985) in this restaurant. The menu has some foods of "a memorable time" such as Com don khoai (steamed rice mix with sweet potato - because of a shortage of rice), tomato soup (canh ca chua), boiled tofu...
Minus: Its usually crowded in the afternoon and the space is quite small. The owner and the staffs are busy. I feel that its on the way to become a "business" restaurant.
An old Unification bicycle (On the right hand)
Inside the restaurant with the subsidy period's belongings
Pay your meal with meal ticket
Vestiges of a past time
An old tivi which was a precious asset of rich people
The tables made from old sewing machines
12/ Bia hoi (Hanoi draft beer)
Come to Ta Hien street in old Quarter, sit on the small low chair in the middle of Hanoi local people and enjoy "Bia hoi".
Price: 5,000VND/glass
13/ Sau Da (Dracontomelum fruit juice)
You like lemon juice? Forget it when youre in the capital of Vietnam. It doesnt mean there is no lemon in the city but you should enjoy dracontomelum fruit juice, a favorite beverage of Hanoians
Dracontomelum fruit (Qua sau) gives a pure sour taste. Local people use it to make juice or soup soup
Dracontomelum fruit juice with ice (6,000 - 10,000VND/glass)
(Hanoi streets are beautiful and unique thanks to the old huge dracontomelum trees. Please see "Sights and Activities - Phan Dinh Phung street)
Where to drink: everywhere in Hanoi
14/ Mo Da (Apricot fruit juice)
Another favorite beverage of Hanoians which surely keep you cool in the hot summer of Hanoi
Where to drink: everywhere in Hanoi
15/ Cafe Linh (Soldier coffee)
Address: 65 Hang Buom street of Old Quarter
Tel: 0935 414 968
Email: cafelinh@gmail.com
Price: 15,000VND/iced coffee
Overview: Even though Mr Nghia, a friendly man in 40s, was not a soldier but he made many trips to Central Highland and Southern Vietnam to collect the old items used in American war. And later on, the small Soldier coffee was opened like a mini museum of American wartime.
Note: I came to this coffee shop at about 6:30PM and there was no drinker. Its great. Mr Nghia told me that its usually crowded at about 8:00PM
16/ Five bars for expats in Hanoi's Old Quarter
VietNamNet
Bridge – Having a cocktail and talking with a few new friends is how to
enjoy the nightlife of many expats and foreign tourists in the Hanoi
Old Quarter.
Unlike the conceptions of many Vietnamese
customers who usually go to a bar to release stress, dance and drink,
foreign visitors go to bars to not dance but only just to listen to
music, enjoy a few glasses of beer and talk. Below are several bars
managed by expats and favored by expats in the Old Quarter.
1. Rockstore, 61 Ma May
Rockstore can be regarded as a typical western-styled bar in the Old Quarter, ran by Olivier Waryn, a Swiss man.
Opened
in September 2013 and thanks to its soothing décor, open space with
rock style, the new bar has quickly become a destination for many
foreign tourists and expats in Hanoi.
The bar is a two-story
yellow house in France architecture style. On the 1st floor is a bar
serving alcoholic beverages such as wine, cocktails, mocktails, beer ...
and lounges for small groups.
The second floor is designed for big groups and some billiard tables. The highlight of the bar is bent lampposts.
If
other bars only open from afternoon to evening, Rockstore opens all
day. But just when the night comes, visitors will understand how
Rockstore is.
The bar has performances of DJs or rock bands in
all evenings. In addition to drinks, the bar offers some Vietnamese
cuisines like bun cha, spring rolls...
2. Fat Cat Bar, 25 Ta Hien
Fat Cat Bar is also
managed by Waryn Olivier and a French friend. Compared with Rockstore,
Fat Cat is smaller but its décor is very special.
The combination of a lively bar and a gently lounge creates a comfortable atmosphere at Fat Cat Bar.
Most
of the customers are foreigners. They can gather around the bar inside
or sit outside the door to sip a glass of beer and talk for hours. If
they like sitting, they can climb up to the loft.
Fat Cat Bar
regularly organizes music parties with different themes. The favored
drinks here are beer and cocktails. If you want to call a special drink,
it would be a Fatcat cocktail.
3. Finnegan's Irish
The name Finnegan's Irish
apparently derives from the famous novel “Finnegans Wake” by the Irish
writer James Joyce. Located on the 2nd floor of No. 32 Luong Ngoc Quyen
stret, Finnegan's Irish is in European classic style with wooden and
leather furniture in brown - black colors.
It is not too wide but
Finnegan's Irish takes advantage of maximum light and space to create
different spaces. If you go there alone, you can sit at the bar, if in a
group, you can select a suitable table, otherwise you can call a beer
and take the glass to the balcony to enjoy watching the streets.
In
addition to alcohol drinks, Finnegan's Irish also serves tea, coffee
and snacks. In particular, the bar regularly organizes events associated
with international football tournaments.
4. Funky. B
Funky B (formerly called Funky
Buddha) is a bar located at No. 2 Ta Hien, known for house, trance and
techno music. With unique music style, this place is a very popular
address of foreign tourists and the foreign community in Vietnam.
Compared
to many bars in the Old Quarter, Funky B is fairly large with two bars
of two different styles. The bar near the door is somewhat "ordinary"
while the inside bar is more impressive with a bird-cage wine rack. If
you do not like the bustling atmosphere with DJ music, you can sit at
the bar near the door to drink and chat with friends.
5. Spy Bar
Spy Bar at No.12A Nguyen Huu Huan
Street is similar to Finnegan's Irish in design but visitors can still
find here unique features. The bar is small, with several long benches
for groups and high stools at the bar. You can go upstairs if you want a
more private space.
Spy Bar has live music and mini gameshows in
Friday evening. Drinks here are quite cheap, VND20,000-40,000
($1-2)/beer bottle, VND15,000-20,000/a cup of coffee and tea.
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