Eating out in Vietnam, literally
STOP, take a deep breath, Go! Traversing the streets of Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, which buzz with motorbikes and scooters going every direction, is not unlike approaching the city’s street-food stands, which are on every corner and spare inch of pathway.
You need to use your intuition and take it slowly. Arriving at the other side of the street, or at the end of a delicious bowl of pho, is extremely satisfying. A Vietnamese street-food favourite, pho is a noodle soup served with beef or chicken in a clear broth. Spoons are provided with chopsticks for drinking the broth, and every spoonful feels restorative, warming and refreshing. A real tonic.
The pungent smell of fish sauce wafts through the streets and mingles with the smoky odour of barbeques grilling every type of meat (even man’s best friend). The best advice is follow the locals. If a stand is teeming with locals, there’s a reason for it.
My technique was to follow the crowds (and my nose), smile, and point at whatever everybody else was eating. Good street-food stands usually offer one dish, a recipe perfected and passed down through the family for generations.
You will be given a demonstration of the proper way to eat the dish.
A good option for street food, but under the safety of a roof, is Quan An Ngon. Located on Phan Boi Chau street, the restaurant has an extensive menu of street-food dishes from across the country, including fresh Nem Cuon (summer rolls), Gai du du (papaya salads), banh xeo (pancake with shrimp and pork), banh bao (steamed bun dumplings) and the ubiquitous pho.
Take a trip down to Dac Kim’s, on Duong Thanh street, for a lunch of Bun Cha — a typical Hanoi dish, bun cha is grilled pork served in a broth with vermicelli noodles, with fresh herbs and vegetables on the side. Portions here are huge: one is enough for two people, especially if you split a couple of Nem Cua Be (spring rolls with sea crab). Rau Muong, or Morning Glory (also known as water or river spinach) is everywhere, too, an absolutely delicious plate of garlic sautéed green vegetables that are a perfect accompaniment to any dish, any time of day. If you’re peckish for dessert, on a hot weekend afternoon Kem Trang Tien is the place to be for some delicious ice cream (try the sticky rice flavour).
Coffee lovers will not be disappointed in Vietnam; it is the world’s second largest producer. Actually, that’s a serious understatement.
If you love, or even like, coffee, you will probably spend your time here highly caffeinated, due to the sheer volume of cafes and street-coffee vendors.
In Vietnam, coffee is usually served with an individual filter that sits on top of the cup. If you order a ca phe sua (coffee with milk), you will be presented with a glass cup containing about a half inch of condensed milk with rich, dark coffee filtering through, drip by drip.
Once it is ready, a swift stir results in a sumptuous refreshment that tastes like a sensational fusion of caramel, chocolate and coffee.
Iced coffees are more common, so unless you stipulate that you would like it ‘hot’ you will be given a bucket of ice alongside your coffee; very refreshing on a sticky, humid day in the city.
Walking or biking biking (bicycle or scooter) around the city are the best ways to immerse yourself in the wonderful chaos of everyday life.
Cycling through the Old Quarter, you have a street view of everything and really feel part of it all. That is, until your tyre bursts in the middle of a deluge and you have to push your bicycle back to your hostel in the rain...but maybe that was just me.
While in Hanoi, it is worthwhile taking a Vietnamese cookery class or street-food tour.
Having navigated my way around a lot of street food stalls without a guide, I thought it best to skip the tour and do the cookery class, instead. Hanoi Cooking Centre ( http://www.hanoicookingcentre.com/ ) is one of the best in town and offers courses designed by chef, Tracey Lister, co-author of KOTO— A Culinary Journey Through Vietnam. I did the the street-food cookery class, which was a crash course in how to make a good papaya salad, West Lake prawn cakes, pho cuon (fresh noodle spring rolls) with beef, nuoc cham (dipping sauce), as well as a demonstration of how to make a beef pho and banana che — a typical dessert consisting of caramelised banana served with a sprinkling of peanuts.
If you fancy burning off some of those extra calories, the Hoan Kiem Lake and Thông Nhât Park (Reunification Park) are both great places to take a brisk walk, or to jog around and soak up some of the local culture.
Regardless of the day, you are guaranteed to see about a dozen wedding photo shoots taking place around the lake, complete with professional photographer and unashamed Next Top Model-esque posing.
You can also join the hundred or so women taking part in an outdoor aerobics class in the park, or play da cau with a group.
The national sport of Vietnam, it involves a number of players keeping a weighted, feathered shuttlecock-type object in the air using their bodies (apart from their hands) and you can really work up a sweat if some of the men I saw playing it are anything to go by!
Flights from Dublin to Hanoi via London start at about €650 return. Check out www.trailfinders.ie
May de Ville hostel, located right in the centre of the Old Quarter is a great choice for the budget backpacker at $5 per night for six bed ensuite dorm including buffet breakfast. Private rooms also available ( www.maydevillebackpackershostel.com ). They also have a number of other hotels around the city.
Rent a bicycle or motorbike ($2 to $5 per day) and immerse yourself in everyday life.
Tuk tuks and taxis (car and motorbike) are widely available but be sure to agree on a price in advance or use a metered taxi
Shoppers will not be disappointed in Hanoi — there are shops everywhere! The night market takes place from Friday to Sunday, and you can pick up anything from a pair of fake Ray Bans to beautiful Vietnamese handicrafts. Be prepared to haggle too, it is a real sport.
The dry season (with slightly cooler temperatures) arrives in October and lasts through to April.
Must-see museums: Women’s Museum, Ethnology Museum, Temple of Literature and Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
Nonna Chong’s Street Food map of Hanoi is a fantastic resource for the intrepid street food tourist.
The Ferrycarrig Hotel will be hosting a funfilled family mid-term break to cater for all the family. A two-night stay for families of four is priced at €240 and that includes accesss to the fitness centre and pool as well as a supervised kids club. See www.ferrycarrighotel.ie
With Venice in the news following the recent wedding of George Clooney, Uniworld has an eight-day boutique river cruise on offer which starts and finishes in the Italian city departs on October 26. The cruise element has been cut from more than €3,000 to €1,779 but expect to pay about €400 for flight to Venice ex-Dublin. Details: www.tinyurl.com/l88ycbt
Anything between €1,200 and €1,700 will buy long haul breaks from Sunway who have exotic specials to Bali, Seychelles, Zanzibar and Cancun on sale, with the five star offering in Cancun for adults only. www.sunway.ie  or phone Sunway 01-2886828
Travelfox features deals to Maastricht next year to coincide with concerts from the renowned violinist Andre Rieu. One of several outdoor summer concerts fixed for July, Rieu promises a not to be forgotten experience in his home town. Flights are from Dublin and include concert tickets and a tour of the city. www.travelfox.ie
Bali, Malaysia and China are all on GoHop’s agenda for group tours over the coming months. The online travel company is allowing for bookings up to November 15 for a variety on trips that also vary in price, from around €700 up to €2,700. Visit www.GoHop.ie
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