- The 'must try' delicacies in Hanoi (Part 1)
- Hanoi, HCM among fastest-growing tourist cities in the world
Trang Tien ice-cream
The ice cream shop which was established in the subsidized period has become a symbol of Hanoi. Situated on Trang Tien Street, Hanoi’s center, the shop is crowded all the time, even on winter days.
Come and taste Trang Tien ice-cream at the Trang Tien ice-cream shop at No. 35 Trang Tien Street
Nem tai
This is a folk cuisine of Vietnam which is processed from steamed pig ears. They are sliced and mixed with roasted rice powder.
Nem tai is accompanied with girdle cakes, fig leaves and salted fig, raw vegetables and sweet and sour sauce.
Visitors should enjoy this cuisine at Ms. Hong’s nem tai restaurant at No. 35 Hang Thung Street.
Bun Oc (noodles and snails)
This is a special cuisine of Hanoi. Anyone who once lived in Hanoi cannot forget this cuisine, which has nourishing flavor of thickened vinegar, moreish and brittle snails, dried tofu, raw vegetables, etc.
Although it is quite easy to cook, it needs secrets to have a delicious bowl of bun oc.
You can enjoy this cuisine at Ms. Sau’ bun oc restaurant at 73A Mai Hac De or Ms Luong’s bun oc restaurant in Khuong Thuong Street or Co Beo restaurant at No. 1 Hoe Nhai or at Nguyen Cao market, No. 5 Dong Mac, Hai Ba Trung district. A bowl of bun oc is only VND20,000 ($1).
Cha ca La Vong
A distinctive Hanoi delicacy, Cha ca is made from mud-fish, snake-headed fish, but the best fish is Hemibagrus (Ca lang).
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Fish bone is taken out to keep fish meat only, then seasoned with pieces of bamboo, and fried by coal heat.
An oven of coal heat is needed when serving to keep Cha ca always hot. Cha ca is served with roasted peanuts, dry pancakes, soft noodle soup, spice vegetables and shrimp paste with lemon and chilli.
Cha ca is so popular amongst locals that there’s a street in Hanoi Old Quarter named after it. The Cha ca La Vong Restaurant on No.14 Cha Ca Street is the "ancestor restaurant" of the dish.
Nom bo kho (Sweet and sour grated salad with dried beef)
The main materials to process this cuisine consist of green papaya, dried beef, raw vegetables and sweet and sour fish sauce.
Nom bo kho is sold everywhere, but to enjoy the best Nom bo kho, tourists should visit the Hue nom restaurant on Ham Long Street and Long Vi On restaurant at No. 23 Ho Hoan Kiem Street. The price for a dish of nom bo kho is from VND20,000 ($1).
Banh da cua (crab noodle soup)
A popular street food of Hanoi which is favored by many people. It is not difficult for you to find a bistro or restaurant selling banh da cua at a reasonable cost.
It is a delicious dish with many positive points as it is easy to taste and it neither makes your stomach heavy nor causes you to get tired of eating the food.
The crab noodle soup is normally served with cha lua (Vietnam’s pork sausage), boiled water spinach, bean sprouts, mingled in the mouthwatering aroma of fried shallots and the greasy taste of roasted peanuts.
Nem chua ran (deep fried fermented pork)
Although considered a snack, nem chua is indeed the one-and-only specialty of Hanoi.
If the grilled one has an eye-catching yellow color along with a delicious greasy taste, the fried one has a pink color and brings diners wonderful flavors created from a combination of pork meat and pigskin.
The two dishes can be found at many restaurants but it is recommended that you should come to the bistro at 36 Tam Thuong Street, Hang Gai Ward, Hoan Kiem District to taste the best fried fermented pork of Hanoi and visit the restaurant at 10 Au Trieu Street in Hoan Kiem District to have the most tasty grilled fermented pork of the capital city.
Tao pho (tofu sweet soup)
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Appearing in the capital city for several years now, the mixed tofu sweet soup has quickly become a favorite snack to reduce the heat in hot days for young people in Hanoi.
Normally, a bowl of mixed tofu sweet soup includes lotus seed, red bean, jelly, and dried copra.
All of those ingredients will then be flooded with the syrup with fragrance of jasmine and coconut milk.
