Eat, Drink, Savor: The fine dining, street food and magic turtles of Hanoi

Lea este artículo en español aquí.

As explained in the article “A culinary journey through Ho Chi Minh City,” my friends Harry and Helen Nguyen took me on a ten-day tour of Vietnam. As natives of the country and owners of the Phở Hà Nội restaurants in the San Jose area, they displayed a depth of knowledge of places to go and things to eat that was close to overwhelming.

After five days of exploring Ho Chi Minh City and south to the intricate tunnels of Củ Chi and the islands of the Mekong Delta, we flew north to Nội Bài Airport in Hanoi, again by way of Vietnam Airlines. The trip was short, only two hours, and once again, the in-flight food (cubes of pork in a rich gravy with rice) and wine (an Edda San Marzano Chardonnay) were amazing.

We stayed at the Hotel de l’Opéra in the city center, a few blocks from the picturesque Hoàn Kiếm Lake, once home to a population of giant turtles. Legend has it that in the 15th Century, Emperor Lê Lợi was crossing the lake with a magical sword he had used in battle, when a giant turtle appeared, taking it from him to return it to the gods, and disappearing with it into the lake. A temple on an island displays the embalmed remains of the last two of the lake’s now-extinct creatures. 

Pretty much exhausted from the flight, we enjoyed a modest affair at Luk Lak, a cozy upscale restaurant within walking distance. We had two of the house specialties: Rau Bò Khai Xào Trứng Ran, greens sautéed in garlic and served on a bed of scrambled eggs, and Lợn Nướng Sa Pa, marinated grilled pork with herbs served with Chẩm Chéo dipping salts. We also had Má Heo Nướng Sốt Mớ, sliced pork cheeks served with a bell fruit salad, deep fried rice cakes and a warm apricot sauce. 

The last was my favorite. The crunchy slices of bell fruit had a refreshing cherry-apple taste that worked well with the tender pork and the light apricot sauce (unfortunately, not Blenheim apricots, but still packed with flavor). Simple yet delicious.

I spent a good part of the next day with Mr. David, a guide who took me to the Temple of Literature, a 1,200-year-old university converted to a Confucian temple. We also visited Hỏa Lò Prison, better known to Americans as the “Hanoi Hilton,” where John McCain spent five and a half years during the Vietnam War, with its guillotine on display as a symbol of the suffering inflicted by the French colonizers.

Lunch was at Quán Ăn Ngon, which translates as “delicious restaurant,” a colonial mansion turned into an eatery and one of my guide’s favorite places. Seated in the packed courtyard, you’re surrounded on three sides by stations preparing various dishes. 

We started with Bánh Cuốn Nhân Thịt, minced pork and mushrooms wrapped in a sheet of rice flour and steamed, then served with a light garlic sauce. Next came nuggets of Cá Trê Nướng,  grilled catfish coated in a mix of ginger, lemongrass, turmeric, shallots and red chili peppers. 

The main course was Bún Chả, a close cousin of the ever-present Phở: vermicelli noodles in a sweet and tangy fish broth, with grilled patties or strips of pork and a pile of fresh herbs on the side meant to be added to taste. Lunch was usually accompanied by beer, in this case, the slightly sweet Bia Hà Nội.

After a busy sightseeing day that ended with a bicycle taxi tour of downtown Hanoi and a traditional water puppet theater performance, I returned to the hotel. That evening, I had dinner—a wagyu tomahawk feast—at a private residence hosted by friends of the Nguyens. 

I was exhausted, so I returned to the hotel right after the meal, stopping at the bar to check out their namesake drink, La Fée Verte (“The Green Fairy”). The bar claims it comes from a recipe favored by the artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, saying that this absinthe-based drink may cause hallucinations of a “green-hued spirit” after just one sip. Made with lemon, angostura bitters and egg white, it did not conjure any supernatural creatures at all, so I had to content myself with just the delicate star anise flavor of the drink.

The next day was more tourism with Mr. David: the Vietnam Museum of History, filled with ancient art from Southeast Asia, the Museum of Ethnology, a celebration of Vietnam’s 54 ethnic groups through everyday objects, and the Architectural Garden, which gathers together dozens of traditional homes and buildings transported from all over the country. 

For lunch, Mr. David took me to Ngọc Hiếu, a favorite hangout of his when he was a student. Seating is on the second floor, which is reached by way of a very narrow and twisted staircase above the ground-floor open kitchen. He ordered Bít Tết Truyền Thống—beef with egg and veggies—and Huda Beer, made by Carlsberg in Huế, Vietnam. 

After lunch, we sat in a nearby Highlands Coffee, Vietnam’s answer to Starbucks. Mr. David recommended Golden Lotus Tea, made with chilled oolong tea, lotus seeds and water chestnuts. The seeds were soft, like boba, and the drink was topped with foamed cream. And, unlike Starbuck’s, a large size was absurdly affordable—65,000 Vietnamese Dong or $2.50 American.

That’s where we were when the earthquake hit Myanmar. I felt the jolt, and, having grown up living in the San Francisco Bay Area, to me it was just another unpleasant shake. But for a country that doesn’t really have earthquakes, it was enough to empty every tall building in the area, filling the streets with office workers who had no idea what to do next.

I was out so late that the Nguyens had gone to dinner with family members, so I checked out the Hotel de l’Opéra’s Café Lautrec. Maybe because I have become addicted to Harvest Time Roadhouse’s fish and chips, I wanted to try the Vietnamese version. Made with locally sourced sea bass, it did not disappoint. 

I went to La Fée Verte again that night, and the bartender made me her favorite drink, the Dead Man’s Mule. Made with absinthe, cinnamon syrup, orange syrup, a squeeze of lime and ginger ale, this might have been my favorite drink of the trip. A wild combination of flavors, it hit my tastebuds in surprising ways—a delight.

The next morning was my last in Hanoi. The Ngyuens took me to a restaurant within walking distance of the hotel, Hải Kiên Bún Chả, a tiny place with around a dozen seats. Bún Chả is a dish made with grilled pork and noodles, and within a few feet of our table, an elderly gentleman was sitting by an open flame, cooking the sliced pork and minced pork patties for the meal.

My hosts ordered three servings of this rustic dish, including an extra order of grilled meat, and a round of beverages. The entire bill for the table was under $10, and the food was superb, enhanced by the aroma of the pork cooking so near us.

From there, it was a trip to the Hanoi airport for a plane that took us back to Ho Chi Minh City, one final meal at Cơm Niêu Sài Gòn, a Vietnam Airlines flight and another great meal, this time a tenderloin with beef gravy and Potatoes au Gratin. 

Concluding thoughts? Of course I wanted more time exploring Vietnam. After seeing so much of Ho Chi Minh City, I could have used two or three more days in Hanoi—I barely scratched the surface of what the city offered in terms of the culture, history, scenic beauty and varieties of food. I would not hesitate to return, if not for those things, then for the constant friendliness and kindness I was shown by the Vietnamese people themselves. 

Recommendations for future Eat, Drink, Savor articles can be emailed to roberteliason@benitolink.com.

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