Restaurant La Verticale @ Hanoi, Vietnam

Didier Corlou is one of the few special chef that has the ability to create new dishes by amalgamating French ingredients with Vietnamese tastes. Opened in 2007, La Verticale was ranked one of the top 100 world best new restaurants by Conde Nast magazine in 2008.

The former executive chef of Sofitel Metropole hotel has more than 35 years of culinary experiences. La Verticale, Madam Hien and DC Bistro Boutique are his notable cooking arena in Hanoi.

La Verticale was housed in a four story French villa located behind the French Embassy. 

At the ground floor, you will be dazzled by all sorts of condiments, ranging from sea salt to bowls of loose star anise. 

Located on the first floor, the dining room was tastefully decorated with less than 15 dining tables. 

Didier Corlou's homemade condiments. 

Amuse bouche - Scallop + vinegar fish drink + cucumber

Grilled scallop - The scallop was cooked to perfection with truffle vermouth adding depth and taste to the bivalve. 

Chili Salt - Playfully briny with a spicy kick. These tiny red chili are sourced from Center Vietnam and you can bring it home for US$3.5 per 25g.

Clam soup infused with lemon grass (bottom) and watercress soup (above) layered with dry rice and some condiments. Both soups were creamy and yummy.

Flowery Clams - Artichoke pluck with venus clams, extra flat nem and halong curry. The clams were a tad overcooked, making it rather chewy.

Red Tuna - The red meat was acidulated with passion fruit and lemongrass before hitting the grilling pan. The finish product was rather interesting with sweet and sour notes.

Lobster - This sea giant was fresh, infused with vanilla and turmeric

Foie Gras with Dalat wine, accompanied by Hanoi 5 spices, pears and figs. The foie gras was absolutely gorgeous!

Muscovy Duck stuck between a succulent foie gras and baguette. Meaty, fatty and totally satisfying!

Chocolate cake topped with vanilla ice cream and grated cinnamon. 

Puff pastry laced with heaps of chocolate sauce and roasted almonds.

I was totally smitten by this cheerful passion fruit in warm clafoutis. The Halong curry ice cream sung beautifully with the tutti fruity soup.

Smitten Dishes:
1. Foie Gras of duck with Dalat wine
2. Muscovy Duck
3. Passion Fruit in Warm Clafoutis


Verdict : TOTALLY SMITTEN 


La Verticale
Address: No. 19 Ngo Van St. Hanoi
Telephone: 04 3944 6317
Opening hours: 11am to 2 pm, 6pm to 930pm.

Thuy Ta Garden @ Hanoi, Vietnam (Old Quater)

Our trip would not be complete without cupping the famous Vietnamese coffee, also knowns as Ca Phe. Coffee plants were first introduced by the French missionaries back in 1857. Today, Vietnam is the second largest coffee producer in the world after Brazil.

Thuy Ta Garden is situated right next to the Hoan Kiem Lake. This restaurant offered an extensive menu, ranging from pho to pasta and pancake to ice cream. 

Thuy Ta Garden is a very popular place for the locals and tourists to hang out and chit chat. 

Special filtered black coffee (60,000 VND ~ RM8.80) -  For many years people have been letting water run through coffee grounds to extract the flavors instead of leaving the coffee to steep in the water. Watching the water sipping through the filter can be a very therapeutic experience. This cup of special black coffee had a strong hint of chocolate, thanks to the vegetable oil used during the roasting process.

Ca Phe Den Phin (45,000 VND ~ RM6.6) - Perhaps one of the reason why coffee is so popular around the world is due to its sheer versatility. The ice coffee was less strong compared to the hot coffee. It also had a clearer texture, making it extremely refreshing. 

Verdict: SOMEWHAT SMITTEN

Thuy Ta Garden
Address: 1 Le Thai To Street, Hanoi, Vietnam
Phone: 04 3828 8148
Operating Hours: 6am-11pm

Cha Ca La Vong @ 14 Cha Ca, Hanoi (Old Quarter)

There are plenty of food related reasons for travelling to Hanoi. Pho (beef soup noodles), Bun Cha (grilled pork noodles) and Bun Bo Nam Bo (southern style beef noodle) are some of the dining draws. Today, I would like to introduce another Hanoi specialty called Cha Ca La Vong, which consists of river fish, turmeric, dill, peanut, ginger, spring onion, rice vermicelli and a fair load of oil.

