Rough Guide to Vietnam - Jan Dodd [270]
Highway 4 5 Hang Tre 04/3926 0639. Midway between a restaurant and a bar, Highway 4 offers moderately priced mainly north Vietnamese dishes – steamboat and earthen-pot dishes, as well as more innovative fare such as their famous catfish spring rolls – to accompany traditional rice wine liquors. These come in more than thirty varieties, the medicinal benefits of which are explained in the English-language menu. There is a range of seating over three floors, culminating in a great roof terrace (reservations recommended). 10am–1am; food served to 11pm.
Kangaroo Café 18 Bao Khanh. Popular Australian-run tour agent-cum-café (see "Tour agents") serving fresh, wholesome food – including a good selection of vegetarian fare – using organic produce as far as possible. The all-day breakfasts and bangers-and-mash are recommended. 7.30am–10pm.
La Place 4 Au Trieu. Sweet little place with views of the cathedral square from its picture windows. The dishes are small but well prepared, and on the upper floor they provide crayons and paper tablecloths so you can doodle away the sometimes considerable wait for your meal. The coconut chicken curry is a popular choice (60,000đ), though the spring rolls are even better. 8am–10.30pm.
La Salsa 25 Nha Tho. Decently-priced tapas (from 20,000đ), gazpacho and the like in a knockout location opposite the cathedral; the two-course set lunches are good value at 95,000đ, while of an evening, the ground-floor bar is also a popular drinking hole for local expats. 10am–11pm.
Little Hanoi 9 & 14 Ta Hien 04/3926 0168. Cosy, friendly and great-value restaurant on a bustling sidestreet, serving lip-smacking Vietnamese home cooking among bamboo knick-knacks. Try the fried tuna with lemon butter or the house special, spicy fried chicken with five tastes, including lashings of garlic and ginger. Even though they have two outlets, you might need to book ahead. 10am–11pm.
Little Hanoi 21 Hang Gai. Not to be confused with the above, this intimate café-restaurant on a busy junction just off Hoan Kiem Lake is perennially popular for its good-value salads, soups, filled baguettes (to eat in or take away) and other light meals, plus an extensive range of bar drinks. 7.30am–11pm.
Pepperonis I & Pepperonis II 29 Ly Quoc Su & 31 Bao Khanh. With two outlets in the cathedral area, this cheap-and-cheerful pizza chain has found a winning formula in its all-you-can-eat buffets: pasta and salad lunch buffet (Mon–Fri 11am–1pm; 48,000đ) and evening pizza buffet (Mon, Wed & Fri 6–9.30pm; 78,000đ); get there early to grab a table. 8am–midnight.
Sohot 2 Au Trieu. This place has it all – a wide selection of excellent food, swish decor, views of the cathedral, and prices around half what they should be. As such it has become hugely popular with affluent Hanoian youths; come for an insight into where the city is heading. 9am–11pm.
Tamarind Café 80 Ma May. A little pricey but worth it for the well-presented contemporary vegetarian food (organic where possible), fresh fruit juices and herbal teas, with a laidback vibe and decor to match: plump sofas, Japanese calligraphy prints and arty Asian-style seating platforms at the rear. It’s also home to Handspan’s booking desk. 6am–11pm.
Tandoor 24 Hang Be. A perennially popular Indian restaurant with simple decor but cracking curries: fish tikka, mutton vindaloo and an extensive range of mouthwatering vegetarian dishes. The thali set meals offer excellent value at 55,000đ to 75,000đ. 11am–2.30pm & 6–10.30pm.
Hanoi and around | Eating | Restaurants |
The French Quarter
The following are all marked on the Central Hanoi map "Central Hanoi", unless otherwise stated.