Hanoi has a reputation for having one of the finest cuisines in Vietnam, albeit the World. Of course, this opinion is widely held by the Vietnamese who are living, eating and cooking in Hanoi. Hanoi's best places to eat are not what you would call "fine dining." There is no guest list and you can't call ahead to book a table. Normally there are only two or three tables anyway, but if they're full, you can just go next door where you can find the same meal. Uhh, can I use the term "next door" if there are no doors?
The best places to eat in Hanoi can be found directly on Hanoi's streets. These street side restaurants are limitless and popular with locals and foreigners alike. Small and dirty but they do the trick. They are just like outdoor kitchens, the cooking and preparing are done right in front of you and practically at your table. All of these restaurants are perched on sidewalks and outfitted with plastic tables and chairs that appear to belong at a six year old's birthday party. Reminiscent of the "kiddie table" I remember from family gatherings, complete with disregard for table manners and inappropriate conversations for the dinner table.
The restaurants have a very simple menu, in fact they only offer a flat noodle soup called "pho" (pronounced "fuh"). You know exactly what you're going to get, no matter the size or cleanliness of the location. As you take your seat in the miniaturized plastic chair, there is only one concern; chicken or beef? The food is good and cheap but the real reason for sitting down for a bowl of pho is to eat along side the rest of the people in your neighborhood. Learning bits of Vietnamese while slurping your noodles and burping loudly to show the cook how much you loved the meal. Honestly mom, it's part of the culture!
I've recently found another hidden gem in Hanoi. A street with a number of restaurants called "fried chicken street" and it does not disappoint. The sidewalk on both sides is lined with similar fried chicken restaurants but we always seem to meet friends at the restaurant on the end of the street, passing by the sweet, sweet smells of barbeque and charcoal. The restaurants offer a simple menu of fried chicken (yes, every part of the chicken. Try to avoid the feet!), cucumber salad and grilled bread cooked with a sweet glaze. A complete meal covering all of the necessary food groups: fried, sugared and MSG. The lone drawback to all you can eat greasy chicken is the warm beer. The restaurants are outside, so they don't have fridges, their own lights or electricity, but they do cook a delicious piece of chicken!
Food comes in all different ways but here in Hanoi, it's guaranteed to be fast, fresh and to fill you up. Eating is a large part of Vietnamese culture. Opposite from the language, traditions and political theory, this is one part of the culture I can easily understand and vigorously take part in.
The Madness
First impression of Hanoi: amazing!
First impression of Hanoian streets: fucking INSANE!!
The streets of Hanoi are constantly filled with motorbikes zooming up and down, round and round. People going fast, going slow, going through red lights and going on the wrong side of the road. The traffic laws are clearly stated but never enforced, and with a city of six million people, who's going to stop them?
There are more bikes on the road than there are cars and it's truly amazing how the Vietnamese can find so many uses for a bike. It's not strange to see multiple people on a bike and there is no need for a family car in this city. A family of four can be seated comfortably(?) on a bike, with a baby in mom's lap, dad driving with the older child between his legs, and only two helmets for all. Motorbikes also have the same use as delivery trucks, delivering anything from live animals (pigs and chickens in bags) to refrigerators to construction materials. The bikes rule the road and you either have to accept the bike culture or live in fear of being run down.
Crossing the street in Hanoi is initially a pain but becomes a form of art after a while. Reminiscent of the old style arcade game 'Frogger' where you try to cross the road and can only move forwards, backwards or side-to-side. I found myself stranded in the middle of the street when I first got to Vietnam and learned the tricks of the trade rather early. I'll gladly share with you the secret to Hanoi traffic so that you don't end up alone and crying in the middle of the street as you tried to check out the souvenir shop on the other side. The trick is to just keep moving. Pretend like you don't see the traffic around you and walk forward at a normal pace. As intimidating as the bikes are, they will go around you and try to avoid hitting you the best they can.
I'm an experienced Hanoian (well, I've only been here for two months but that's all it takes really!) but I can't say that I partake in the terror that is involved in riding bikes. I do, however, ride on the back of them whenever I can. I love tearing through Hanoi while sitting on the back of a friend's bike or on the back of a Xeom (say-um), one of the many hired bikes found on any street corner. Life in Hanoi seems so great from the back of a bike. I feel like a distant observer of the madness, while at the same time, being right in the thick of things. It's such an amazing daily experience, there's no place I'd rather be.
First impression of Hanoian streets: fucking INSANE!!
The streets of Hanoi are constantly filled with motorbikes zooming up and down, round and round. People going fast, going slow, going through red lights and going on the wrong side of the road. The traffic laws are clearly stated but never enforced, and with a city of six million people, who's going to stop them?
There are more bikes on the road than there are cars and it's truly amazing how the Vietnamese can find so many uses for a bike. It's not strange to see multiple people on a bike and there is no need for a family car in this city. A family of four can be seated comfortably(?) on a bike, with a baby in mom's lap, dad driving with the older child between his legs, and only two helmets for all. Motorbikes also have the same use as delivery trucks, delivering anything from live animals (pigs and chickens in bags) to refrigerators to construction materials. The bikes rule the road and you either have to accept the bike culture or live in fear of being run down.
Crossing the street in Hanoi is initially a pain but becomes a form of art after a while. Reminiscent of the old style arcade game 'Frogger' where you try to cross the road and can only move forwards, backwards or side-to-side. I found myself stranded in the middle of the street when I first got to Vietnam and learned the tricks of the trade rather early. I'll gladly share with you the secret to Hanoi traffic so that you don't end up alone and crying in the middle of the street as you tried to check out the souvenir shop on the other side. The trick is to just keep moving. Pretend like you don't see the traffic around you and walk forward at a normal pace. As intimidating as the bikes are, they will go around you and try to avoid hitting you the best they can.
I'm an experienced Hanoian (well, I've only been here for two months but that's all it takes really!) but I can't say that I partake in the terror that is involved in riding bikes. I do, however, ride on the back of them whenever I can. I love tearing through Hanoi while sitting on the back of a friend's bike or on the back of a Xeom (say-um), one of the many hired bikes found on any street corner. Life in Hanoi seems so great from the back of a bike. I feel like a distant observer of the madness, while at the same time, being right in the thick of things. It's such an amazing daily experience, there's no place I'd rather be.
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