The Hanoi food post
Anyone who's seen the FB pics I put up knows we ate a lot in Hanoi. Well, can you blame us? We weren't really about the shopping and I've seen the sights in a previous trip. But when we weren't working, there was food. I mean, we are Singaporeans right?
We had loads and loads of Pho. Of course.
But let's do this in an organised manner.
So on our first day we were less adventurous and ate in establishments listed in the guidebook. Big mistake. The food tended to be overpriced and not terribly authentic. Like this famous French restaurant we went to (partly because we were in the area). We liked the ambience. It was quiet and cool and a respite from the heat and noise and dust. But doesn't this expression say it all?
That's not a medium rare tenderloin, dude!
Eug's ribeye was similarly overcooked and the ladies felt smug that we had opted for a Vietnamese set instead. We felt it was an unimpressive expensive meal, but then again it was our first day and there was time to rectify the error. So we still managed to smile.
The next day was better because we went off to Halong Bay and had a nice seafood lunch on the boat. There was fish, prawns, squid, dressed crab and erm French fries. But it felt nice to be on the water and dining off white tablecloths and using proper glassware and cutlery on our own chartered boat. Like atas like that.
But we did even better for dinner. We had spotted loads of people grilling beef and vegetables along the street near our hotel the night before, and it looked and smelled fantastic. Dejected from our dismal French dinner, we decided that we would try it for ourselves. So what if we had to squat amongst the motorbikes and sign what we wanted to the capable young man who still managed to understand us? So what if we had no idea what to do really, and the same capable young man had to keep coming over to adjust the fire for us pathetic tourists? I felt great satisfaction sitting among the locals and eating what they were eating.
The best part is that we were given so much meat we nearly could not finish it!
And so a promising trend began. The next day we went to the famous fried fish place called Cha Ca La Vong for lunch. There are imposters but a friend had told us to look out for the correct one. We were ushered upstairs into a dingy room full of fish being fried on charcoal stoves and given our own pan and bowlfuls of herbs and rice and left to it.
We also went to this grilled pork ball and meat place, where we assembled our own bowls of noodles, meat, herbs and pickled papaya. It was actually really delicious.
I cannot remember where it's located but it was this crowded and tiny establishment packed with locals and full of bustle and bossy aunties who reminded me of the Joo Chiat/ Eng Seng crab lady.
The sign next to me lists the shop name and address if you are interested.
Of course we still patronised the little touristy cafes every now and then. Not for our meals, but for a smoothie or beer. When the city is either unrelentingly hot and humid or chucking down with rain, and there are no pavements or covered areas, everyone needs a rest stop, right? Or a nice drink to round off a busy day with?
To cocktails and cappucinos!
Oh, and we were treated to a very sumptuous buffet dinner at the poshest Vietnamese restuarant I have ever seen by our counterparts at the Hanoi university. It had musical performances, a smorgaboard of seafood, escargot, frog's legs, salads, rice paper rolls, soups, noodles, BBQ meats and desserts, and served pretty decent wine to boot. I think there were more performers and wait staff at the place than there were customers. I suppose it cost a pretty penny but our host was the President of the university and an assembly man to boot. And get this - he thinks the deputy prime minister would make a good guest of honour at our little conference. Enough said! I think the boys felt that the dinner was completely worth getting dressed up and cabbing to us for.
And so went my little gastronomic tour of Hanoi. I am glad to report that everyone ate with relish and did not have to suffer for it. Except of course our waistlines. That's why I dragged my ass off to the gym today even though I didn't feel like it. What did you eat over the last week?
We had loads and loads of Pho. Of course.
But let's do this in an organised manner.
So on our first day we were less adventurous and ate in establishments listed in the guidebook. Big mistake. The food tended to be overpriced and not terribly authentic. Like this famous French restaurant we went to (partly because we were in the area). We liked the ambience. It was quiet and cool and a respite from the heat and noise and dust. But doesn't this expression say it all?
That's not a medium rare tenderloin, dude!
Eug's ribeye was similarly overcooked and the ladies felt smug that we had opted for a Vietnamese set instead. We felt it was an unimpressive expensive meal, but then again it was our first day and there was time to rectify the error. So we still managed to smile.
The next day was better because we went off to Halong Bay and had a nice seafood lunch on the boat. There was fish, prawns, squid, dressed crab and erm French fries. But it felt nice to be on the water and dining off white tablecloths and using proper glassware and cutlery on our own chartered boat. Like atas like that.
But we did even better for dinner. We had spotted loads of people grilling beef and vegetables along the street near our hotel the night before, and it looked and smelled fantastic. Dejected from our dismal French dinner, we decided that we would try it for ourselves. So what if we had to squat amongst the motorbikes and sign what we wanted to the capable young man who still managed to understand us? So what if we had no idea what to do really, and the same capable young man had to keep coming over to adjust the fire for us pathetic tourists? I felt great satisfaction sitting among the locals and eating what they were eating.
The best part is that we were given so much meat we nearly could not finish it!
And so a promising trend began. The next day we went to the famous fried fish place called Cha Ca La Vong for lunch. There are imposters but a friend had told us to look out for the correct one. We were ushered upstairs into a dingy room full of fish being fried on charcoal stoves and given our own pan and bowlfuls of herbs and rice and left to it.
We also went to this grilled pork ball and meat place, where we assembled our own bowls of noodles, meat, herbs and pickled papaya. It was actually really delicious.
I cannot remember where it's located but it was this crowded and tiny establishment packed with locals and full of bustle and bossy aunties who reminded me of the Joo Chiat/ Eng Seng crab lady.
The sign next to me lists the shop name and address if you are interested.
Of course we still patronised the little touristy cafes every now and then. Not for our meals, but for a smoothie or beer. When the city is either unrelentingly hot and humid or chucking down with rain, and there are no pavements or covered areas, everyone needs a rest stop, right? Or a nice drink to round off a busy day with?
To cocktails and cappucinos!
Oh, and we were treated to a very sumptuous buffet dinner at the poshest Vietnamese restuarant I have ever seen by our counterparts at the Hanoi university. It had musical performances, a smorgaboard of seafood, escargot, frog's legs, salads, rice paper rolls, soups, noodles, BBQ meats and desserts, and served pretty decent wine to boot. I think there were more performers and wait staff at the place than there were customers. I suppose it cost a pretty penny but our host was the President of the university and an assembly man to boot. And get this - he thinks the deputy prime minister would make a good guest of honour at our little conference. Enough said! I think the boys felt that the dinner was completely worth getting dressed up and cabbing to us for.
And so went my little gastronomic tour of Hanoi. I am glad to report that everyone ate with relish and did not have to suffer for it. Except of course our waistlines. That's why I dragged my ass off to the gym today even though I didn't feel like it. What did you eat over the last week?