The fried rice noodle is a specialty of Hanoi. It’s made by frying noodles with beef and Brassica rapa. There are two types of fried noodles: crisp or moist, the difference being due to the frying time of the noodles. A gravy-like sauce made with fried beef is poured over the noodles. It’s served with pickled cucumber and carrot slices.
The fried rice noodle is not too strange to Hanoians. But there is only two shops located in the Old Quarter famous for tasty and special fried rice noodles. The first shop at Bat Dan street is for those who like soft fried noodle. The shop has opened years now, despite all-day sale, it is always much in demand.

Bat Dan fried rice noodle is addicted because of its gelatinous, sweet, salty sauce soaking into every tough noodle strands, vegetables and beef are very tenderly fried, hence it brings dinners delicious taste that is different from others. Besides, to reduce the greasy feeling, the shop adds a dish of fresh salad and a bowl of sweet and sour sauce with green papaya. As many loyal customers here said: “Once you enjoy the noodle at Bat Dan, you will see noodles in other places really tasteless”. The price here is quite expensive, for normal set 35,000 VND and for bigger dish 45,000 VND. However, it is worth eating because of a quality noodle bowl of meat and vegetables.
The second shop is at Hang Buom street which is suitable to those who like dry fried noodle. This shop only opens after 7 pm. In spite of sidewalk shop, it attracts plenty of luxury customers.
Hang Buom fried rice noodle is well fried, firm noodle strands. The beef is total muscle part with more tendon and not too fried vegetables. It is similar to Bat Dan, the fried rice noodle is always served with “free” extra plate of raw vegetables and fresh papaya sauce. In addition, to increase appetite, the shop also sells a dish of chopped cucumber for diners. The fried rice noodle in Hang Buom costs 30,000 per set, first it sounds be cheaper than one in Bat Dan but actually more expensive because the noodle bowl is little smaller and much less meat.

There is no lack of choices when it comes to shopping in Hanoi, the one-thousand-year old capital of Vietnam. The city offers you a wide variety of items from authentic silk, ethnic minority souvenir to wooden products.

It may be the case that the majority of souvenirs and crafts in Hanoi are readily available in numerous shops in the center districts near HoanKiem Lake. Below are some small suggestions for foreigners who may not currently come up with interesting ideas for shopping in Hanoi.

1. Silk and Embroidery:

Tourists can not miss authentic traditional silk when visiting Vietnam, a typical Eastern country. There are some differences in the way locals make silk in each region of Vietnam but the Van Phuc village in Hanoi has been renowned for making the best silk in the country. You can buy draw silk, print silk or patterned silk with national decorations as a unique gift for friends and families in Hang Gai, a small street near the Old Quarter.

2. Ethnic Minority Products:

Excluding the dominant Kinh people, Vietnam is home for 53 ethnic groups scattering mostly in the Northern mountainous region in Vietnam and each group has its own costume with distinctive designs. In this day and age, both handicrafts and clothes with unique decorations and special weaving from various ethnic groups are widely sold in souvenirs shops of Hanoi capital.

3. ‘Do’ paper:

Do paper is made from the bark of the Do tree, a wild plant commonly found around local riverbanks. It was in popularity for many years before the modern paper production these days has been invented. Now Do paper is only used to make Hanoi’s ethnic greetings cards, water color, folk paintings and bamboo-bound notebooks. Do paper cards with embroidered squares cost more or less 2 USD, bamboo bound notebooks are from 1.50 USD and hemp covered notebooks from 2 USD. You can purchase Do paper related products in Hang Gai or Hang Bac Street.

4. Handicrafts:

Handicrafts in Hanoi varies from lacquer ware, mother-of-pearl inlaid furniture, ceramics, sandalwood statuettes, watercolours, oil paintings, prints and assorted antiques (real and imitation). Hang Gai, To Tich, Hang Khai and Cau Go Street are significant shopping destinations. The price ranges from 3-7 USD depending on each item.

5. Designer Boutiques:

Fashion lovers can purchase exquisitely crafted custom-tailored clothes with a bargain price when visiting Hanoi. You just need to bring magazine catalogue or the item of clothing you want to copy and provide the tailors your instructions. Ordering shirts, blouses, gowns, cocktail and especially Ao dai (the traditional long dress in Vietnam) made of Vietnam authentic silk is absolutely worth a try. Khai Silk shop at Hang Gai Street is one of many tailor-made boutiques. The cost is about 25-50 USD per outfit.

