Classy Old Vietnam Dining @ Highway 4 Restaurant & Bar, Hanoi

At the northeast of the Hoan Kiem Lake, just minutes away from the popular Thang Long Puppet theater, lies a stylish restaurant that specializes in Vietnamese cuisine from the northern mountains, as well as brewing many unique Vietnamese liqueurs.  That is also how Highway 4 Restaurant & Bar @ Old Quarters, Hanoi got its name, based on one of Vietnam's most important network of routes linking the major urban centers throughout the northern mountainous regions - Highway #4.

Although popular among locals and foreigners for its Vietnamese alcoholic experience, we came to Highway 4 Restaurant for another different highlight.  A contemporary take on a classic Vietnamese street snack - spring rolls.

One of their signature dish, Nem Cha Xa Lo4, which translates to Highway 4's catfish spring roll.  The deep-fried catfish and herbs are topped with mayonnaise before being wrapped in soaked rice paper and served with wasabi soy dipping sauce.  The catfish was deliciously fresh and sweet, with the herbs giving a nice hint of fresh aromatic flavour.  Unfortunately, there was not a lot of vegetables to go with it and hence, we find it slightly oily.  Nevertheless, it was a great appetizer.

The sauce, which looked like a lot like the sweet soy sauce you have alongside dim sum, is indeed packed with a lot of wasabi.  Please be mindful of the first dip or else you will be stunned for a moment.  I actually knew about the existence of the wasabi from my research on the internet, but no one highlighted that it was actually camouflaged inside the dipping sauce.  Well, now we know.

Next are our mains.

The first was the Com Rang Xa Lo4, i.e. Highway 4's Special Fried Rice.  Despite the name, it was an ordinary plate of fried rice that is flavourful but just lacking some saltiness (wouldn't it be great if there was nuoc cham to go with it).  But, even when cold (we packed it back to hotel to finish), it was still fragrant.  Overall, not the best, but decent.

The next, which was KS's choice, was the Mien Xao Heo, i.e. Glass Noodles sauteed with Pork (You can go with beef too, but we just had too much beef already).  Vietnamese are really good with fried glass noodles and so, for this plate of noodles, it was very fragrant and delicious.  Packed with a lot of black pepper, it was spicy.  Unfortunately, it was also very oily.

Highway 4 is a good place for hotpot and drinking.  With a well-designed interior that highlights a modern interpretation of the old Vietnamese design with a touch of classy ambiance, it was a beautiful place to rest your tired feet.  For a moment, it felt as though we entered into another world where working Hanoi adults gather for a happy hour session, filled with laughter and chattering.  Love it!

Definitely not the place for some complete privacy as you dine because you'll be sitting in traditional Vietnamese seating with long communal tables.  But, hey, it is very comfortable and at the same time, indirectly joining into your neighbour's fun party.  Also, despite the hot, humid weather outside, it was very well-ventilated inside and hence, it was cooling.

The staff here generally can speak moderate level of English, so there is really not much of an issue in terms of communication.  Service was very good and polite.

Highly recommended for a place to chill although slightly on the expensive side if compared to the outside street-food choices.  But, for us, it was an experience well-spent.

Highway 4 Restaurant & Bar

5 Hang Tre Street

Old Quarters, Hanoi

Hanoi: Food Guide

Last year, before we set off for a vacation in Hanoi, I went through a lot of travel blogs to find out what are the best Hanoi food to eat and where would be the best places to find them as we wanted to optimize our food-hunting experience given a 2-day period (to be specific, 1 day if we minus all the travelling time).

Luckily, all the nice, delicious food are within walking distance at the Old Quarter.  If you are like us, who don't have a lot of time to spend in Hanoi, but would like to experience the best of the local delicacies, below is the summary of the best of Hanoi. :)

Click on the links below to read more in detail.

1.  Bun Bo
Beef vermicelli noodles with herbs and beef slices, topped with shallots and grounded peanuts, served with beef broth.

Where?  Bun Bo Nam Bo @ Hang Dieu Street

2.  Pho Bo

Thin rice noodles with strips of beef served in hearty beef broth.

Where?  Pho Gia Truyen @ Bat Dan Street

3.  Bun Cha

Charcoal grilled pork patties with vermicelli noodles and herbs.

Where?  Bun Cha Nem Cua Be Dac Kim @ Duong Thanh Street

(Write-up coming soon.  Only in Hanoi)


4.  Mien Xao Lion
Stir-fried glass noodles cooked with beansprouts and egg, served with crispy fried mini eels and topped with fried shallots, sliced cucumbers and purple perilla.

