Fine Dining: Hanoi Style

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.