Eating in Vietnam takes on many flavours. Since the country opened itself up to the external world in 1990, the country has seen a flood of tourists coming to visit the charms of this intriguing country. In return, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and many other hot spots have seen an uprising of different culinary tastes inspired by these external influences.
While it would be a mistake to visit Vietnam and dine solely on food available anywhere else in the world, sometimes while travelling through a different country you need a little taste of home away from home. In the country’s major cities you can now feast on Italian, Chinese, German and American food without going too far off the beaten track. It only depends on what you want to eat and where you want to eat it
In Hanoi, a quick stroll around the beautiful Hoan Kiem Lake offers visitors ample opportunities to try the country’s legendary pho (Vietnamese noodle soup served with either beef or chicken) bun cha (pork patty soup) or any other traditional dish from spring rolls to sticky rice. More adventurous tourists may even want to try an evening at a thit cho restaurant to try dog meat.
Here are a couple of favourites with travellers to the Vietnamese capital, sure to offer a great meal and a chance to meet locals as well as other tourists.
Kangaroo Café
- Located at 18 Bao Khanh Street, Ha Noi, Kangaroo Café offers traditional Vietnamese food such as tantalising Vietnamese stir fried vegetables and noodles, tender Vietnamese-style fried steak and vegetarian meals as well as burgers and Sheppard’s Pie. Owned and operated by an Australian ex-pat, Kangaroo Café also offers heaping mugs of coffee American style – a great place for breakfast, lunch or dinner that won’t break your budget (meals range between 2 – 5 USD). If you’re itching to get away from the city and explore other parts of the country such as the ever popular Ha Long Bay, ask at the counter for trip information – Kangaroo Café also doubles as a tour organiser. Tel: (84-4) 828-9931 Hours: 7.30am to 10pm
Hang Bo 66
- Named after its address (as so often happens in Vietnam) Hang Bo 66 in Hanoi serves great food at reasonable prices. Try out this restaurant at night when dim lights warm the dining area decorated with hand-made mahogany tables and chairs, seemingly lifted from a traditional house. While Vietnamese food, including sumptuous beef luc lac, rules the menu, their speciality is seafood – always fresh. If they serve it, it was caught that day. Hang Bo 66 also boasts a fully stocked bar as its centrepiece making this restaurant a great refuge from the craziness of the Vietnamese street outside and a great place to have a nightcap and relax. Meals range from 3 – 6 USD however hot pots and seafood fetch anywhere up to 31 USD Tel: (84-4) 824-4315 Hours: 7am to 11pm
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