Where?  Mien Luon Kho @ Hang Dieu Street

5.  Banh Cuon

Thin warm rice noodle rolls filled with seasoned ground pork and minced wood-ear mushrooms topped with crispy fried shallots and served with a sweet dipping sauce.

Where:  Banh Cuon Gia Truyen @ Hang Ga Street

6.  Nem Ca
Deep-fried catfish rolled in rice paper served with wasabi dipping sauce in a classy restaurant, popular for its alcoholic experience.

Where:  Highway 4 Restaurant & Bar @ Hang Tre Street

7.  Ca Phe Trung
Vietnamese coffee with raw egg whipped with milk and sugar.

Where:  Coffee with a view at Cafe Pho Co @ Hang Gai Street

***************

Others that we did not have the time to try yet.

Xoi Xeo
Sweet sticky glutinous rice with mung bean paste and fried shallots, topped with egg or meat

Where:  Xoi Yen @ 35b, Nguyen Huu Huan Street

Cha Ca

Grilled fish sauteed in dill, turmeric, shrimp paste and fish sauce, topped with peanuts and green onions
Where:  Cha Ca Tranh Long @ 31, Duong Thanh Street

***************

Now, if you ever feel that you're gonna have a hard time communicating, you don't really have to worry much as most shops only serve one kind of food.  So, all you need is a very good sign language.  Otherwise, just jot down the names of the food and show them (Like what we did).

But if you are visiting Hanoi for a very short time and you want to sample a variety of the Hanoi specialties  then there is a perfect one-stop center.  I haven't been there personally but apparently, it is very popular among both locals and tourists.  It is located south of the Hoen Kiem Lake, so if you are heading back  to the Old Quarters after a visit of the Temple of Literature, it would be a nice place to rest your tired feet.

Where:  Quan An Ngon @ 18 Phon Boi Chau

Banh Cuon @ Banh Cuon Gia Truyen, Hanoi

Generally eaten as breakfast everywhere in the northern part of Vietnam, Banh Cuon or literally rolled savoury pastry is one of the lightest, but amazingly delicious, dish that can be found in the Vietnamese menu.

Banh Cuon is a plate of thin warm rice noodle rolls, made of steamed fermented rice batter, filled with seasoned ground pork and minced wood-ear mushrooms topped with crispy fried shallots and served with a warm, sweet dipping sauce.

On our very last night in Hanoi, we managed to slip in this light snack before we headed to Pho Gia Truyen for our pho.  It was so delicious that we took the effort to come back again for a take-away supper.

The rice rolls were very transparent and thin, with a smooth silky texture.  Dipped in the sweet broth-like dipping sauce, it was very flavourful.  The meat was well-seasoned and plentiful.  In a way, Banh Cuon resembles the Cantonese chee cheung fun, except that Banh Cuon has a lighter ans sweeter taste.

We also realized many locals ordering this side dish with some unidentifiable orange square pieces.  Well, turns out it was the gio lua (Northern)/cha lua (Southern) or Vietnamese ham made from grounded pork paste - apparently a must to go with Banh Cuon.  Maybe next time.

While we were waiting for our take-away supper to be ready, we observed how the ladies skillfully prepare Bahn Cuon by steaming a thin layer of rice batter on a cloth over a pot of boiling water before another lady fills the rice sheets with meat and mushrooms.  All done without breaking a hole on the delicate rice sheet.  Now that is skill.

This shop is open for breakfast and dinner/supper.


Banh Cuon Gia Truyen
14, Hang Ga Street
Old Quarter
Hanoi

Ca Phe Trung @ Cafe Pho Co, Hanoi

First introduced by the Western traders in 1857 and popularized by French colonists, Vietnam has become the world’s second-largest coffee producer.  What started out as an aspiration by the Vietnamese people to mimic the French coffee culture, it eventually became rooted deep into the local Vietnamese culture – whether young or old, poor or rich – it’s in every corner of the streets of Vietnam.

Given that, it was definitely not an excuse for us to pass the chance to experience the unique flavours of Vietnamese coffee - a drink that will never be forgotten.

Along the street famous for its silk and hand-painted drawings, lies a hidden gem.  The hunt for this cafe is worth every effort as you will be rewarded for not only a good cup of Vietnamese coffee but one fantastic view of the Old Quarter's famed tourist spot.

This is Cafe Pho Co, or Lake View Cafe - a simple cafe that is well-hidden and easily missed by any passing pedestrian.  If you have not heard of this well beforehand, you're most likely going to miss this hangout spot.

For us, getting into the cafe was quite an interesting journey.

When we first walked into the dimmed corridor, we kept assuring ourselves "It's ok, don't worry, just go straight in, it's in there".