Hanoi coffee & special egg-milk coffee
Coffee was introduced into Vietnam by French colonists in the late 19th century. Vietnam quickly became a strong exporter of coffee with many plantations in the central highlands. The beverage was adopted with regional variations.
Because of limitations on the availability of fresh milk, the French and Vietnamese began to use sweetened condensed milk with a dark roast coffee.
Today, Hanoians like to drink coffee in the morning time. In fact, sitting on small chair on pavement with a glass of coffee became the popular image of a Hanoian.
Travellers who visit Hanoi also like trying delicious flavours like Hanoians andrecognize that nothing is better than a cup of coffee at a modern or luxury or pavement cafe to soak up the rhythms of the street and embrace Hanoi from all of its sides, from old to new, from traditional to modern & quirky.
Besides a cup of coffee with sweet milk and/or a spoonful of sugar, Hanoians create new ways to enjoy coffee in Hanoi - ca phe trung (egg coffee) and ca phe sua chua (yogurt coffee).
Where to try: Lam (60, 91 Nguyen Huu Huan – known as one of the oldest coffee shops in Hanoi), Nhi (2 Hang Ca), Nhan (39D1 Hang Hanh), Nang (6 Hang Bac), Quat (Quan Thanh), Quynh (Bat Dan) to Giang (Hang Gai) and Ca Phe Pho Co (11 ward – Hang Gai street). The last two, Giang and Ca Phe Pho Co, are recommended for egg coffee.
Bun Bo Nam Bo
It is an interesting kind of traditional Vietnamese food made from beef and herb: a bed of rice noodles is topped with tender grilled beef, chopped cucumbers, lettuce, papaya slivers, fresh herbs, crushed peanuts and heaps of crunchy fried onions.
Mix it with fish sauce–spiked nuoc cham, take a bite, moan and repeat.
Banh cuon
If the French have their famous crepe made of wheat, egg and dairy products; Vietnamese and particularly Hanoians are proud of their steamed crepes from rice flour and water.
Great as a light breakfast or midday snack, banh cuon is a combination of ground meat (chicken, shrimp, or pork), minced wood ear mushroom, onions, Vietnamese ham (cha lua), steamed beansprouts, and cucumbers wrapped in a steamed rice flour sheet.
Its overall taste is very mild despite the savoury ingredients, and you can also dip the banh cuon into nuoc cham sauce for added flavour.
You can easily spot roadside vendors selling banh cuon all over Hanoi, but Banh Cuon Gia Truyen in Old Quarter is a good alternative as the restaurant provides menus with English translations.
Where to try: Banh cuon Gia An – Ba Trieu street has more upscale restaurants specializing in Banh Cuon. The price is not thatdifferent compared with other street vendors. Banh cuon there is made without preservative and of high hygiene condition. You can ask for a vegetarian option as well.
Mien Xao Luon (Noodles with Deep-Fried Eel)
Mien xao luon is another tasty option for seafood lovers, comprising stir-fried glass noodles in an eel-based broth with generous toppings of crunchy eels, bean sprouts, egg, cucumber slices, fried shallots, and purple perilla.
As with many dishes in Hanoi, a side of fresh herbs, shaved banana blossoms, and bean sprouts are served on the side. Dong Thinh Nha Hang Mien Luon at Hoan Kiem District is a local hangout spot for mien xao luon, where dishes are priced between VND 35,000 and VND 50,000.
Banh Goi (Fried Dumplings)
Shaped like miniature pillows (hence the name), banh goi contains finely-chopped glass noodles, wood ear mushrooms, minced pork, steamed quail eggs, and seasoning within a rice-flour pastry.
It is then deep-fried for a crispy texture and served with a sweet-sour dipping sauce made with garlic, chilli, sugar, lime juice, and fish sauce.
You can also pair your banh goi with fresh lettuce and coriander leaves if you find it too greasy to enjoy it on its own.
Pho Xao (Stir-Fried Pho)
Pho may be best known as rice noodles served in soup, but you can also enjoy it in the form of pho xao, which is stir-fried with onions, beef slices, and assorted greens.
The flat pho noodles are usually crisp on the outside with a smooth glutinous texture, and most restaurants sometimes add fried eggs and chilli sauce to this simple yet satisfying dish.
Thin is a family-run restaurant within Hai Ba Trung District, where you can savour pho xao for only VND 50,000.
