Vietnamese cuisine has many different dishes to sample and some of these dishes originated in Hanoi. In Hanoi you can enjoy traditional food in restaurants or road side stalls. Fresh ingredients are normally used which are brought from the market every morning. Rice noodle soup served with beef or chicken is a popular dish.
Vietnamese cuisine has many different dishes to sample and
some of these dishes originated in Hanoi.
In Hanoi you
can enjoy traditional food in restaurants or road side stalls. Fresh
ingredients are normally used which are brought from the market every morning.
Rice noodle soup served with beef or chicken is a popular dish.
Pho
This universally famous food is best enjoyed in Hanoi, where it was
“invented” in the early 20th century. Pho- or rice noodle soup- is omnipresent in
Hanoi,
appearing anywhere from street vendors to high end restaurant chain Pho 24.
Some is served with chicken and some with beef. Each type of meat entails a
variety of sub-dish, using from beef tenderloin to beef brisket, chicken wing
to chicken thigh. The tip is, look for the place where locals gather the most
and you know where you should order and sit down.
Banh Cuon
If the French has this famous delicious crepe made of wheat,
egg and dairy products; Vietnamese and particularly Hanoian is proud of their
steamed crepe from rice flour and water. A savoury meal, the inside stuffing
contains ground pork, wood-ear and seasoning. Most street chefs make the dish
right at door so look for a place that steams are coming up high. Banh cuon is
served with nuoc mam - a mixture of fish sauce, sugar and lime.
Bun Thang
Bun thang is one of the most popular yet hidden fares in Hanoi and one can hardly
find it outside of the Old Quarter or a few special restaurants scattering
across the city. The chicken broth is artistically done and the dish is
beautifully served. Bun thang is a harmonious blend of color- the yellow of
sliced egg; the white of bun; the off-white of chicken and the green of onions
and herbs.
Cha Ca La Vong
You think you have read about this name somewhere and yes,
you are right. Cha ca La Vong is listed as one of the top 100 things you got to
try before you die by many cuisine experts. It is exquisitely grilled fish
served with bun, peanut, green
onions, dills and shrimp paste. The fish is carefully chosen so that there are
not too many bones and fishy smells. A glass of bia hoi or tra da will definitely give your meal more flavour.
Xoi Xeo
Chances are you will encounter this dish in almost every
outdoors market. There are even two restaurants dedicated fully to this dish in
the Old Quarters. Xoi xeo is sticky rice topped with ground de-hulled mung bean
and fried onion. Sometimes it can be served with eggs or steamed chicken breast
on request. The serving is really filling and it is good for any time of the
day but most Vietnamese have it for breakfast or lunch.
Green Rice Cake
Initially, green rice cakes were wedding cakes and they were
also designed to replace the wedding cards announcing the wedding. The cake is
made from green (unripe) glutinous rice which is stir-fried with fat and sugar,
while its core is made of well pounded green beans (peas), a few slices of
coconut white lining and a bit of sugar. It is made into a square cake which is
wrapped in green, banana leaves and tied with red- colored bamboo strings - the
color of threads used to unite the bride and the groom on marriage day. Green
rice cakes are produced in many places, but Hanoi surpasses all over localities in fame
over this item. In the past, green rice cakes of Nguyen Ninh, a shop on Hang
Than Street, were well known throughout the country. Grilled green rice is made
from green (unripe) glutinous rice which is sit-fried, then pounded and sifted.
After the operation is completed the grilled green rice is preserved in lotus leaves
which help to preserve the paddy flagrancy to which is added the flagrancy of
lotus. Grilled green rice is produced in many parts of the country. But the
best one comes from Vong Village (Tu Liem district, Hanoi City).
Everybody follows the same methods, but Vong village has found and applied a
formula which is kept secret - thanks to which its products surpass all others
in quality and no confusion can be made between its grilled green rice and that
of other places. In ancient times, grilled green rice and persimmon fruit were
used as presents to the future parents-in-law. The two items match each other
perfectly in terms of color, the grilled green rice is of green color like
emerald, while the red color of the persimmon trees looks like red diamonds. In
terms of taste, the grilled green rice is softly sweet, while the persimmon
trees are strongly sweet, and the mixture of the two produces a harmonious
taste. The grilled green rice can also be tasty when eaten with banana. It can
also produce a tasty sweet soup if cooked with water and a moderate dose of
sugar.
