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Vietnamese Cuisine |
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Food and eating habit are one of criterions to value a nation’s culture, life as well as living standard. To some people, value a dish isn’t simple to measure the nutritious level, to see the decoration or to know its taste but to find out the relation between food itself and natural characters of the place where people live.
Vietnamese cuisine is delicious and is appreciated by most people. Although not as famous as its Chinese or Thai counterparts, it certainly retains the unique and specific blending of fresh ingredients that makes the food of the region so popular. Vietnamese food is very digestible; frying will be made with a lot less oil than used in Chinese frying. Light vegetable oil is preferred to the lard; Thick sauces are rare so Vietnamese food will satisfy those more attentive to their diet. Salads are often an association of meat and seafood accompanied by a large variety of vegetables and ingredients, of different flavour, texture and color. Vietnamese cooking constitutes an excellent choice for light meals, even though Vietnamese people prefer to share a larger number of small dishes arranged in the center of the table.
Food of three regions:
There is something in common and different between Vietnamese cuisine in the North, the South and also in the Middle. Materials, spices, way of cooking, as well as serving are dominant characters which flexibly changed from place to place in this country.
In the North, dishes with salty taste seem to be much preferred to suit the chill weather. On the contrary, the Southern cuisine is a combination between sweet and sour. Foods of the Middle are famous for its hot but sensitive taste that closely links with eating habit set for hundreds of year by royal families Northern cuisine exhibits fewer herbs and vegetables than the other regions because its climate is less hospitable than the Mekong Delta. For heat, North Vietnamese cooks rely on black pepper rather than chilies. The royal tradition in the Central region goes back beyond the recent Vietnamese monarchy to the ancient kingdom of Champa. The royal taste reveals itself in the preference for many small dishes placed on the table at once. The more lavish the spread, the wealthier the household. However, even the poorer families are likely to have multiple dishes of simple vegetables.
A typical family meal:
A typical Vietnamese meal (lunch or dinner) will include steamed rice, a soup dish to eat with rice, a meat or fish dish and a vegetarian dish (either stir fried or boiled). Vietnamese do not eat in separate servings; however, food is placed in the middle. Each member of the family has a small bowl and chopsticks which allow him or her to take food from the table throughout the meal. Though there were many rises and falls through the time and historical events, including cultural crosses between Vietnam and other countries, Vietnamese cuisine is always deep and strong in identity. It reminds people of the folk creation and adaptation to nature. Increasingly famous worldwide restaurants have sprawled over the globe, yet, no Vietnamese food abroad can equal in flavor or quality to the one made in Vietnam itself. In brief, Vietnamese cuisine depends heavily on rice grown in water paddies throughout the country with dishes varying from simple everyday meals to most complex dishes designed for the King. Reaching a balance between fresh herbs and meats as well as a selective use of spices, Vietnamese food can be considered one of the healthiest cuisines in the world.
Favourite local foods
North: Pho, Spring rolls, Rice Noodles (bun cha, bun oc, bun bo nam bo, Cha ca La Vong;
Bun (rice vermicelli), the origin for many Vietnamese delicious dishes! Bun (Rice vermicelli) is made of rice flour which is turned into small, circular and white threads wrapped up into small coils called Con Bun. Vietnamese rice vermicelli is a preferable as well as a popular dish!
Rice vermicelli are a part of different Vietnamese cuisines.Walking along some streets and stopping at one rice vermicelli vendor in Hanoi or Sai Gon, you will have chances for tasting various dishes of rice vermicelli with unforgettable flavor!
Bun
cha
Do not be so surprised if you see that each region and locality, even each restaurant, has its own vermicelli dishes with their own recipes. There are a variety of ways to enjoy rice vermicelli, each dish having its own unique taste, for example: “Bun Cha” (vermicelli and grilled chopped meat), “Bun Rieu” (vermicelli and sour crab soup), “Bun Bo” (vermicelli and beef ), “Bun Oc” (vermicelli and snails) and so on. Let’s try the very delicious taste of Bun Cha and Bun Oc! Bun Cha (Vermicelli and grilled chopped meat) includes rice vermicelli, grilled pork and spicy, raw vegetables and well mixed fish sauce.
