Listening to violin in a snail restaurant in a small alley in Thai Ha.

Hanoi boasts thousands of delicious snail restaurants, scattered throughout its streets and markets, from small roadside eateries to upscale restaurants. One can easily find snail dishes from all regions, from the elegant Hanoi style, the spicy and flavorful Thai style, to the rich and sweet Saigon style.

But finding a snail restaurant that's both delicious and authentic, with a truly dedicated owner, isn't easy. In Hanoi, perhaps few restaurants have generated as much online buzz and check-ins as the small snail restaurant located in Thai Ha alley, a place where food and music intertwine, and the owner is an artist – Mr. Vu Van Sy.

Before becoming the "owner of the snail stall with violin-shaped tongs," Mr. Sy used to work at the Giap Bat bus station. After quitting his job, he returned home to help his wife sell snails. Initially, it was just a mobile snail stall, weaving through the streets. Gradually, with many regular customers, they opened a small stall in Thai Ha alley and started selling steadily from 2008. His wife, a gentle and careful woman, still meticulously selects each snail, preserving the traditional flavor of this Hanoi dish – a taste that not everyone still remembers.

The main character who makes this snail restaurant unique is Mr. Sy, the owner. He's over 70 years old, and whenever someone asks or when he's in the mood, he'll take out his violin from a small corner of the table, and instrumental music will fill the air – sometimes romantic ballads, sometimes classical instrumental music, or familiar traditional tunes. Mr. Sy enjoys singing and participating in performing arts. During his high school years, he was selected to join the musical instrument group to practice and participate in city events. This is when he began learning basic music theory and became familiar with the violin.

"Since leaving the Giap Bat bus station and helping my wife sell snails, I started playing the violin again after moving the shop here in 2008. Occasionally, when I'm in the mood, I play a few songs. When I was young, I loved musical instruments. I even know how to play the trumpet, and I still play it sometimes, but I'm not very good at it," Mr. Sy humbly shared.

The harmony of snails and violins

"I've been eating at this restaurant since 2013, almost 10 years now. The restaurant is still the same, and the owner is still the same, as cheerful and enthusiastic as ever," shared Ms. Ngoc Trang, a customer at the restaurant.

Scrolling through Instagram or Facebook, it's easy to find stories featuring a middle-aged man playing the violin amidst the rustic, simple setting of a snail restaurant. Under the dim lights, steaming bowls of snails, the clinking of spoons against bowls, and the melodious sound of the violin pique viewers' curiosity. People come to the restaurant not only to eat snails, but also to experience this unique "spiritual delicacy," something you won't find anywhere else in Hanoi.

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For almost three decades, the restaurant's menu has remained largely unchanged. It still features small, chewy, and fragrant local snails, plump and round periwinkle snails steamed with lemongrass, lime leaves, and a touch of chili, along with sweet and savory quail eggs stir-fried with tamarind, crispy fried spring rolls, and sometimes sweet potato fries as a side dish. The dipping sauce is a special blend of traditional recipes, with a spicy kick, a harmonious balance of salty and sweet, and a strong aroma of ginger and lemongrass. Each bowl of snails costs only 25,000 dong, a price that has remained constant for many years, amidst the increasingly expensive city of Hanoi.

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Customers are usually in no hurry. Some sit for an hour, eating, chatting, and waiting for Mr. Sy to play a tune on his violin. In that tiny space, the music seems to bring everyone closer. Strangers smile at each other, share snails, exchange quail eggs, and take a picture together with the owner playing the violin.

Thai Ha Snail Restaurant isn't a noisy, bustling place. There are no stage lights, no flashy marketing campaigns, and no need for famous reviews. But it's precisely this simplicity that makes it a private and emotional "touchpoint" in the heart of the city.

Hanoi has so many wonderful things to tell. There are old cafes, tranquil tea houses, and hidden little streets where the starfruit falls in the autumn. But there's a snail restaurant in a small alley, where an old man plays the violin amidst the slurping sounds of hot bowls of snails, where people sit close together not because of the cramped space, but because of the camaraderie.

It's no longer just a culinary experience, but a slice of life, where people can slow down, listen to instrumental music, and feel the kindness of a humble vendor. Because more than anything, Mr. Sy doesn't just sell snails; he gives away kindness, humor, simple passion, and the warmth of an old Hanoi resident.

In a bustling city where eateries spring up and disappear like the first rain of the season, Thai Ha snail restaurant quietly remains a necessary oasis. Not overly prominent, not noisy, but memorable enough for anyone who has visited. Remembering the taste of the snails from the countryside, the faint sound of a violin echoing through the alley, the figure of a thin man diligently carrying a bowl of snails, then suddenly turning on his violin to play a gentle tune.

Text and photos: Hoang Anh