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

Nguyen Sinh Pate @ Hanoi

Nguyen Sinh looks and feels like a typical Vietnamese shop. But the resemblance stops there. Founded in 1950, Nguyen Sinh has successfully kept alive the art of baking bread and cooking French food. At first glance, the menu was confusing with the abundance of choices and foreign languages. But once we gathered our composure, we knew what we wanted.

Nguyen Sinh is located right opposite of Pho 10. 

This reasonably priced deli was the cause for carnivorous jubilation.

Baguette (5,000 VND ~ RM0.72)

Pate Foie Gras (50,000 VND ~ RM7.2) - The spreadable pate had a subdued liver flavor with an unctuous texture. The photo may not do justice, but believe me, the pate was out of this world!

Assorted Cold Cuts (70,000 VND ~ RM10) -  A beyond reasonable RM10 landed us with an  assortment of fresh salami, precooked sausage, beerwurst, bologna and pate. The smooth pate coupled with some cold cuts was simply delicious when spread on a warm baguette.

Pate Omelette (70,000 VND ~ RM10) - The fatty pate was lightly seared then tossed onto a sizzling pan with eggs. The texture of the pate changed when cooked, but it was equally tongue tingling. Each bite was delicious, pleading for a bottle of Hanoi beer. 

The warm baguette and fresh pate had us coming back for more. We were back the next day and we actually bought additional pate to bring back to Malaysia. This is by far the best pate I've tasted.  =D

Verdict: TOTALLY SMITTEN

Nguten Sinh, Hanoi

Address: 17-19 Ly Quoc Su, Hanoi

Tel: 04-38265234

Operating Hours: 7am to 10pm

Fanny Ice Cream @ Near Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi

Fanny Ice Cream may not be on everyone's to-eat-list, but a visit there may change your mind. This family friendly ice cream parlor overlooking the Hoan Kiem Lake was founded by Jean Marc Bruno in 1994. The menu was comprehensive, with over 30 different ice cream flavors and unique food-like creations.

Die hard fans should visit the parlor on the first Friday of every month to indulge on the all-you-can-eat ice cream buffet starting from 630pm to 11pm.

Sushi (109,000 VND ~ RM16) - For those looking for an instant gratification, the Sushi,  inspired by tropical fruits would be a good choice - no chopsticks are required for this dish. The sushi was accompanied by chocolate and strawberry dipping sauce. We were won over by the creative design and creamy ice cream.

Spring Rolls (85,000 VND ~ RM12) - The Spring Roll was colorful and creatively flavored with vanilla ice cream, blueberry and mix berries sorbet. The combination of crepes, almonds, fresh strawberries and chocolate fudge escorted our taste buds to heaven.

Skilled at matching flavors and innovating new ice cream dishes. Jean Marc Bruno is not so much an ice cream artisan, as he is a flavor maestro. 

Question: How often do you have ice cream? Would you pay a premium for creative dessert like these? =)

Verdict : TOTALLY SMITTEN

Fanny's Ice Cream

Address: 48 Le Thai To, Hanoi

Phone: 0084 4828 5689

Operating Hours : 10am - 9pm

Pho Gia Truyen @ 49 Bat Dan (Old Quarter), Hanoi

Hanoi Old Quarter is the beating heart of the city, with more than 2000 years of history and development. This is where you will find the most authentic Vietnamese food and family owned restaurant. At Pho Gia Truyen, you will only have 2 opportunities a day to get hooked: at breakfast or at brunch. By noon, everything will be sold out!

The fixtures of the restaurant was rather old and tired, with tiny wooden stools and communal tables filling up the empty space. This may not be the most hygienic stall in Hanoi, but it sure does live up to its culinary standard.

The kitchen area 

Diners are required to order, pay and collect their Pho at the counter - It is 100% self service.

There are 3 different varieties of Pho to choose from:

Tai Nam (45,000 VND)  - Rare steak and flank

Tai (40,000 VND) - Rare steak

Chin (35,000 VND) - Well done steak

Tai Nam (45,000 VND ~ RM6.50) - The broth was clean and simple with a subtle undertones of complex flavors. The rice noodles was silky soft, unlike any other noodles I have tried before. The thinly sliced beef was accompanied by a generous amount of green onions and coriander leaves. The broth was fragrant and sweet, derived from the richness of the beef bones. Be sure to add some vinegar, red chili and hot sauce for extra flavoring!

This national dish was truly delicious and heart warming. I heart pho!

Verdict: TOTALLY SMITTEN

Pho Gia Truyen  (Pho 49 Bat Dan)

Address: 49 Bat Dan St. , Hanoi, Vietnam

Operating Hours: 7am to 11am

Bia Hoi @ Old Quarter, Hanoi

Bia Hoi which means "Fresh Beer" in English, is Vietnam's version of draft beer. Each morning, large beer barrels and kegs are distributed by the local breweries such as Hanoi Brewery, Viet Ha Brewery and South East Asia Brewery to thousands of Bia Hoi outlets. 

Unlike canned or bottled beer, Bia Hoi has no additives or preservatives. Hence, it is essential to consume everything on the same day and as early as possible before the flavors begin to stray. 

Bia Hoi has an alcohol content somewhere between 4 to 4.5% and it only cost 5,000 VND per glass ( ~ less than RM1 or 72 cents to be exact! ). This might be the world's cheapest beer!

Bia Hoi Corner situated between Luong Ngoc Quyen and Ta Hien streets is the gathering place for beer drinkers. It is truly a luxury to sit on a tiny plastic chair, watching the world go by. 

 This unpasteurized and unpreserved brew was light, slightly bitter and had a subtle notes of malt and rice. 

After a few glasses of Bia Hoi, we were enlightened and ready to start exploring Hanoi's charms.

Verdict: TOTALLY SMITTEN

Bia Hoi Corner

Address: Intersection of Luong Ngnoc Quyen and Ta Hien Streets

**Bia Hoi outlets are often nameless, so look for store with a large sign reading Bia Hoi.