Bun oc
Pho (rice nooddle soup)
Spring roll (Chả giò) “Cha giò” (or Nem Rán in the North) is one of the most popular traditional Vietnamese food, literally meaning minced pork roll.
The most common English translation of “Cha giò” is spring roll, though this is just a fancy name since the food has nothing to do with spring. Ingredients
The main ingredients of a roll of “cha giò” are commonly seasonal ground
meat, mushrooms, and diced vegetables
Cha ca La Vong (grilled minced fish)
Hanoi now has several stores selling Cha ca La Vong, but none of them
can be equal to the Cha Ca Road’s in terms of quality and flavor. As a
popular dish, La Vong grilled fish pie is indeed a remarkable culinary
invention.
The long history… In ancient days, there was a street selling paints, called the Paints Street. The Doan family, located at house No, 14 of this street, hit upon a new idea that sold fried fish pie served with soft noodles and seasoning. Encouraged by the appreciation of customers, the family specialized in this trade and the shop was called as "Cha ca La Vong store" as a wooden statue of an old fisherman (La Vong) holding a fishing rod and a string of fish stands at the door. As the specialty grew famous with every passing day, the street was renamed by the people as Cha Ca Street (fried fish pie street). Imagine that you are one of the guests…
While you sit down at the table, the waiter starts laying there some
seasonings includes a bowl of well - stirred shrimp paste sauce mixed up
with lemon. After dropping the liquor, he will decorate the bowl with a
few slices of red fresh pimento, a plate of grilled ground nuts of gold
yellow color, various species of mint vegetables onions in small white
slices. Now, this is the time for picking and choosing what you like from the dishes on the table; sticking them into your bowl. Everything in all dishes should be eaten together. Let’s taste…
Vegetarian eating in Vietnam – same, same but different!
Vietnam is not only a rather peculiar country of North Asia with extremely friendly and helpful people but its vegetarian regional menu is also worth discussing. The majority of Vietnamese population is meat-eaters, however, there are those who prefer vegetarian cuisine and pay much attention to the issue of their nutrition and health. Many meals are prepared and sold in the streets. Therefore, you will probably need some extra guidance to thoroughly study the Vietnamese vegetarian menu.
The abundance in fresh vegetables and fruit! Whereas vegetarian cuisine in the West often means a bland plate of grilled vegetables or strange faux meat products, Vietnamese vegetarian fare sticks to familiar flavors and ingredients. Like it is the case with many other South-Asian countries, the Vietnamese vegetarian menu that features fish and meat as seasonings and condiments is something to talk about. Speaking about the Vietnamese cuisine, it's impossible not to mention about its abundance in fresh vegetables and fruit. However, these vegetables and even various tofu dishes are often made with pork, meat broth or fish. Sometimes, Vietnamese vegetarian regional menu includes all the mentioned three ingredients. Some professionals in sphere of vegetarianism consider Vietnamese menu to be among the most outstanding and significant cuisines on Earth (along with the African-American vegetarian menu). Many tourists who visit Vietnam often state that food and specific regional menu is one of the important reasons to visit the country. It's impossible to speak about Vietnam and not to tell you some words about the well-known dishes included in the Vietnamese vegetarian menu. Vietnam cuisine is full of such outstanding delicates as vegetarian version of pho, Vietnamese meat and noodle soup, noodle-rice shacks, vegetable soups, sweet-and-sour cauliflower, stir-fried noodles and vegetables... For those seeking meatless fare for dietary reasons, religious leanings, or just personal preference, there are a handful of well-run and exciting Vietnamese vegetarian restaurants in the city worth getting to know. You would imagine that, in a society where roughly 85% of the people are practicing Buddhists, vegetarian restaurants could be found on every corner. Thus, it won't be an exaggeration to say that Vietnam offers a warm welcome to both vegetarians and non-vegetarians nowadays. Even you are not a vegetarian; please do not hesitate to try this kind of food in our country because it will give you the unique taste with the frequent ingredients! That is “same, same but difference!”
Hue beef noodle – the typical culinary art of Hue!