Seriously, it didn't looked very right at first.  But once we saw the light at the end of the corridor and being greeted at the courtyard, we felt so relieved.  But the "adventure" was not over.

Once we had made our order at the courtyard, we were asked to find our own way up to the open air rooftop.  It started with a small, narrow staircase to the second level where the family shrine is located.  I was starting to panic as it didn't look like any cafe, as though we were trespassing into someone's house.  

But then, we continued up an old spiral staircase until we reached a space that looked more familiar - plastic chairs and aluminium tables with people chatting and drinking coffee.  We have arrived.

While we waited for our drink, we sat back on our chairs and relaxed while we enjoyed the beautiful view of Hoan Kiem Lake.

The coffee we ordered is Ca Phe Trung, which stands for coffee (ca phe) and egg (trung).  It is a cup of Vietnamese coffee topped with raw egg that has been whisked with milk and sugar, creating a consistent foamy texture.

Many people recommended to have cha phe trung hot instead but because we were super hot and tired from all the walking, that we decided to have the cold version.  Still a good choice as long as you don't wait until the ice to completely melt before you finish the drink.

The coffee was fantastic - intense flavour with some bitterness at the end.  The egg mixture was like whipped cream, except that it is more airy and light, giving the coffee a nice smooth texture.  Plus, it really did taste like a very good chilled tiramisu dessert.  Boy, I should have ordered more of this.

Highly recommended if you're at Hanoi.

Looking for this place is actually not that difficult as commented by many.  Shops are numbered well, and all you need is to go to Hang Gai Street, and look out for Lot 11.  The entrance into Cafe Pho Co is sandwiched between a silk shop and an art shop.  And yes, it is a bit suspicious at the start but persevere and you'll be rewarded.

Come to think about it now, being the "trespasser" is pretty fun!

Cafe Pho Co
11P Hang Gai
Old Quarters
Hanoi

Mien Xao Luon @ Mien Luon Kho, Hanoi

A few shops down from Bun Bo Nam Bo is another lovely place for some crispy Hanoi delicacy.  Serving only fried mini eels, Mien Luon Kho @ Old Quarters is definitely the place to sample this unique dish.

Mien Xao Luon is stir-fried glass noodles cooked with beansprouts and egg, served with crispy mini eels and topped with fresh cucumbers, fried shallots and purple perilla.

These crispy deep-fried mini eels, which tasted very much like those spicy ikan bilis snacks, are very nice.  I think I could eat a whole plate of these fried luon  as they are really very additive.  Highly recommended especially if you plan to stop for a Hanoi beer - a perfect snack.

The glass noodles were quite good too.  Stir-frying glass noodles can be quite difficult because of its texture, so they did quite a good job in making the dish work.  The only setback, as with any fried glass noodles, is that it was quite oily.  Towards the end, it became very difficult to continue eating the noodles as all the oil has dripped to the bottom of the plate.  Nevertheless, there was enough wok hei in the noodles and it complement well with the luon.

They have six different ways to enjoy the luon - with or without noodles/porridge or served dry or wet.  Locals (given a quick glance around the shop) seem to prefer the eel porridge and the clear vermicelli soup.

As shown on the menu on the wall, it is actually pretty easy to order - just point to the wall if your Vietnamese pronunciation is bad.  But for me, being a bit more kiasu, I decided to show the girl my scribbling as I can't seem to find the exact phrase on the menu (apparently Mien Xao Luon = Mien Xao).

Mien Luon Kho

87, Hang Dieu Street

Old Quarter

Hanoi

Pho Bo @ Pho Gia Truyen, Hanoi

They say if there is a large crowd, the food there must be very delicious.  For Pho Gia Truyen @ Bat Dan Street, Hanoi, this is definitely the case.  Popular among both locals and tourists, this is one pho place you must not miss if you are in the Old Quarters.

Pho, a popular Vietnamese breakfast, is thin rice noodles served in clear beef broth, with thin cuts of beef.

Pho in different regions are prepared differently - the taste and presentation is heavily influenced by the richness of the local agricultural and economy.  The southern pho is usually more complex as more ingredients are used while the northern pho, on the other hand, uses less ingredients and is more simple, served without beansprouts and herbs.

Here at Pho Gia Truyen, the northern-style pho is sold.  There are three types of pho to choose from:

1. Tai Nam:  Rare flank steak (45,000 VND)
2. Tai:  Rare steak  (40,000 VND)
3. Chin:  Well-done brisket (35,000 VND)

For the sake of lowering the chances of food poisoning (that means rare is out of the question), we opt for the pho chin.

The soup was "Wow!" - fantastic.  Do not be fool by the clearness of the soup because it is packed with a lot of flavours and spices, making it very fragrant and sweet.  Imagine how many beef bones they have used in making this flavourful broth.  It was so wholesome so much so that you will feel as though the adrenaline is pumping fast into your bloodstream.  No wonder even the Vietnamese are willing to queue up for a bowl of pho here.

One thing I like about their soup is that it does not have the strong beefy smell, that sometimes can be a little unpleasant.  It was so good that I finished every single drop of it.  In a way, it did tasted like keoy teow soup, except that the flavour is more intense and less oily.

The beef brisket, which has been thinly sliced, is very tender.  Plus, they were very generous with it.  Even towards the end, there are still a lot of beef in my bowl.  On top of that, the thin noodles are silky and not oily at all.

I did notice many people adding vinegar and hot chilli sauce.  Not sure what it tasted like, so didn't have the courage to add in any.

They also have another side dish that accompany this delicious street food, which is dau chao quay or fried bread stick that you can dip into the soup, just like how we do in bak kut teh.  We didn't have this unfortunately, as we initially didn't know what it is called in Vietnamese.  Pity.

Now, Pho Gia Truyen is a self-serve style eatery.  You need to queue up, order, pay and then collect your noodles before proceeding to the tables (if you are really lucky enough to find one).  The queue can be a little long, but the wait is definitely worth it.

Majority of the seatings are tiny wooden stools by the side-walk.  If you're very lucky, you may get a normal table inside the shop.  Otherwise, you may have to stand while eating.

  

As for us, KS was in charge of ordering, while I "hunt" around for seats.  Sitting on tiny stools by the side-walk with lots of used tissues strewn on the floor below the tables, was not so bad after all.  Like they say, be like a local and enjoy the experience.

Pho Gia Truyen
49, Bat Dan Street
Old Quarters
Hanoi

Open in morning and night

Bun Bo (Vermicelli with Beef) @ Bun Bo Nam Bo, Hanoi

One of the best Hanoi street food is the Bun Bo @ Bun Bo Nam Bo, Hang Dieu Street.  This is definitely a must-have if you're at the Old Quarters.  For both KS and I, it was love at first bite (not exaggerating).  If we had more time in Hanoi, we would have surely come back again for another round.

So, what is Bun Bo?  It is actually a simple bowl of vermicelli noodles served with thin slices of beef and salad (beansprouts, lettuce, carrots, green papaya and herbs), topped with generous amount of fried shallots and grounded, toasted peanuts.

Straight after we have checked into our hotel, we went searching for this stall/shop.  Holding a map while trying to register the different unfamiliar street names (not to forget, braving through the famous traffic), we quickly make our way for our first lunch stop.  Luckily, the shops are well-numbered and it was pretty easy to find it.

As it was already past 2 pm  there was not much of a crowd.  Lucky us because we did see how crowded it was on a Saturday night when we passed by the area again.  Inside, the shop looked pretty decent and surprisingly cleaner than I expected.  Set-up wise, it did feel like being back to a primary school's canteen - long tables with low benches.

Ordering was a breeze (no communication breakdown) as there was only one main dish.  You only need to tell them how many bowls you want, which hand gesture can easily settle.  Plus, there was a large menu on the wall that lists their selection of drinks, clearly stating what they sell and how much each costs - only problem is that it is in Vietnamese, so we were practically guessing what each might be.

Bun Bo - this bowl of noodle looked pretty simple and less sophisticated, but the taste was exceptionally magnificent.  I had the first bite and almost immediately, a shocking (a positive one, of course) expression was written all over my face, which panicked KS a bit (haha!).  That expression was because I did not expect such tremendous flavour coming from this simple-looking noodle.  Never judge a book by its cover, applies to this bowl of noodle.

The secret ingredient that makes all the difference lies in the light, sweet and sour beef broth (which you wouldn't notice until you start mixing the noodles).  It is the beef broth that gave the noodle a lovely, warm taste.  Even without adding the fish sauce, it already tasted very good.  Of course, after adding it, it was even better.  I strongly advise that you taste the Bun Bo without any additional condiments (picked chilli, chilli sauce or fish sauce) being added first so that you have a chance to sample the real taste.

The beef slices are also perfectly marinated and is very juicy & tender.  Plus, the beef slices are cooked upon order, so freshness is assured.

Although it looked liked some salad (it is, after all, being termed as a noodle salad), it is served warm.  Even the beansprouts have been lightly cooked.  Of course, there is the hot beef broth to warm the dish.

To end, we ordered the 7Up Chai, which turns out to be 7Up in an old-school bottle.

Highly recommended!  You'll regret if you went home without trying this yummy bowl of noodles.



Bun Bo Nam Bo
67, Hang Dieu Street
Old Quarters, Hanoi