A Food Tour Through Hanoi's Old Quarter

Balancing a combination of fragrance, taste and colour, food in Vietnam is an integral part of life that often takes centre-stage. We sampled some delicious Vietnamese cuisine just like the locals do, by strolling through the hidden alleyways and bustling markets of Hanoi's Old Quarter. With its narrow streets and antique brick houses, it makes for a nostalgic trip back through time in a fast developing city as you wander through the meandering alleys where merchants and street hawkers gather to sell produce ranging from seafood to exotic fruits. Best of all are street food stalls galore filled with popular northern dishes.

Bun Cha Ta

Rice Noodle and Grilled Pork

Sat – barefooted – in the cozy setting of the aptly named restaurant Bun Cha Ta, this was a great introduction to a popular local Vietnamese dish. In it's warm ambience we were introduced to the dish of the same name, Bun Cha Ta, thought to have originated in Hanoi. Simply put it is a bowl of soup noodles; comprised of room temperature broth, grilled pork, white rice noodles, herbs and chillies, the dish was served in a DIY manner on separate plates for us to put together to our liking. With a broth based on vinegar, sugar, and fish sauce served with the pork, you add your noodles and start mixing in the ingredients. There's no step-by-step guide on how to assemble your dish, simply dive right in! With additions of green papaya, mint and chillies to your tasting, it's a refreshing and delectable dish to enjoy.

Nom Bo Kho

Dried Beef Salad

Nom Bo Kho is a delicious dried beef salad that has become a familiar street food snack. With a mixture of julienned green papaya, strips of beef and spicy beef jerky, and topped with herbs, peanuts, and a sweet and sour dressing, it's different flavours and textures are a moreish combination. The ingredients for the dressing are ones that are seen time and time again in Vietnamese dishes: sugar, vinegar, fish sauce, chili, and soy sauce. Pour the dressing over the bowl and toss to enjoy the fragrant aroma and taste of this light and refreshing dish.

Banh Cuon Nong

Hot Steamed Pancake

Made from the thinnest sheet of slightly fermented rice batter, Banh Cuon Nong is a steamed rice cake best served piping hot from the local hawkers who hand-make the dish in front of your eyes. Cooking the dish is by no means an easy feat, we tried our hands at lifting the delicate sheet of steamed rice off from the sheet of cloth placed over the steaming pot in one full sweep and many failed to pass the quality check due to tears. Failing cookery class aside, the rice batter is filled with a mixture of seasoned ground pork and wood ear mushrooms that are later dipped in (can you guess?) the renowned fish sauce. It's texture was smooth and slippery, somewhat reminiscent of Hong Kong's Cheung Fun (Rice Noodle Roll), but the topping (thought to be dried onions, though not confirmed) added the good level of satisfying crunch.

Nem Chua, Banh Goi, Nem, Banh Ran

(L - R) Fermented Pork, Pillow Cake, Spring Rolls, Sweet Donut

Though we know that deep-fried anything isn't good for your body, it does wonders for the junk food cravings that plague our tastebuds. In Hanoi, a number of local eateries will satisfy any bad cravings you have with their local fried delicacies.

For savoury satisfaction, fermented pork, pillow cake and spring rolls were the items of choice in our next local diner. The fermented pork, though sweet and sour in taste, held a rubbery texture we couldn't quite get used to, whilst the spring roll wasn't really something we'd consider to be groundbreakingly innovative. The pillow cake, on the other hand, we couldn't get enough of. As a great dish for cold days, it's pastry is crispy and filled with finely chopped glass noodles and mushrooms served alongside a dipping sauce of garlic, chilli, sugar, lime juice, fish sauce and water.

To finish, treat yourself to a sweet donut. With innards made from sweet mashed mung bean and coated in sesame seeds, its sweet filling and crispy outer shell will leave you wanting more.

Bun Rieu Cua

Crab Soup Noodle

As a northern specialty made with thin rice noodles, we couldn't not try a bowl of hot Bun Rieu Cua to warm our bellies. Differing slightly from the infamous Pho, this soup noodle dish is popular for the inclusion of various freshwater crabs found in the rice paddies of Vietnam. Cleaned and pounded to remove dirt and sand, the crabs are either ground into a mince or made into patties using pork and egg. Served with bean sprouts, mint, shrimp paste, green onion, cilantro and topped with nuggets of tofu this was a filling dish with a tangy tomato broth.

Kem Xoi

Sticky Rice Ice Cream

When in 'nam, always leave room for dessert. Always. When shown a list of various dessert options available at a local eatery, Sticky Rice Ice Cream was one of the local's favourites that we just had to try. At the bottom, you'll find a mound of sticky Pandan rice – a green-hued clump due to the chlorophyll from the Pandanus amaryllifolius leaves, with a nutty flavour – topped with coconut ice cream and toasted coconut flakes. It's light, it's creamy, and the combination of flavours works wonders to refresh the palate after a spicy bowl of soup noodles.

Xoài Voi Sua Chua

Mango with Yogurt (Mango Sago Pudding)

Another light and refreshing dessert that will satisfy any cravings your sweet tooth may have, this mango-filled dessert brings more coconut flavours to the table alongside sago and smooth yogurt. Fresh mango chunks and coconut panna cotta-esque globs make a surprisingly delicate pudding for you to indulge in and not feel *too* guilty about afterwards.

Bia Hoi

Fresh Beer

With bars and pubs popping up throughout Hanoi's Old Quarter, Bia Hoi remains a popular drink of choice in the city. Hanoi's 'Fresh Beer' is ubiquitous in Hanoi, and you'll easily find Bia Hoi places dotted around the labyrinthine streets as people fill every inch of the alleyways sat on shin-high plastic stools. Though we couldn't quite get over the metallic aftertaste it left in our mouths, the beer was crisp, clear, served ice cold and an unreal deal at around 50 US cents.

Ca Phe Trung

Egg Coffee

It may sound weird and, like us, you may hesitate before bringing your lips closer to this concoction but when in Vietnam be sure to give this drink a chance at least once. It was said to have emerged when a resident of Vietnam working at the Sofitel Legend Hanoi Hotel ran out of milk and decided to use the following concoction instead. Traditionally prepared with egg yolks, sugar, condensed milk, Robusta coffee, and served in a bowl of hot water to retain it's warmth, it is a super smooth and creamy beverage served in cafes throughout Hanoi. If you were none the wiser, you'd never be able to tell that egg was a key ingredient. Despite our initial dubiousness, we can now understand why this has been a staple post-meal drink since the 1950s and would even consider attempting to make some at home!

Cha Ca Thang Long

Grilled Fish

You can choose to put you cooking skills to the test with some DIY grilling, or leave it to the hands of the professionals. Either way, this grilled fish is a delicious way to take a break from your exploration of Hanoi. With an individual hot plate for the table, waiters will first cook the dill, onions and other herbs in batches before adding the pre-grilled tumeric-seasoned fish to warm up. Served up with noodles, you can top up your bowl with slashings of soy sauce, chilli, cilantro, crunchy peanuts and a shrimp paste sauce (tip: don't smell it).