In Hue city, the former citadel of Vietnam, it doesn't take you a lot of money to dine like a King!
Preparing Bun bo gio heo is very skillful. Pig leg is clean-shaved, chopped into even slices with adequate bone, meat and skin, mixed with lean beefs, and soaked with salt, pepper, fish sauce, dry onion and spices. Bun bo gio heo is proper with all appetites. Even diet people could enjoy the sweet-smelling of beef with less fat of pig leg so as not to be fed up with as serving. Bun bo gio heo is delicious anytime you have it. You could enjoy this specialty of the Central region on Hue City The best Hue beef noodle comes from the street vendors who work from dawn to early morning.. This hot dish represents just a few of the treasures of Hue's traditional cuisine. Clam-rice and the flour pies like beo (streamed flour cupcakes), nam (wrapped shrimp pies) and loc (tapioca and shrimp pies), for examples, are part of the ancient capital's culinary heritage.
Banh beo is a specialty and indispensable in Hue City. Banh beo is delicious with its core stuffed with small shrimps and sauce made from a mixture of fish sauce, sugar, garlic, chilly and fresh small shrimps, watery grease. Therefore, it offers customers with sweet, buttery and smelling flavors. Without delicious sauce, the cake would become worthless. When serving, it is required to use a tool called Que Cheo (bamboo folk) to pass through the cake, cut into pieces, prick and eat. Customers would be impressed forever with having Banh beo in a green garden while listening to Hue folk song coming from the Perfume River.
Banh cuon (rolled rice pancake)
Among other members of the extended noodle family, bánh cuốn almost ranks first. It is a paper-thin steamed rice flour pancake, much like delicate sheets of fresh rice noodles. The pancakes are plucked off of the linen steamer base, and immediately rolled with minced pork and mushrooms, then piled on a plate, sprinkled with deep fried shallots, snipped with scissors into bite sized sections, and topped with fresh herbs such as cilantro or Vietnamese basil. A plate of bánh cuốn is a light dish traditionally eaten as breakfast in Hanoi but now can also be found as a late night snack. To eat, dip a section of rolled noodle goodness into the accompanying warm fish sauce broth, brightened with a squeeze of fresh lime. You can also pick the leaves off the herbs and add them to the dipping sauce, grabbing a leaf or two as you dip, or you can follow each bite with a chaser of herbs. Bánh cuốn are often eaten with different sides of pork sausages, including sheets of an orange hued, roasted cinnamon sausage called cha que.
Cao lau Hoi An (Hoi An vermicelli)
Visitors to Hoi An never forget Cao Lau (vermicelli), the special Hoi An and Quang Nam special symbol
Cao lau noodles are carefully made from local new sticky rice. Water used to soak rice must be taken from wells in the Ba Le Village; noodles thus will be soft, enduring and flavored with special sweet-smelling. On the Cao Lau noodles were some meat slices mixed with fat made from fried noodles served with vegetables and bean sprouts. Sharp-witted eaters would find out the specific flavor of the dish. Dry pancakes used as ingredient must be thick with much sesame on the surface. Greasy coconut quintessence and bitter green cabbage are also indispensable. The so-called genuine Cao lau Hoi An must satisfy all above requirements. It was said that only some wells in Hoi An were used to make Cao Lau noodles. What is more, only some Hoi An families were able to produce Cao Lau by their own traditional way, but the quality was not as good as it was before. Cao Lau did not have Vietnamese flavor. Despite its Chinese-like appearance, no Chinese accepted it as Chinese food. Until now, the origin of Cao Lau still remains in mystery.
Come to My Tho for tasting Hu Tieu
Hu Tieu (My Tho noodle soup) is a traditional dish, so specific to Southern Vietnam. As a Chinese long-aged dish, this food was reciped to taste My Tho delta people to become well-known nationwide.
My Tho seafood noodle soup is different from Chinese noodle soup, Nam Vang soup, as well as Hue beef noodle soup. The intersting thing is its secret recipe. In stead of herbs and lettuce, you will be tried the flavour of soy bean, lemon, chili, and soy sauce. How does it taste? The sweet aroma of the broth comes from the meat, dried squid, and special condiments. Not less important is the broth to cook from shinbone, pork, squids, additives and seasonings to taste subject to family secret as revealed by Chef Ba Chau to a well-selling shop in Trung Trac Street, My Tho City. Taken as a national dish and something to recollect the delta land of My Tho, this noodle soup reciped in the Southern cuisine is second to none in meeting with various appetites of both oriental and western diners.
