Hanoi - Street food

We went to Hanoi for 5 days the week before Christmas.  

We have always loved Vietnamese food - light and flavoursome.  

We stayed in a hotel on the edge of the Old quarter called Hanoi Moment II. 

Very friendly and helpful staff.  Clean and have everything you need.  

We landed late on the first day - knackered. 

so we try out the restaurant at the hotel  - which happens to be its first day of business!

and it's offering 50% off on food bills :)) - bonus! 

They serve international food as well as Vietnamese food.  

They are more expensive then local restaurants but with the offer, it's very worth it!

Hanoi style fish - Cha ca  Thang Long = Vietnamese Dill Fish with Tumeric

Served with rice paper

We also had Bun bo there (beef rice vermicelli salad) - very nice too. 

Banh Cuon Gia Truyen

- Vietnamese steamed rice roll with minced pork and black fungus, served with deep fried garlic and coriander on top.  

We had that as breakfast on the next day :) It wasn't far from our hotel. 

We also ordered some Vietnamese "sausage"

yummmm 

Pho Gia Truyen (49 Bat Dan)

- Beef noodles soup served with deep fried doughnut

It was very busy with an efficient production line - one taking the order, one slicing the beef, one assemble it with noodles and herbs, the 3rd man pouring hot broth onto it

It is not the most hygenic place (but it's definitely not the worst) 

saw them just put big chunks of meat (unwrapped) from a fridge sitting in the corner of the dining area

Locals have pho as breakfast but I think I would fall straight into food coma everyday if I have that before work

Deep fried dumplings off the street

It has different fillings .. pork/ shrimp/ crab etc

didn't really dare eating the fresh herb though... not sure about how clean they are

( we saw people chopping herbs on the floor while walking around the old quarter )

but it was quite an experience - sitting by a busy seat on a tiny plastic red stool

watching all those scooters pass by ... 

eating like a local lol 

(we later saw another street stall cleaning dishes with brown coloured water... we haven't eaten on the street after that.... :S)

BBQ Beef on 50 Ma May street

a bit like korea bbq I guess... but with a vietnamese dipping sauce. 

I think it's salt/pepper/chilli + kumquat juice

Quan An Ngoc

- this place is great.  clean and with English menu. 

you are spoilt with choices and things are cheap! 

It's a must go.  

Summer roll

"Hue" Steamed rice ravioli with Vietnamese sausage and crotons in a flavoursome broth

- my favourite out of all. 

This is something I have never seen in London.  

Prawn cracker

- very crispy but a bit heavy after the first one .. 

old steamed rice dumpling with peanut served with bean sauce

not nice at all - don't order ! :p

very blend and stodgy

bun bo

stewed beef with vietnamese baguette (which is dryer and lighter than the normal ones)

They called it banh mi which I expected it to be served as a sandwich but as you can see.. not quite what we expected but it was yum anyway. 

Vietnamese spring roll

Crab noodles soup

Overall, I really enjoyed the food in Hanoi. 

We are very glad that we have no tummy problem given how brave we were on the first few days.