Useful Tips:

- In most cases, you can negotiate the price off 10-40% from the quoted price. Nonetheless, please be noted that a vigilant bargain hunters are always polite and friendly with a ready smile.
- It is better to shop around the Old Quarter to collect the price and select your most-interested items since browsing does not necessarily mean buying.

Traditional theatre is becoming less and less attractive to the domestic audience. However, Ha Noi Cai Luong [reformed opera] and Viet Nam Tuong [classical drama] troupes are successfully running traditional shows especially designed for foreign tourists at the Golden Bell Theatre and Hong Ha Theatre right in the heart of the capital’s Old Quarter.

It’s a cool Saturday evening. Multicoloured twinkling lights in shops are switched on in the old streets, adding to the mystery of the old architecture. There is bustle in the air with more and more local residents and tourists going out in search of entertainment.

In the warm, small and almost-a-century-old Golden Bell Theatre right in the heart of the busy streets, dozens of foreign tourists enjoy a regular show featuring the musical and dancing cultures of different regions in Viet Nam.

The show takes tourists on a trip from the north to the south, displaying the musical heritage of the regions like quan ho (love duet) singing in the north, cai luong (reformed opera) in the south and Cham dance in the central region. English subtitles describe the contents of the show on a screen. The audience bursts into applause sometimes after short performances.

Professor Shaun Zeng from Malaysia cannot help but take photos of the show with his camera. “The show is so rich in culture,” he told Viet Nam News excitedly after the one-hour show. “It’s a wonderful show for tourists. I almost cried while watching the short play about the thief and the blind person. The show gave me a sense of the Vietnamese culture.”

Having experienced music throughout the world and during his one-week Viet Nam visit, Zeng admitted he had enjoyed the trip a lot and would return.

Among the last guests to leave the theatre, Isabelle Tong, a French woman who runs a company organising events for children in Morocco, spent time with the artists after the show.

“I’m looking for events to include in a holiday trip for my children and clients who are parents,” she said. “The show could be a wonderful choice for entertainment. It’s an ideal cultural show for them.”

Being performed for almost a year now, the show lures many tourists every Saturday between 7pm and 8pm.

“I’m thinking of introducing more typical Vietnamese musical features in the show such as hau dong [a form of shamanism] performance and some more background props to make the audience understand the musical items and the Vietnamese culture better,” said Tran Quang Hung, director of the Ha Noi Cai Luong Theatre.

“For example, for the gongs performance, we may put more images of houses-on-stilts in Central Highlands and for the Cham dance, we may bring some more statues of Cham culture,” he said.

Shows for tourists

At Hong Ha Theatre nearby, Viet Nam Tuong Theatre performs regular shows for tourists every Monday and Thursday between 6pm and 7pm.

The shows include five select items of classical opera including Old Man Bringing Young Wife to Festival, Ho Nguyet Co Transforming into a Fox and traditional musical and dancing items like nha nhac (Hue royal music) and Lan Me De Lan Con (Mother Kylin Giving Birth to Children).

A newly-designed progr-amme titled Dem Hoang Cung (Royal Night) was staged recently for tourists.

“Foreigners are always hindered by the language barrier while watching classical drama shows,” said programme director Dang Ba Tai. “Our new show does not concentrate on the vocal art but introduces the art of traditional dancing, music and performance.”

The show is divided into two parts. In the first part, tourists can get up close to see how the costumes are made, the faces made up and the props prepared.

They can try makeup, disguise themselves as classical drama characters with costumes, take photos with artists or paint wooden swords, used as props, and take them home as souvenirs.

The second part of the show is staged like a classical drama meant for royal members in a feudal court, with an introduction by an English-speaking MC who plays the role of a eunuch.

“I have been told a lot about Vietnamese classical drama. But this is the first time I have seen such a show,” said Makoto Okuwa from Japan, “It’s very easy to understand. I enjoyed both the English subtitles and the artists’ performance. The music is wonderful. I think it has an attraction that is different from that of other types of art in the world.”

