Strange with Hanoi egg coffee

Once in Hanoi, when asked what the most delicious and interesting drink was here, a foreign friend took me straight to a tiny house and ordered two cups of rich egg coffee. My friend - Austin laughed and said that he found it interesting to guide a Vietnamese person around Hanoi.

Text:The Bamboo

Photos: Alex, Khanh Lam

Back to the past in a “time machine”

I was extremely surprised when my friend walked straight into the backpack shop, without any sign or words introducing this as a cafe. It was a not-so-big room, even a bit small when bags and belongings were piled everywhere. Passing the dark wall, going up the rickety stairs that looked like they had been there for hundreds of years, stepping up to the second floor, I felt like I was stepping into a time machine, back to the past. That was when people didn’t have to rush to follow office hours, but leisurely and elegantly waited for each drop of coffee to fall through the funnel.

Honestly, although I knew about Dinh café through culinary newspapers, without a guide, it would have taken me quite a while to find this mysterious café house. The coffee room is painted in the typical yellow color of the French period, slightly obscured by the smoke of incense sticks. From the tables and chairs, black and white photo frames to the coffee making tools, condensed milk cans… everything has a beautiful nostalgic feel.

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As a Saigonese, I am used to the hustle and bustle of coffee shops, groups of friends gathering to chat, laugh, take pictures... So I was surprised that Dinh's house was still so quiet despite dozens of guests sitting close together. Some were smoking cigarettes, others were writing, others were relaxing and sipping coffee, and even those who were talking to each other lowered their voices, whispering in silence.

Coffee + Eggs = Peaceful recipe for changing seasons

Egg coffee must be drunk hot, right from the moment it is served, if it is cold it will not be delicious, you will not feel the rich, fatty taste of the beaten egg layer. Making egg coffee is actually not difficult, basically just beat the egg yolk until it is fluffy, fragrant like cake, then pour it into a cup of hot black coffee, on top cover with a layer of egg whites that have been beaten smoothly with sugar. Each family will have a little secret to have a typical egg coffee. Some people add cocoa beaten with eggs, some choose honey... Instead of stirring, I like to scoop each spoonful to easily enjoy 3 layers at the same time in my mouth. The beaten egg layer is fragrant, sweet like a layer of flan, and light and fluffy like a layer of cappuccino foam, combined with the traditional bitter black coffee flavor from Robusta beans makes me feel like I am enjoying a melody. It is easy to understand why no one dares to disturb this peaceful space filled with the aroma of coffee.

Hanoians like to drink egg coffee best in the cold season, when the autumn wind blows, or when winter comes. Partly because drinking hot egg coffee in cold weather is more suitable. Partly because the eggs become more delicious when beaten, giving off a more fragrant and creamy taste in cold weather. Just like cow's milk in the highlands is often fatter, creating a thicker cream. Animals often store more fat and nutrients in cold weather.

Now I understand why many people bring the concept of egg coffee to Saigon. But it cannot keep the unique, delicious taste and the unique atmosphere like in Hanoi. This fall, have you found your favorite place to enjoy egg coffee?

Some places to enjoy classic egg coffee in Hanoi: