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Other Food Destinations in Hanoi

Xôi Đường Thành (Đường Thành’s Sticky Rice)

Xôi, sticky rice, is somewhat a familiar dish to the most of Vietnamese. Even to the foreigners, this is also not a dish that is not likely to attract their attention compared to the other because it is recommended all the time by the locals. However, you will find that nowhere has the exact kind of sticky rice as the others except for small food stalls selling on the side of the street. Thought as a simple dish, sticky rice is probably the most customized dish from those basic and fundamental ingredients in Vietnam.

In Hanoi, one place that will definitely blow your mind away with a variety of different sticky rice dishes of explosive flavor is the one-and-only Đường Thành. There on Đường Thành lies a sticky rice shop that not a single person does not know the name. Cát Lâm shop, the one that puts the once plain sticky rice dish to a whole new level.

Besides Cát Lâm, you can also find to Mrs. Thảo’s sticky rice shop. It is also a very well-known and highly recommended sticky rice shop in Đường Thành by most people. The most popular dishes at Mrs. Thảo’s are probably Crab Pie and Squid Pie Sticky Rice.

Apart from those dishes, you can also have your sticky rice of eggs and pork cooked with brine, the simple salted shredded meat sticky rice, pork pie sticky rice, pate, grilled rib, or stir-fried chicken with mushrooms sticky rice and so on. The price is very cheap, ranging from 8.000 – 20.000vnd per portion. You can choose sticky rice as your breakfast because of its convenience and nutrition which keep you all day long.

Gà Tần Hàng Cót (Hàng Cót’s Simmered Chicken)  

Simmered chicken, until now, is still an unforgettable dish to all Hanoians. Simmered chicken has been there with all generations living in this capital. From the time when they were very little, they have been taken to simmered chicken shops by their parents to taste a wonderful dish for the first time in their lives. Simmered chicken is a very special dish. Despite most people usually have the dish in winter, some still love to eat it around the season, simply because they love it!

Simmered chicken is very sophisticatedly made with around ten different ingredients which are mostly Chinese traditional medicinal herbs. In the past, most people wanted to make simmered chicken would have to go to Chinese traditional herb shops to buy the ingredients. However, until recently, the development of the industry has made it much easier by putting all the needed ingredients in small packs and sell them in most grocery stores. Nevertheless, if everyone could make it and make it good, then simmered chicken shops as in Hàng Cót would no longer exist.
What makes it so special about gà tần Hàng Cót is probably how the ingredients are bought, carefully selected and seasoned. If you are looking for a taste that will change your view of Asian cuisine, just spend some time dropping by Hàng Cót. You can have normal simmered chicken or black simmered chicken (gà ác tần) or eat them with noodle (mì gà tần, mì gà ác tần).

Address: #12C Hàng Cót Street, Hòa Kiếm District, Hanoi

Hoa Quả Dầm Hàng Cót (Hàng Cót’s Mixed Fruits)

Mixed fruits, what a lovely snack that most people would love to enjoy when they want treats to comfort their mouth. Mixed fruits are something very special to Asian people, especially Asian girls! In the past, people would mostly catch sight of a group of girl students after school talking and eating mixed fruits. Until now, mixed fruits are still a treat in favor of most teenagers for its sweet and sour taste with a little bit of chili that will easily get you addicted! You can choose from hundreds of flavors that you want. However mostly, people would choose mango, dracontomelum and plum flavors.

Address: Thủy Khế’s mixed fruits shop, 10 Hàng Cót Street, Hoàn Kiếm District, Hanoi

Hoa Quả Dầm Ngọc Thạch Quán (Ngọc Thạch Quán’s Mixed Fruits)

You should also pay attention that there are two kinds of mixed fruits. The first one is the mentioned above, which is mostly in packages. The second kind is also in favor of lots of people. The fruits are altogether mixed in a bowl of cream sauce and coconut oil with different kinds of with white bubbles (trân châu trắng) as in bubble milk tea. For this kind of mixed fruits, it would be recommended that you go to Ngọc Thạch Quán in Tạ Quang Bửu Street because it is said to be one of the best shops for mixed fruits of this kind in Hanoi. The dish will be a perfect treat in summer. However, if you still want to try it in winter, just go for it!

