FOODIE TOUR IN HA NOI

Tour Itinerary

• We first try a starter, Bánh tôm (Ha Noi shrimp cakes). These snacks are originally from Ho Tay, the West Lake area from shrimps caught locally. Banh tom is made from battered sweet potatoes and prawns, with sweet and sour fish sauce and papaya on the side. You can order a glass of iced soy milk to wash down the grease of oil.

• Let’s go next for a Phở (steamed flat rice noodles) Like many Vietnamese staples, phở noodles are made from rice but unlike others, these noodles are flat and rectangular, giving them more heft for heartier meals. You may know of phở bò or phở gà, the delicate soup from Northern Vietnam that locals across the country enjoy for breakfast. When in Hanoi, you can also try phở noodles in stir-fried dishes and fresh rolls. After, you will taste a sugar cane juice. Some Asian countries love to have it in the summer time really. It cools you down somehow.
  Bánh gối (Crispy “pillow” cake) is a must try to eat, not to put in bed as a pillow as its name!
  Another battery snack for the active afternoon to explore Ha Noi, banh goi – a pillow shaped pastry holding minced pork, black fungus, vermicelli noodles and a quail egg. For more fried goodies, ha cao
  (fried dumpling), Pho mai que (fried cheese stick) and nem chua ran (fried fermented sausage) are also sold along with banh goi.
• Mỳ gà tần (herbal braised chicken noodles) sounds lovely to try in a fresh weather. Some of you might find this dish a bit “weird” but intimidating. The dish is hearty and fulfilling with braised chicken and egg noodles. Diners have two options: the 'regular' chicken, or a miniature (and slightly more expensive) black chicken, named for its black skin. The chickens are stuffed into empty soda and beer cans with aromatic herbs including mugwort. The cans are placed over heat, allowing the meat to soak up the flavours while it simmers. Egg noodles
  (mỳ trứng) are added to the stew.

• Bánh đúc nóng (Vietnamese hot steamed rice cake) Coming to Ha Noi in the days of winter, don’t forget to have a bowl of hot Banh duc – a steamed rice cake made from plain rice and tapioca flour, this dish is processed in a sophisticated and meticulous manner, to cook and stir the ingredients with reasonable consistency and flexibility. The filling
  includes black fungus, meat, fried shallots, and is served with chilli garlic fish sauce and herbs. The hot, soft, delicious banh duc, fragrant with onions and meat, are always the ideal choice for an afternoon snack on a cold day. Hà Nội cuisine features a wide variety of dishes with vermicelli. Among them, bún chả (vermicell with grilled pork and fresh herbs) delights, with its seductive taste and aroma. Nothing is better than savouring bún chả at a small food stand in summer or winter, while the intriguing scent of grilled pork surrounds you. Nowadays, it can rarely be found in vendors’ bamboo baskets anymore, but it is widely available on every Hà Nội street. Locals eat bún chả for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It is found in rural and urban markets, at food stands on the street, in fine restaurants, and also in many Vietnamese restaurants in foreign countries. Our final stop would be a nice local draught beer. We would sit along the road side and enjoy a fresh beer with some locals. You might be ready to have some fun conversations with Vietnamese somehow. End of service.