1. Dried beef and papaya salad in Hoan Kiem Lake

On Dinh Tien Hoang street – Hoan Kiem Lake, it is always crowded because of the famous “Nộm” restaurant (“Nộm” is the indigenous salad of Vietnamese cuisine)

This dish is a combination of a variety of grated papaya, roasted peanuts pounded, marjoram, and dried beef tendon. Other ingredients include spice,  herbs. The salad is mixed, soaked in vinegar, sugar, garlic, pepper, and seasoned with salt.

The dish is not sophisticated but very good. It features Hanoi’s style.

2. “Bánh gối” on Ly Quoc Su street

Bánh gối (“pillow cake”) is a popular cake which has crispy and golden brown shell, stuffed with pork, shrimps and some vegetables. It’s served with sweet and sour fish sauce.

There is a restaurant selling many kinds of fried cakes like fried dumpling, “bánh gối”…on Ly Quoc Su streets. “Bánh gối” here is not too fat, its taste is very wonderful.

 3. “Bánh đúc” on Le Ngoc Han street

“Bánh đúc” is the rice cake made of rice flour and lime water. “Bánh đúc” on Lê Ngoc Han street is attractive with the good smell and good taste. The cake is aromatic by the flavour of fried onion, fish sauce, and minced meat.

 4. Snail rice vermicelli on O Quan Chuong street

Perhaps you cannot find the original taste of snail rice vermicelli in Hanoi except O Quan Chuong street. Snails here are very big and soft.

Enjoying snail rice vermicelli, you should eat slowly. Initially, you can feel a little bit sour. You later feel the cripsy and delicious taste that make you irresistible.

5. Phở on Bat Dan street

People coming Bat Dan often have to queue up for Phở because Bat Dan restaurant is very famous throughout Hanoi.

A bowl of Phở with sliced beef, green onion and aromatic broth attracts a lot of people.

Especially, Phở here does not come with lemon but vinegar.

 Translated by Nguyen Quynh