Drinks
BEER - Bottoms up!
In Hanoi, you can find the simplest corner bar on Earth with tiny plastic stools on the sidewalk, small tables on the ground, laden with glasses of beer. Come to Vietnam to try Vietnamese beer and see how men drink beer with favorite refrain such as “tram phan tram” (100 percent), "drain your glass of every drop”…
As a developing nation, Vietnam's per capita beer consumption remains relatively low at roughly 12 liters a year, especially compared with such giants of the suds-swilling world as Germany, which consumes more than 120 liters per person per year. Nevertheless, Vietnamese tend to drink beer in large quantities. Yes, that is true! It is not uncommon to see a group of four or five men with 24 empty bottles on their table at lunchtime. Humorously speaking, as well as their drinking capacity increase, their business prospects seem to be bright. That the reason why Vietnam’s bottled-beer market has been enjoying double-digit growth for several years. Upscale brew pubs are also starting to crop up with more than a dozen opening in Hanoi in the last year. “This is a very interesting industry - a rapidly growing industry” said Van Dinh who opened a brew pub in a Hanoi discotheque last year. When opening Red Beer brand (or Bia Do) in Hanoi a year ago, Truong Viet Binh expected to sell about 200 liters a day. Now, he's selling 300 to 400 daily and planning to open a new Bia Do in Ho Chi Minh City where at least four brew pubs already have been opened
Despite all the changes in Vietnam's beer industry, the most popular
drinking establishment remains the traditional bia hoi. These ubiquitous
establishments are always on the sidewalk where customers sometimes will
raise their voices over the din of
Nobody minds if the tables are dirty and the sidewalk is littered with paper napkins. This is simply the place where everyone comes to unwind - from truck drivers returning from a stressful shift to college professors who use bia hoi as a sort of street-side salon. “We come here twice a day” said Le Vinh, 67 years old, sitting at a bia hoi in the shadow of the central Hanoi train station. As a retired doctor, Vinh's drinking pals include a retired soccer star, a film maker, an engineer and finally, a newspaper photographer. They gather for an hour or two at lunch and, of course, reconvene at the end of the day. “We share our ups and downs” said Nguyen Trinh Thai, a painter. At Bia hoi Viet Ha - a humble stall just down the Lang Ha Street, five friends are gathering after a hard day at a Hanoi print shop. They have come to this place four times a week for six years now. They suck down eight glasses right after sitting, but claim they are sober. “If we come home drunk, our wives will be furious” as one of them explained. “If we have less than eight glasses, we are fine,” said Pham Tien Anh, 55 year olds, while picking at a plate of fried tofu with his chopsticks. “Chuc suc khoe!” they cheered and ordered another toast “Here's to your health!” Vietnam has a unique beer culture, said Nguyen Hong Linh director of planning for Hanoi Beer, which has recently doubled its production capacity. “When people go to a bia hoi, it will promise a special atmosphere,” Linh said. “Everybody is very happy. That’s all! Now, wondering on a certain street in Ha Noi, you can accidentally hear the sentence “Bottoms up!” and question yourself “what is the only thing that will make these men forget their wives and their homes?” The answer is “beer only”!
Vietnamese wine When we say that Vietnam is warming with reds these days, we aren't making a political statement, of course. We're talking about wine. With the easing of government restrictions, both commercial and cultural, the past ten years have seen a welcome increase in wine importing and awareness. You can now find a good quality Bordeaux in most upscale and many mid-range restaurants or chic wine bars and shops in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Nevertheless, while international wines are making headway, the most interesting vintner we find on the market are local contenders. Rice alcohol. Alcohol has been called spirit because it symbolizes for men willingness in the old time. Besides tea, plain rice alcohol is also offered respectfully on the ancestor altar in rituals or ceremonies to show deep gratitude such as wedding parties, ground - breaking, Tet holiday... Vietnamese also drink alcohol to celebrate joy to reduce sadness or wish for blessings. However, the way Vietnamese drink alcohol is worth mentioning. Unlike Western countries where bigger cups or glasses are frequently used, buffalo - eyed cup is more preferred to serve in Vietnam. How can rice become wine?