Address: Ngọc Thạch Quán, 101 K5 Bách Khoa Ward, Hai Bà Trưng District, Hanoi

5. Khoai Lang Xí Muội Hàng Cót (Hàng Cót’s Salted Dry Fried Sweet Potato)

The first time you discover this treat is also the time that you fall in love with it. It may sound simple to Vietnamese but once you try it, you will probably talk to yourself like: “Oh God, what did I just eat?” because is insanely delicious. Fried Sweet Potato is like a treat that mostly fits for a cold winter in Hanoi. You will love the feeling of walking on the street, enjoying the beautiful old scenery while eating those scrumptious pieces of fried sweet potato. 

The best place for this treat you can find is in Hàng Cót Street, the Big Uncle Shop (Tiệm Chú Mập). Apart from salted dry fried sweet potato, you can also have some spicy Korean tokbokki (bánh gạo cay Hàn Quốc) or cheese mixed tokbokki. Everything is put in the paper bag if you want to take-away so it is quite convenient and eco-friendly.

Address: #12E Hàng Cót Street, Hoàn Kiếm District, Hanoi

Hải Sản Hương Kiều (Hương Kiều’s Seafood)

Mentioning of seafood, apart from most big restaurants in the West Lake, Hương Kiều’s Seafood in Hàng Thùng is a good example of fresh and delicious seafood that you can get in the center of the capital. The restaurant also receives positive comments from the customers and rated as a must-visit seafood restaurant in Hanoi.

Address: #18 Hàng Thùng Street, Hoàn Kiếm District, Hanoi

Cháo Sườn Tạ Quang Bửu (Tạ Quang Bửu’s rib gruel)

If you are wandering around Tạ Quang Bửu, the rib gruel shop on the street side is definitely a must-visit place if you want to have a taste of this notorious dish of Hanoi. It has been a long time since the shop for the first time sold its first bowl. There is no restaurant and no space for what we call “shop” but only plastic table sets on the street side or sometimes steps of stairs as a place to sit. Well, but people still love it. It is like being back to the past when the simplest thing can be that wonderful. For college students near that area, each afternoon will be the time for a get-together on the side street, gasping for those bowls of hot rib gruel while the stomach is craving for something to digest.

The bowl is the perfect match of each and every single ingredient in the bowl from the chewy meat of rib, the beautiful smell of fennels and the spiciness of pepper. All together create the most delicious treat of winter that you can ever imagine. Rib gruel is the best fit with some sticks of quẩy. You can either cut them in to piece or leave the whole stick. However, the first way is still recommended because it is easier to eat.

Address: #17 Tạ Quang Bửu Street, Bách Khoa Ward, Hai Bà Trưng District, Hanoi

Lutulata – Desserts and Drinks

Lutulata is a very special café shop in the center of the capital. Here in Lutulata, not only can you get the sensation of a relaxing tranquil heaven, you can also soak yourself in the sweetness of all kinds desserts and drinks such as sweeten porridge, sticky rice cake, lotus seed porridge and so on. Most people wanting to find an escape from a hard day will find to Lutulata. The café shop has a great view from the second floor to the street with the evergreen tree and an ancient pagoda. If you are finding yourself a place like this, take some time to drop by Lutulata – the land of dreams and tranquility.

Address: #39 Hàng Cót Street, Hoàn Kiếm District, Hanoi

The post Top 8 Hanoi Street Foods You Shouldn’t Miss appeared first on Maze Vietnam.

