Le Figaro, one of the oldest newspapers in France, calls Hanoi a "gastronomic temple", a place that preserves exquisite and fresh dishes. The author of the article emphasizes that, like a giant culinary laboratory, the capital of Vietnam is the "birthplace" of the best street food. No need to go to fancy restaurants, the small alleys in the old quarter are where the specialties are kept, so attractive that you have to line up and sit crowded to enjoy. Below are 8 old delicacies that tourists must try in Hanoi.
Noodle soup
Even if you’re not a Vietnamese food connoisseur, you’ve probably heard of pho. It’s a fast food dish made with beef, chicken, and bone broth simmered for hours with spices, onions, and aromatic herbs. The northern pho recipe is said to have originated in the early 20th century, and quickly spread to the south and across the world.
Pho can be eaten at any meal of the day, especially in the morning, because it is nutritious and does not fill you up for too long. In Hanoi, visitors can find pho restaurants anywhere on the street. Remember the famous names: Pho Gia Truyen Bat Dan, Pho Thin, Pho 10 Ly Quoc Su...
Bun cha
This is also a famous dish of the capital. A portion of Bun Cha usually includes: a bowl of dipping sauce, inside there is grilled pork on charcoal, carrots and pickled papaya, served with vermicelli and raw vegetables. Some restaurants also have crab spring rolls.
Some suggested addresses are Bun Cha 74 Hang Quat (open only at noon); Bun Cha Huong Lien, 24 Le Van Huu - the place that welcomed former US President Barack Obama in May 2016.
Crab noodle soup
Bun rieu is usually eaten in the morning, each serving includes broth with crab fat, tomatoes, fried tofu, some places sell pork leg and beef. This dish is meticulously prepared, requiring great patience. After taking the fat, the crab will be ground and filtered carefully to make broth, helping to enhance the flavor.
To try this dish, visitors should come to Bun Rieu 11 Hang Bac. The restaurant opens from early morning to late evening with a delicious, always hot pot of broth.
Rice rolls
Banh cuon can be understood as thin rice cakes rolled with pork, wood ear mushrooms, chopped onions, dipped in sweet and sour fish sauce. This is always a favorite dish for hot summer days. Walking on the streets of the central area of Hanoi, visitors will come across many banh cuon shops open in the morning, with skillful and quick hands making banh cuon.
Some suggested addresses are Mrs. Hanh's rice rolls at 26B Tho Xuong, Mrs. Xuan's rice rolls at 16 Hoe Nhai slope or at the food court of Long Bien market.
Bread
Banh mi is an example of a fusion of French and Vietnamese cuisine, similar to the Italian panini. In almost every corner of Hanoi, you can find a stall selling this delicious "sandwich". A banh mi usually consists of crispy bread, pickled vegetables, coriander, pâté, eggs or pork, chicken, beef. Banh mi is suitable for quick meals but still ensures nutrition and satiety.
At the 25 Hang Ca sandwich shop, you can enjoy 14 types of sandwiches with fresh and delicious fillings. Alternatively, visitors can choose Tram sandwich at Cua Nam, open from 8am to 10pm. This place is famous for its sandwiches, served with red wine sauce.
Donuts
In addition to world-famous dishes, Hanoi also has a treasure trove of cakes such as: fried dumplings, stuffed with pork, mushrooms, vermicelli with quail eggs or shrimp cakes. To balance the flavors, the fatty fried cakes are served with garlic, chili and herbs.
Located on Ly Quoc Su street, Goc Da restaurant specializes in selling savory fried cakes and fried dumplings, open from 10am to 9:30pm.
Fish cakes
If you have not tried Cha Ca, you cannot be considered to have been to Hanoi! This dish is made from fish fillets, marinated with turmeric and spices, grilled over charcoal and then heated in a cast iron pan while eating. Cha Ca is served with vermicelli noodles, coriander, onions, chives, and roasted peanuts. The main dipping sauce of this dish is shrimp paste, mixed with a little chili and lemon juice.
To enjoy this delicious dish, visitors can go to Thang Long fish cake, Duong Thanh street. This is a traditional restaurant of the Doan family for 5 generations, opened in 1871.
Egg coffee
Vietnam is the world’s second-largest coffee exporter after Brazil, specializing in Robusta beans. Similar to France and Italy, Hanoi has a wide variety of cafes, from high-end to street-side. Hanoi has egg coffee, created by a former barista at the Sofitel Legend Metropole, Nguyen Van Giang.
One time, while making coffee, he ran out of milk, so he replaced it with beaten egg yolks to create a creamy foam similar to cappuccino. With a rich flavor, the new drink was born and is now sold at Giang Coffee, 39 Nguyen Huu Huan, or Dinh Coffee, his son's shop at 13 Dinh Tien Hoang.