Yes, Vietnamese alcohol is made from rice so it is called rice alcohol.
Firstly, rice is steamed, and then fermented for a couple of days before
being distilled. With several traditional methods and materials, you
will have many kinds of rice alcohol; however, their flavors are totally
different from each other. In some cases, herbs or snakes are pickled in
alcohol jar to use as medicine.
Can wine is special for the way it is made and served. Firstly, simple available local materials such as cassava, tapioca, sweet potato are altogether fermented by wild herb in a pottery jar for days. Of course, its taste is total different from rice alcohol or any kind of wine - can wine is so bitter or strong that may lead you dizziness. Its sweet taste would make you drunk - a sweet and slow drunk - without any predictable consciousness.
The way can wine is served clearly shows the community unity and
hospitality of highlanders. Now, let’s see how Vietnamese drink ruou can
to serve dear guests, special celebrations or ceremonies. At these
moments, the spirit container would be fixedly placed in the middle of
the yard, house or even communal long house (called nha rong - in
central highland). Then, both host and guest take seats around while
fresh water from a buffalo horn will be slowly leaked out through a
small holed. Now, it should be time for the village master to try
through one of stems dipped into the jar. In some cases, he can offer it
to honorable guests. After that, turns will come to the rest whenever
they want. Every body will try to offer stems to each other to show
their willingness and respect. The container would never be dry, it
always requires fully filled with water by ladies. Besides, there would
be gong performance, which is usually accompanied by dancing during the
time.
Snake Wine. It is an alcoholic beverage that can be found at Snake Village near Hanoi, any major city of Vietnam as well as other countries across South East Asia. The snakes are immersed in 100% rice wine in special glass bottles and then, they are sealed and stored in a cellar for five years. The wines which contain substances necessary for the human body are high quality tonics. Regularly drinking appropriate quantities of the wines can moisturize your skin, improve your appetite, as well as strengthen your bones, tendons and muscles. They are used to treat general fatigue, hair loss, migraine headaches, rheumatism and neurasthenia. Surprisingly, the tonic wines do not cause dryness syndrome, such as constipation, thirst, dryness of the throat and nose. People of all ages and both sexes, including pregnant women can drink them in four seasons. Vang Da Lat. As with most other Asian countries, wine is not the first commodity that comes to mind when thinking about Vietnam. However, Dalat, with its cool central highland climate and strong French heritage, is an anomaly that producing artichokes, asparagus, strawberries and most recently- wine. Unlike its more sophisticated brethren in France, Northern California and South Africa, Vang Dalat uses table grapes from nearby Phan Rang - a Vietnam's main grape-growing region. Nguyen Van Viet who has been with his wine company since 1999 explains that Vietnam has a limited history with wine. The French introduced an elite wine culture pre-1954, and during the past decade, due to the improvement in living standards, more people fond of traveling overseas and being exposed to foreign wines. With this in mind, Nguyen considered how Vang Dalat could produce a European-style wine similar to traditional Vietnamese wines that any family could afford. Today, his company produces 1.5 million liters of wine a year, including a Superior Red (all grape, 11% alcohol), Strong Red (grape/mulberry blend, 16% alcohol) and even a sparkling white… In the meantime, Vang Dalat is just one more good reason to visit Vietnam. If you make it to Dalat, we recommend dinner at Maison Long Hoa, a genteel establishment run by a Vietnamese Francophile. Classical rather than tinny pop plays over the stereo, hearty Vietnamese food offers comfort against the chill outside, and—along with the strawberry wine made by the owner's wife—Vang Dalat vintages top the wine list.
"One cup of tea, please!" ... is what you often here when walking along Hanoi streets, near a lamp post, under the shade of a tree, or next to a door where there is a low table with glass pots containing different kinds of candies, roasted ground nuts, and sugar coated cakes. This is a complete description of a make-shift tea shop, which is a very popular part of Vietnamese street life.