If “chè” is translated into English, it means tea. However, in Vietnam, we have a totally different definition for this type of food. The term “chè” refers to a Vietnamese sweet beverage or dessert soup. This somehow explains why “chè” is one of the first “must-try” foods when you visit Vietnam. In this article, we recommend some popular kinds of “chè” from all parts of our country.

Pomelo sweet soup (Chè bưởi)

Chè bưởi is a typical food that Hanoi people like to eat when it comes to summer. In the excessively high temperature in Hanoi, rewarding yourself with a bowl of chè bưởi seems to be an amazing idea. You will be emerged in the sweetness of coconut milk, a little crispy of pomelo meat and the softness of mung bean. All of these elements combined together brings us a spectacular dessert that you can never forget.

Lotus seed and Longan sweet soup (Chè hạt sen long nhãn)

Different from pomelo sweet soup, which gives us the thick and sweet taste, this kind of chè is light and clear. Lotus seeds are simmered in sugar for long hours, then cooked with longans, a Southeast Asian fruit similar to lychees. If you have problems with sleeping, this dessert should definitely be your remedy as both ingredients will help you to sleep soundly.

Sweet black bean soup (Chè đậu đen)

As one of the most favorable dish, sweet black bean soup is an indispensable dessert in summer for Vietnamese people. It is quite easy to cook this soup since the only ingredient you need is black beans. By simmering it for hours with sugar, you will have an elegant bowl of the sweet soup to chase out the heat of summer. Normally, people will add black jelly and coconut into the soup to make it more appetizing.

Vietnamese sweet corn pudding (Chè ngô)

Although the way to cook sweet corn pudding is not as sophisticated as pomelo sweet soup or taking as long as black beans, just a bowl of this dessert could bring you the fresh and gentle flavor of the countryside. Corn and coconut milk are definitely a perfect match.

Almond with Cheese Jelly and Lychee Sweet Soup (Chè khúc bạch)

Getting sick of ice cream in summer? Then this sweet soup will help you to cool down the heat with a brand new taste. Colorful jelly made from cheese combining with the lusciousness of lychees and longans creates a fanciful explosion of flavor in your mouth. Almonds are put on top of the dessert to increase its richness.

Rice Balls with Roasted Pork Filling Sweet Soup (Chè Bột Lọc nhân Heo Quay)

To change your taste a little bit, regardless of its name, the main ingredient for this Hue‘s dessert is roasted pork. Rice balls are made from cassava powder, after boiling, they turn clear white color, which will later be used with sugar added water. The rice balls cover a piece of roasted pork inside, therefore the soup will contain both sweetness and saltiness. This dessert should be enjoyed when it is still hot or cooled down slightly but not completely cold.

Purple Yam Sweet Soup Recipe (Chè khoai môn tím)

Many people favor this dessert thanks to its unique purple color and taste. With the main ingredient from purple taro, the sweet soup is then cooked with coconut water and simmered under low heat until the mixture becomes condense. A small amount of sugar is added to balance the taste but still maintain coconut milk’s flavor. In winter, purple yam sweet soup recipe is a fantastic choice, especially if you have children.

Vietnamese sweet ginger rice (Chè con ong)

On Tet holiday, each Vietnamese family usually has a dish of sweet ginger rice on altar depending on family’s tradition as well as regional custom. This dessert is quite popular in the North area because its spicy taste of ginger suits perfectly with the cold weather at the beginning of the year. Called as “chè”, however, “chè con ong” possesses the appearance of sticky rice but a little bit softer. Enjoy each piece of the ginger rice, drink a small cup of tea, you will feel warm inside with full of energy.

Steamed sticky rice with sweet gruel (Xôi chè)

This dessert is originally from Hanoi. It includes mung bean steamed glutinous rice and sweet gruel. In order to understand more about “xoi” and “xoi che”, as well as the way to cook them, you can check our previous article here.

Where to eat Che in Hanoi?