This unique dish was created by the Doan family over a century ago and it has become so popular that the street name was renamed to Cha Ca Street. The humble looking restaurant had a lively atmosphere with narrow stairs adjoining the two floors.  

Here you will find locals and foreigners enjoying the gastronomic Cha Ca La Vong (VND 170,000 ~ RM25).

Rice vermicelli is an integral ingredient in Vietnamese cuisine. The best rice noodles have only two ingredients: water and rice / rice flour.

Accompanied ingredients: Roasted peanut, mint, coriander, spring onion, dill, fish sauce and shrimp paste (not in picture). 

A portable gas stove and a small frying pan were brought to our table and the art of preparation was done by a waiter. The grilled fish was seasoned with turmeric before hitting the frying pan. Heaps of dill, green onion, cilantro and mint were chucked into the sizzling pan. 

 The room was instantly filled with a strong aroma of fish and fresh herbs. It was rumored that "dog fat" was used in this dish! Ewwww... I hope that's not true, but I guess no one would really know except for the inventor of this amazing dish.

After 3-5 minutes of cooking, the dish was ready to be served. The seasoned grilled fish was adorned by a tangy combination of onion, ginger, green onion and dill. It was further fortified by the peanut and shrimp paste, which exploded into a heady flavor. 

Cha Ca La Vong is a one dish sweatshop, specializing in Cha Ca. Even though it is more pricey than other traditional Vietnamese foods, it is still worth a try. With La Vong, the God of Fisherman overseeing your meal, it is almost guarantee that the meal will be nutritious. 

Verdict : SOMEWHAT SMITTEN

Cha Ca La Vong Restaurant

Address: 14 Cha Ca, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi, Vietnam.

Telephone: 825 3929

Opening Hours: Lunch & Dinner

Price: VND 170,000 per person (not including drinks)

Bun Bo Nam Bo @ Nha Hang 67 Hang Dieu

Just like Malaysia, Hanoi is a food paradise with plethora of food to choose from. Most of the best food in Hanoi is found on the sidewalk, with dishes that features the usual suspects such as, fish sauce, fresh herbs, rice noodles and beef. Nha Hang 67 Hang Dieu is a well known Bun Bo Nam Bo street kitchen that has been around since 1988. 

One thing I learned in Hanoi is not to worry about the language barrier. Most of the restaurant will know what you want. All you need to do is order the portion and find a place to sit. 

The restaurant is long, deep and narrow with stainless steel communal tables and wooden benches filling up the empty space.

Bun Bo Nam Bo (50,000 VND ~ RM7.33), which literally means "Southern Beef Noodle" is a concoction of rice noodles, topped with sliced beef, peanuts, dried onions, bean sprouts, green papaya, coriander and basil leaves - all drenched in a small portion of sweet savory fish sauce.

Like any bowl of noodles, mixing is essential before digging in. The tangy broth at the bottom of the bowl was exceptional, harmonizing all the ingredients together. The bowl of noodles was full of flavors, making each mouthful complex and intriguing.


Verdict : TOTALLY SMITTEN

Nha Hang
Address: 67 Hang Dieu, Hanoi, Vietnam
Phone: +84 4 3923 0701
Opening Hours: 7am- 1030pm

Bun Cha Dae Kim @ Old Quarter, Hanoi

Hanoi is a heaven for cheap food and drinks, offering tourists a good variety of soups, noodles, buns, and sandwiches. I could really spend a week eating my way through the Old Quarter without having the same meal twice.


Originated from Hanoi, Bun Cha or Grilled Pork Noodle Soup is a very popular lunch dish, which consists of four main parts: 1) Rice noodles, 2) Warm fish sauce, 3) Grilled pork strips & patties and 4) Fresh vegetables & herbs. 

The restaurant only specializes in one dish - Bun Cha. 

The kitchen area

Let's try naming all the greens: Lettuce, basil, mint, perilla and coriander. These fresh, tangy, slightly bitter herbs and vegetables sung beautifully with the dish.

The well seasoned pork strips and patties were caged up in a wire and grilled over charcoal fire before being served in a warm dipping sauce. The pork was well charred, with small bites of black char falling into the soup. 