The owner skillfully lifts the cap of the tea cozy, takes out the tea pot, and then pours the hot tea into a small cup. The owner then hands the cup of steaming tea to the customer. Unlike northerners, who prefer hot steamy tea, people in the south would like to add ice cubes to their tea cups/glasses due to weather difference.
Vietnamese people have a nice habit of drinking tea. They drink it everywhere and at any time: at home, at workplaces, even in tea shops on their way to work, or at formal meetings, weddings or funerals. They also place it on altars as an offering to their ancestors on worshipping occasions. Whenever the locals feel thirsty, they are likely to look for this drink, in both summer and winter. A cup of iced tea in a hot day in summer not only refreshes your mind but also detoxicate your body. On the contrary, in winter, a sip of hot tea makes you feel warm inside and better able to cope with the outside cold temperatures. Yet, tea drinking is not a recent trend in Viet Nam but attached to an ancient history as follows; Tea drinking - from history to daily life... Viet Nam is one of the largest and oldest tea-producing countries in the world. The Vietnamese have been growing tea for over 2,000 years. As early as in the 11th century, tea was used as a symbol to convey the essence of Buddhism. During the period of the Tran Dynasty from the 13th to early 15th century, tea assumed a philosophical value for the Vietnamese. In the 15th century, the Vietnamese polymath Nguyen Trai (1380-1442) lived as a hermit, renouncing the outside world for a life of "tea, poetry and the moon". While tea has a special philosophical value for scholars and a long tradition in Vietnamese history, it has its own place today in the life of ordinary people living both in the cities and in the countryside. In the past, peasants could not afford expensive tea, so they grew tea on their own. Nowadays, tea is used to bind people together, for example, the peasant often invites his neighbor around for a chat over a cup of tea. They drink tea initially to thank the host for his hospitality, then throughout several tea sips, they open heart more, to share their feelings, to speak about the family, the company and finally to feel the nature savor of the cup of tea. Besides a normal thirst-quenching beverage, tea is also considered a delicate and meaningful one. In the past, it used to be the leverage for poets’ inspiration. Up to now, the habit of leisure tea-drinking has helped refresh and polish the drinkers’ minds. Moreover, a person's character can be assessed by his or her tea drinking ways. Vietnamese people consider those who drink concentrated tea to be finely-mannered; and those who can pour tea into bowls arranged in a circle using a coconut scoop without spilling a drop will certainly enjoy the admiration of their tea-drinking peers. Kinds of tea Viet Nam has grown many and various types of tea such as che Tuyet, che Moc cau, che man, che chi … Each one is combined with a particular kind of flower: che man with chrysanthemum; che bup with hoa soi flowers; high quality che man and che bup with lotus, narcissus or jasmine. Some connoisseurs go so far as to row out to the middle of a pond to place small amounts of tea inside lotus buds in order to perfume it. An example is cum tea, grown by the Tay ethnic minority. Cum tea plants are allowed to grow until the buds are mature, then they are picked, and roasted in a pan until they are dry and the buds begin to curl up. The tea is then wrapped up in palm leaves to keep it fragrant. The Vietnamese like to mix tea with flowers to make it more aromatic. Tea with lotus is very precious for Vietnamese people. This kind of tea was formerly reserved to the Kings. According to the predecessors, when the lotus blossoms in the afternoon, they put a sachet of tea in the pistil and then, they tighten it with the sheets of lotus. In the next morning, they take dew remained on the sheets and in mixture with the sachet of tea in the pistil. After having poured into the cup, the soft and fresh odor of lotus dominates the whole room. The tea culture has sticked to the life and the heart of Vietnamese people for generations. And when they drink tea at a small mouthful, the tea savor makes them more off-hand and closer to one another. This has formed the culture of the vicinity and the affection between neighbors.
Hanoi’s coffee culture, like no other
Sai Gon has coffee on high floor, and under ground, etc., whereas Hanoi has street coffee and traditional cafeteria. The competition between Trung Nguyen coffee system, modern Cappuccino coffee and traditional coffee is still equal. This reveals that the Hanoians retain some uniqueness of their ancient lifestyle.