Here are the top 4 most popular Che places in Hanoi

1. Chè Bốn Mùa #4 Hàng Cân, Hàng Bồ, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội
2. Xôi Chè Bà Thìn #1 Bát Đàn, Hàng Bồ, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội
3. Chè Mười Sáu #16 Ngô Thì Nhậm, Hai Bà Trưng, Hà Nội
4. Chè Huyền #14 Thiền Quang, Nguyễn Du, Hai Bà Trưng, Hà Nội

Where to eat Che in Saigon?

Chè – 8 Must Try Vietnamese Sweet Desserts & Where to find them in Saigon

The post Che in Vietnam – From Fruit Sweet Soup to Roasted Pork Fillings appeared first on Maze Vietnam.

If you want to have an insight into the intricates and traditions of Vietnamese food, you should not miss “Xôi”, which is one of our most popular and oldest street foods. “Xôi” is the term of steamed sticky rice that varies in dozens of kinds and tastes. It is a delicious, easily found and pretty cheap Vietnamese dish.

Wandering around Hanoi, you will have no difficulty finding a store or vendor selling “Xôi” on almost every main street or down many sides streets and alleyways. I highly recommend that you spend time visiting the two famous stores: Mrs. Thao’s on Hang Dieu St and Mr. Tung’s on Mai Hac De St. But should you be interested in cooking “Xôi” on your own, here is the recipe. Prepare glutinous rice, salt, sugar and oil. Firstly, keep the rice in salted water in 3 hours, then rinse it with fresh water. Next, season glutinous rice and mix all properly. Now put the concoction into your rice cooker, add water following this golden ratio: 1.5 cup of water for one cup of rice. When the cooking is done, serve steamed sticky rice with steamed pork, pork pie, salted shredded meat, fried shallots or any toppings you like.

Address:

Mrs. Thao’s store:
41 Đường Thành Street, Cửa Đông, Hoàn Kiếm District, Hanoi
Tel: (+84) 3828 5182
Opening hours: 06.30 AM– 22:30 PM

Mr. Tung’s store:
75 Mai Hắc Đế Street, Hai Bà Trưng District, Hanoi
Opening hours: 07:00 AM – 10:00 PM

Xôi chè – steamed sticky rice with sweet gruel

You might now have the thought that there are so many ways to enjoy this dish but then it suddenly comes to your mind that: Is that all? The answer is No. Have you ever heard of “Xôi chè”? I guess you not.

“Xôi chè” is a traditional Northern dessert which is cooked every full moon and Lunar New Year. It consists of two main parts: mung bean steamed sticky rice and sweet gruel. People use the tiny, tender, slightly sweet green beans, glutinous rice to make the former and tapico starch or arrowroot, sugar to make the latter. When the weather turns cold, though, mung bean steamed sticky rice can be served with another sweet gruel called “Chè Bà Cốt”.

There is no specific explanation for its name other than a related old saying of Vietnamese people that: “Con chim chích chòe … ông thầy ăn một, bà cốt ăn hai,còn cái thủ cái tai đem lên biếu chúa… ”. Considered as one of the most distinct sweet courses in Northern part of Vietnam, “Chè Bà Cốt” is always Hanoi people’s favourite dessert, especially in winter. It’s the harmony of glutinous rice, brown sugar and fresh ginger, which will warm you up as soon as you taste the very first spoonful. Try cooking “Xôi chè” in the way you prefer or if you have a chance to visit Vietnam, don’t forget to drop by Mrs. Thìn’s store in No 1, Bat Dan St, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi. It will definitely be a lasting memory of your trip, I promise.

Mung bean steamed sticky rice with sweet gruel: 

Mung bean steamed sticky rice with Chè Bà Cốt: 

Address:

Mrs. Thìn’s store:  1 Bát Đàn Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
Opening hours: 9:00 AM- 22:00 PM

The post Xôi – Xôi chè appeared first on Maze Vietnam.