Canadian tourist Annabel Fritz is especially interested in studying how to sew glittering buttons on the costumes. “I can’t imagine it requires so much time and care to make the costumes,” she said. “You should be proud of the art. It’s a real cultural heritage that has vocal art and performance skills, the art of makeup and of making costumes.”

Director Tai said the theatre would soon coordinate with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to invite representatives from travel agencies throughout the country to see the show and introduce it in their package tours.

“It’s high time the Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism connects the tourism sector and theatres,” said Ho Viet Ha, an official from the culture ministry. “We should not let single theatres find tourists themselves.”

Kobune Sushi might be located in a mega mall, but the marine-themed restaurant offers a more authentic sushi experience than many other Japanese establishments in the capital city.

If you’re a fan of sushi and sashimi, there are plenty of Japanese restaurants in downtown Ha Noi on Trieu Viet Vuong or Bui Thi Xuan or further west on Kim Ma, a whole street with Japanese restaurants and lounges that cater to every budget. So when I found out about Kobune Restaurant in the newly opened Mega Mall in Royal City, I was skeptical about making the long trip. It turned out, however, that it was worth the ride.

Kobune Sushi in Japanese means “The Boatman Sushi”, and it’s the perfect destination for a family: the adults can do the shopping and the children can play in the Kidz city, then everyone can sit down to have dinner together at the sushi bar or the tables nearby. Kobune Sushi is conveniently located near the parking area: just ask the security man along the road, and he will steer you in the right direction.

We were a big group, so each person chose a main course and we all shared the appetisers. The mixed tempura (VND135,000 or US$6.5) was a good pick, filled with crispy shrimp. Fresh salmon sashimi (VND118,000) was gone very fast as the salmon was fresh and juicy.

Dinh Ngoc Quang, owner of the restaurant, has 25 years of experience making sushi and teaching at the Gastronomy Centre in West Berlin. Quang first went to Moscow at age 16 to study clarinet. After graduation, before the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, he made his way west to Berlin.

In his restaurant at Royal City, a set of seven boats on the ceiling shape a chandelier that represents a fisherman going out to sea every day to fetch fresh food to bring to diners.

“The most distinguished feature of my restaurant,” he said, “is that sushi is placed on real little boats that float on water to the diners.”

Starting in 1991, Quang worked in Japanese restaurants, where he learned to make sushi from sushi masters.

“I fell in love with Japanese cuisine. It fits perfectly with my artistic nature. Sushi also has its own style, which really fascinated me,” Quang said.

In the past ten years, as the economy in Viet Nam grew, many cuisines made their way to Ha Noi. But Quang estimated that 80 per cent of the capital’s Japanese restaurants still made “different sushi” rather than the traditional Japanese style. “There is only one sushi master, at the Nikko Hotel,” he said. “I would like to bring to the table the authentic sushi as they make in Japan, with all the rice and seaweed imported from Japan and all the fresh seafood imported either from Europe or Japan.”

Kobune chefs have seven or eight years working experience and are retrained for at least six months to maintain the standard set by the owner.

For those who don’t like raw fish, I strongly recommend the Avocado Maki (VND25,000) and salmon and Avocado Inside Out (VND59,000). Chicken Sticks with Teriyaki sauce (VND89,000) are another tasty option.

Children who like hot and salty food will enjoy Chicken Udon (VND89,000) and seafood udon (VND99,000). The soups are big enough to fill the empty stomachs of the kids who waited past their dinnertime because of the long ride. We had rice with roasted sama (VND89,000) and felt quite full.

Still, a trip to a Japanese restaurant is never complete without either smooth mochi (glutinous rice) sweets (VND45,000 for two pieces) or matcha (green tea) ice cream (VND48,000).

The restaurant boasts more than 100 dishes, but once you find a dish you enjoy, you tend to order it every time you go. Many diners enjoy the eel dishes, although I didn’t get a chance to try them.

If you work near the Royal City complex, you can try the set lunch menu at a comfortable price of less than VND200,000. For the downtown folks, it’s too far away for a quick lunch.

But if it’s raining like last weekend and you have a whole Saturday or Sunday to entertain the whole family, a trip to Royal City with lunch or dinner at Kobune Sushi is a great choice.

“In Germany, I had a sushi named after my family name: Mr. Dinh,” Quang told me. “It is a roll with cooked salmon and a piece of eel on top. Here at Kobune, it’s called Kobune Roll (VND79,000) a plate.”