Coffee and the Hanoians
The Hanoians drink a lot of the dark, caffeinated beverage and prefer sipping their stronger blends outside in front of a small shop with some sweet milk and a spoonful of sugar. Every morning, on hot days of summer and cold and dull days of winter, you can easily see some here with a cup of coffee in one hand and a newspaper in the other.
Street Coffee… Soaking up the rhythms of the street and embracing Hanoi from all of its sides, from old to new ones, and from traditional to modern & quirky ones, you will tenderly recognize that, nothing can be better refresh us after hardworking hours than a cup of coffee on a street near Sword Lake (Hoan Kiem Lake). Basking with sunshine in the afternoon when there’s less noise from automobiles, Hanoi ends a day and opens a new paradise for culture experiences. Taking over a legacy from bygone years with the involvement of an irresistible French factor, the Vietnamese have embraced café culture in a great way. There are so many famous coffee shops in Hanoi, like Nang café (6 Hang Bac), Nhan (39D1 Hang Hanh), Quat (Quan Thanh), Quynh (Bat Dan) to Giang (Hang Gai and Lam (60, 91 Nguyen Huu Huan)… Chairs are small, literally child-sized, and are sometimes made of blue plastic or painted wood. The tables are covered with glasses of ca phe den (black coffee) or ca phe sua da (iced coffee), which come with their own picturesque drip top. Not only just for connoisseurs, these places are idea for having gossip, meeting old friends, talking to pass time of day, stealing precious moments for romantics … Now, let’s follow a coffee connoisseur… A good example of the authentic Hanoi cafés is Hang Hanh, an atmospheric slender street veering off the city’s central Hoan Kiem Lake. In the afternoon, one may find himself inexplicably drawn to its’ wall-to-wall cafés which unfold below the shady boughs of leafy trees. Here, the annoying young and cool Vietnamese often sit and watch the world in front of their eyes. In late afternoon, with the last rays of sunshine, the place starts to buzz. At weekends, it is positively heaving with dating couples or gangs of youths desiring to be couples. If this sounds too frenetic, a more subdued place like Giang Café can be chosen! Though situated in a busy tourist shopping street, the tiny confined Giang Café attracts the serious permanent coffee lovers and soccer addicts.
Cyclo cafe in Hanoi
Yet, if you ask me about my favorite one, I will not hesitate to answer that it is Quynh Café. Down in a quiet side street, this unassuming cafes’ entrance is marked by a simple red lantern and ornate ironwork doors. Stepping inside, you not only see the bamboo furniture on tiled floor but also the tiny plants adorn wooden shuttered windows. Looking on damp-streaked walls, you may surprise with wooden arrows and trumpets, farming implements and ancient hunting pistols. Breathing the cool air from the antiquated table-fan, wallowing in soft French background music, you will desire to stay longer...
Coffee drinking from another approach The resurgence of tourism to these fragrant shores has led to the resurrection of the wonderful old ambience of former colonial times in many Hanoi cafés. Delightful cafés are now housed in elegant French-style villas with exquisite silk prints, meticulously polished wooden floors and pot-planted courtyards or serve delicious food all day and evening. Street cafés like the La Terrasse du Metropole on Ngo Quyen and Le Phung Hieu or Highlands Café, 84 Nguyen Du are the typical examples! Hanoi’s coffee culture calls on coffee addicts from every corner of the globe!
Source - Think Asian
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Bun
Oc (Rice vermicelli with fresh water snail) has fresh water snails as
main ingredient. These snails will have been kept in clean fresh water
for about ten hours before being boiled for the dish, to allow
sufficient time for the snails to release any organic matter they may
have in their shells. The boiled snails after being taken out of their
shells would be cleaned. The soup for the dish is made from the water in
which snails have been boiled in. To the soup is added tomatoes and
several kinds of flavour and vinegar.
Pho,
a typical dish of Hanoi people, has been existing for a long time. Pho
is prepered not only in a sophisticated manner but also in the technique
which is required to have sweet but pure bouillon, soft but not crasded
noodle, soft and sweet smelling meat. Only in cold days, having a hot
and sweet smelling bowl of Pho to enjoy would make you experience the
complete flavor of the special dish of Hanoi.
such as carrots and jicama, rolled up in a sheet of moist rice paper.