This luke warm soup (salty sweet broth) comprised of the usual suspects : Fish sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, lime juice and sliced green papayas.

The delicious spring rolls were packed with minced pork, garlic, herbs, mushrooms and glass noodles. These gorgeous golden brown rolls deserve a round of applause. 

To eat, add some rice noodles, pork patty, spring roll, sliced papaya, garlic, some greens and some soup into a bowl. The finish product should resembled a bowl of noodle salad. In my opinion, the soup is what brings everything together. We really enjoyed every component of the dish. It really has it all. 

Verdict: TOTALLY SMITTEN

Bun Cha Dae Kim

Address: 1, Hang Manh, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi

Telephone: 04 3828 5022

KOTO @ Hanoi

Founded by Jimmy Pham, an Australian Vietnamese, KOTO, which stands for Know One Teach One is a not-for-profit  restaurant and vocational training program in Hanoi. Through donation and restaurant's profit, KOTO takes in around 25 disadvantaged youths aged between 16-22 years old every 6 months to join its 24 months hospitality training program. To date, they have trained over 300 individuals with 100% job placement rate.  

KOTO Hanoi opened its doors in 2000 and has since evolved from a small sandwich shop into a 120 seats restaurant. Situated next to the Temple of Learning, this elegant three story French Art Nouveau townhouse is open everyday, with the exception of Monday evening, which is closed for cooking classes. 

The lavish menu offered both international and Vietnamese cuisines cooked by well educated trainees. The casual atmosphere coupled with friendly wait staffs made it an ideal place for diners to relax and unwind.

Traditional Vietnamese Ice Coffee (29,000 VND ~ RM4.2)

Freshly squeezed Passion Fruit Juice (45,000 VND ~ RM6.5) 

Koto Spring Roll Combo (90,000 VND ~ RM13) - A variety of spring rolls (pork, prawn, beef and vegetables) served with two different Vietnamese sauce. The generously filled spring rolls were delicious when dipped into the sweet and salty sauce, bringing all the elements together. 

Bun Bo Nam Bo (105,000 VND ~ RM15) - This southern style wok fried beef on rice noodles with fresh mixed herbs, peanuts, lime, chili and garlic was interestingly delicious.

Nem Lui (90,000 VND ~ RM13) -  We enjoyed wrapping our grilled minced pork on the rice paper and filling it up with local fresh herbs and rice noodles. 

Lemongrass Chicken (135,000 VND ~ RM20) - The lemongrass free range chicken skewer with lime leaves was served together with some vegetables and steamed rice. The sauce was lovely thanks to the flavorful lemongrass gravy. 

Unlike most of the restaurant we have visited, KOTO is an unique restaurant with a mission. The meal at KOTO was truly inspiring, serving traditional and international dishes at moderate prices. 

Verdict: SOMEWHAT SMITTEN

Address: 61 Pho Van Mieu, Hanoi, Vietnam.

Phone: +84 4747 0337

http://www.koto.com.au/

Pho 10 @ Old Quarter, Hanoi

If you are looking for a cleaner establishment to savor the national dish, hop right into Pho 10. Here you will find proper tables and chairs instead of tiny stools and wooden tables. The laminated menu was easy to read with English translation for all the 10 different varieties of beef Pho.

Pho 10 is located at 10 Ly Quoc Su Street, opposite Nguyen Sinh.

The kitchen windows were fogged up by the steam from the vats and bubbling stock. I can't imagine how hot is it to work inside the enclosed kitchen area.

Limes are often used in Vietnamese dishes to accent the food flavors. Never forget to squeeze an entire wedge of lime into your Pho. 

These serrano chili have a "delayed fuse" as it takes a moment to fully kick in when it hits the palate. Add a few slices of serrano chili if you enjoy spicy Pho. 

Tai Nam (35,000 VND ~ RM5.11) - To avoid over cooking the beef, always order half done beef and submerge any beef that are still pink. This bowl of half done flank beef was flawless. The broth was sweeter than Pho Gia Truyen, but I much preferred the noodles there, as it is silkier than Pho 10. Don't forget to hop over to Nguyen Sinh when you are done with your meal! 


Verdict: TOTALLY SMITTEN


Pho 10 Restauarant
Address: 10 Ly Quoc Su, Hanoi
Tel: 43- 828 4455