For that, I will definitely make another trip to Royal City!

Source: VNS

Having a cocktail and talking with a few new friends is how to enjoy the nightlife of many expats and foreign tourists in the Hanoi Old Quarter.
Unlike the conceptions of many Vietnamese customers who usually go to a bar to release stress, dance and drink, foreign visitors go to bars to not dance but only just to listen to music, enjoy a few glasses of beer and talk. Below are several bars managed by expats and favored by expats in the Old Quarter.

1. Rockstore, 61 Ma May

Rockstore can be regarded as a typical western-styled bar in the Old Quarter, ran by Olivier Waryn, a Swiss man.

Opened in September 2013 and thanks to its soothing décor, open space with rock style, the new bar has quickly become a destination for many foreign tourists and expats in Hanoi.

The bar is a two-story yellow house in France architecture style. On the 1st floor is a bar serving alcoholic beverages such as wine, cocktails, mocktails, beer … and lounges for small groups.

The second floor is designed for big groups and some billiard tables. The highlight of the bar is bent lampposts.

If other bars only open from afternoon to evening, Rockstore opens all day. But just when the night comes, visitors will understand how Rockstore is.

The bar has performances of DJs or rock bands in all evenings. In addition to drinks, the bar offers some Vietnamese cuisines like bun cha, spring rolls…

2. Fat Cat Bar, 25 Ta Hien

Fat Cat Bar is also managed by Waryn Olivier and a French friend. Compared with Rockstore, Fat Cat is smaller but its décor is very special.

The combination of a lively bar and a gently lounge creates a comfortable atmosphere at Fat Cat Bar.

Most of the customers are foreigners. They can gather around the bar inside or sit outside the door to sip a glass of beer and talk for hours. If they like sitting, they can climb up to the loft.

Fat Cat Bar regularly organizes music parties with different themes. The favored drinks here are beer and cocktails. If you want to call a special drink, it would be a Fatcat cocktail.

3. Finnegan’s Irish

The name Finnegan’s Irish apparently derives from the famous novel “Finnegans Wake” by the Irish writer James Joyce. Located on the 2nd floor of No. 32 Luong Ngoc Quyen stret, Finnegan’s Irish is in European classic style with wooden and leather furniture in brown – black colors.

It is not too wide but Finnegan’s Irish takes advantage of maximum light and space to create different spaces. If you go there alone, you can sit at the bar, if in a group, you can select a suitable table, otherwise you can call a beer and take the glass to the balcony to enjoy watching the streets.

In addition to alcohol drinks, Finnegan’s Irish also serves tea, coffee and snacks. In particular, the bar regularly organizes events associated with international football tournaments.

4. Funky. B

Funky B (formerly called Funky Buddha) is a bar located at No. 2 Ta Hien, known for house, trance and techno music. With unique music style, this place is a very popular address of foreign tourists and the foreign community in Vietnam.

Compared to many bars in the Old Quarter, Funky B is fairly large with two bars of two different styles. The bar near the door is somewhat “ordinary” while the inside bar is more impressive with a bird-cage wine rack. If you do not like the bustling atmosphere with DJ music, you can sit at the bar near the door to drink and chat with friends.

5. Spy Bar

Spy Bar at No.12A Nguyen Huu Huan Street is similar to Finnegan’s Irish in design but visitors can still find here unique features. The bar is small, with several long benches for groups and high stools at the bar. You can go upstairs if you want a more private space.

Spy Bar has live music and mini gameshows in Friday evening. Drinks here are quite cheap, VND20,000-40,000 ($1-2)/beer bottle, VND15,000-20,000/a cup of coffee and tea.

The following is a list of some of the most typical snack foods that have become a part of winter in Hanoi.
1. Grilled corn

Cold winds of a winter nights come along with the scent of grilled corn, which brings out about a bit of warmth inside many Hanoians. Grilled corn stalls can be found almost anywhere on the sidewalk of Hanoi during the night.
2. Fried bread sticks

Fried bread sticks, another common food has also become popular for this time of year. Often it is served with a papaya dipping-sauce in winter, it is a favourite among students. There are several fried bread stick stalls in Hanoi, but some of the most well-known are those on Hang Bong, Duong Thanh and Hang Dau streets.
3. Boiled snails

Hanoi may not be able to compete with HCMC or Nha Trang in terms of the variety of snail dishes. However, bowls of boiled snails are best experienced on a cold winter night. The snails are eaten with a mixture of fish sauce, lime, chili, sugar and lemongrass.