The roll is then deeply fried until the rice paper coat turns crispy and
golden brown. The ingredients, however, are not fixed. The most commonly
used meat is pork, but one can also use crab, shrimp, sometimes snails
(in northern Vietnam), and tofu (for vegan cha giò). If diced carrots
and jicama are used, the stuffs inside the rolls are a little bit
crunchy, and match well with the crispy fried rice paper. Nevertheless,
the juice from these vegetables can soon cause the rolls to soften after
only a short time. To keep the rolls crispy for a long time, mashed
sweet potato or mung beans may be used instead. One may also include
bean sprouts and rice vermicelli in the stuffing mix, yet, this is a
rare practice. Eggs and various spices can be added based on each one's
preference.
Speaking
about vegetarian regional menu, it's important to pay attention to the
basic features of vegetarianism and peculiarities of the meals the
entire vegetarian used to eat. Since, it's a common knowledge that
vegetarianism is referred to the practice of not eating meat and its all
possible by-products. This means that, vegetarians are the people who
exclude from their daily meals beef, poultry and most of dairy products
or eggs. However, there are several types of vegetarians and some of
them still eat a number of dairy products. The majority of vegetarians
also don't eat the products derived from animal carcasses including
tallow, lard, rennet, gelatin, cochineal, etc. It's interesting to
mention the new tendency present in vegetarianism of not wearing
clothes, shoes or accessories made from animals (for example, silk,
leather, fur and feather).
Hue
beef noodle takes its origin from the Royal Hue City of Central
Vietnam. Having a bowl of Hue beef noodle, you will easily recognize
that it is completely different from Pho since the former’s beef
broth is much more spicy.
Among
Vietnam’s delicate specialties, "bánh cuốn”
ranks top thanks to its softness, sweet fragance of cinnamon, dried
onion and strong taste of minced meat and sources! 
Cao
Lau is the foremost traditional Hoi An food. Visitors to Hoi An always
remember Cao Lau, which was considered by Quang Nam people as a special
symbol for Hoi An. 
Back
in the 1960s, a shop in My Tho, 70 km from Ho Chi Minh City started
serving this dish. Ever since then, its reputation has grown to become a
very well known meal in Vietnam. It is said that the most delicious
noodle soup is made with Co Cat rice, from the most famous rice growing
area of My Phong village, a suburb of My Tho City. 
Bia
hoi (draught beer) is one of things you should not be missed when you
come to Hanoi. There are plenty of local as well as imported beer brands
in Hanoi such as 333, Carlsberg, Hanoi, Tiger, Saigon, LaRue, San Miguel
and Heineken. However, bia hoi is the most popular beverage throughout
the country and the cheapest beer in the world (6,000 VND for a glass
only). It accounts for more than 30% of total beer consumption in the
country. Of course, it is an unpasteurized beer with low alcohol content
(approx. 3%) that is sold in mugs in simple street restaurants. Bia hoi
is an integral part of the North Vietnamese beer culture. Typically,
most male beer consumers drink it at least 4-5 times a week during peak
season.
motorbike
traffic or the clouds of diesel belch over the plastic tables from a
passing bus. The customers have no need for the sleek furniture and
fancy entertainment that they might find in a brew pub. 
Can
wine 
Tea drinking - an indispensable habit
For
many Hanoians, the most important factor of a café is not its
luxuriousness but the quality of the product. Old people love cafés
which have been around a long time, located on old streets or inside
deep alleys. Office workers like cafes with romantic and quiet styles
like those in Pho Co Quarter. Young people prefer the noisy and busy
atmosphere of modern and luxury or pavement cafés.
My
next stop is Lam café - the perfect refuge for artists, poets and
thespians to refresh their minds for creativeness. Situated on a shaded
street, it will bring you the relaxed moments by the simple but
artistically-decorated bamboo furniture, colorful framed oil paintings
on the wall, ceiling fans as well as wooden table with a lot of tiny
china teapots.