Lately, Hang Bac Street is well-known for its bowls of boiled snails, even though their prices are a bit higher than other places.
4. Grilled Vietnamese sausages

The flavour of grilled sausages is a bit sweet, a bit sour and slightly spicy, especially with chili sauce. It is one of those dishes favoured by young people. It is often served with unripe mango and a small dish of pepper and salt.

As a foreigner coming to Hanoi for the first time, I have spent a day locating a bicycle shop and haggling about the price, but found it not easy to get one.

Visiting Vietnam, I was immediately entranced by my first bicycle ride around Vietnam; all the while sneering at the unsafe pollutants rushing past me. Bringing back my childhood I was popping wheelies around traffic in no time. After realising Hanoi provides you with a generally flat surface all round my mind was made up to getting my very own Vietnamese bicycle.

I was directed to Ba Trieu Street after tracking down a “xe om”. Upon arriving I was immediately disappointed. Perhaps this was naïve of me but I was expecting to see a bicycle shop.

In front of me appeared a few shops where I hoped to find a bicycle to match the countless others around this city which can peddle slow, like meditation, never in a rush.

However, I got all information I could to overcome language barrier in two or three shops displaying secondhand bicycles.

They are apparently refurbished Japanese and Taiwanese bicycles going by the general name “Bridgestone”, generally in blue or black. No gears. No shocks. No frills.

A choice could be made from Taiwanese bicycles with a light attached to the front and 6-speed gears costing VND2.65 million each.

Looking around the street you would find similar bikes all in this price range.

Finally, I happened to see electric bicycles in different shapes and sizes. I was really impressed by the perfect marriage of being eco-friendly and relaxing”. However, I found them far beyond my reach to pay somewhere between VND13.7 million and VND18.5 million for one.

Also for those interested in a more “hardcore” bicycle, there is a Giant dealership located on the same street. Check giantvietnam/vn for prices.

I alas did not find the peaceful cruiser I was searching for, my feet cursing my inability to compromise all the way home.

Then I heard of a place selling a lot more of secondhand bicycles, and decided to check out tomorrow. Will keep you posted.

Source: Adrian Solomon./ VOV

Most visitors to Vietnam will begin their holiday by flying into Hanoi. With it’s atmospheric old quarter, lantern-fringed lake and an abundance of bustle and noise resonating from the local stalls and mopeds, it’s easy to spend a happy couple of days experiencing this vibrant Asian city.

1. Get lost amongst the steamy streets of Hanoi’s old quarter
Hanoi’s old town is a myriad of sights, smells and noise. Give yourself time on your Vietnam holiday to wander into the heart of the city’s narrow streets, finding pop up stalls on every corner selling delicious cuisine, and dodging mopeds as they wind lazily in and out of strolling pedestrians.
2. Attempt to cross a road
When you first arrive in bustling Hanoi the sheer amount of mopeds (and lack road rules) can be slightly daunting. However, once you realise that you won’t get much sightseeing done without crossing a road or two, just start walking across slowly and you’ll find that the drivers will just wind around you and you’ll get to the other side with no problems.
3. Visit the Huc Bridge & Hoan Kiem river at night
This famous bridge is definitely worth a visit on your Hanoi trip. In the daytime the bridge is flanked by emerald water, but at night the waterside becomes lit by lanterns hanging from the trees and the bridge glows a firey red, adding to the reflections in the lake. It really is a not to be missed sight on your Vietnam holiday.
4. Visit a temple during Tet (Vietnamese new year)
If you manage to book your Vietnam trip over TET, you will find it is a great time to experience this spiritual city. All through February the smell of incense fills the air and you’ll spot shrines and offerings all around. If you decide to visit a temple or two you will more than likely discover a religious ritual occuring and brightly coloured flowers on display. If you see a statue of a turtle, don’t forget to pat it on the head for good luck, and if you’re feeling flush, tuck a couple of dong under it as your own personal offering.

Souce: Gray Line Vietnam