tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7016586247177205582024-03-18T02:48:01.060-07:00Hanoi Street Food ToursVan Cong Tuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12588216588419216202noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-701658624717720558.post-32332774133607021302017-07-08T01:04:00.000-07:002017-07-08T01:04:17.157-07:00Hanoi Summer Nights<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We schedule our street food tours in the mornings, afternoons and evenings. The food landscape shifts across the course of the day and night. Vendors are opening with fresh ingredients and closing when they're gone, all over Hanoi. It's an ongoing tag-team of predominantly women, feeding this city out of tight, sometimes mobile, environments - in alleys, on loud busy thoroughfares choked with traffic, on their doorstep or in the front room of the house.</div>
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In summer, with temperatures and humidity inducing sweat at the simplest body movement during the day, we encourage our clients to avoid the afternoons and see and eat the city in the evenings. Sweat is still inevitable but the dark at least creates the illusion of cool. And Hanoi's character changes in the dark; the locals come out of their hibernation from the sun, there's promenading around the lakes and squares, kids everywhere, and it seems every scooter owner in the city is out catching a breeze.</div>
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Visually, it remains eye catching. Dusk turns to dark in the amount of time it takes to eat a <i>banh my. </i>Fluorescent lights are flicked on but there's a lot of soft yellow light emanating from bulbs hanging from awnings or trees, to shed light for eating and drinking. Or displaying produce or goods. The Vietnamese are masters of the hastily erected money-making stall, whether it be for sale of second hand shoes, a selection of cut fruit coated in chilli salt or dried squid grilled gutter-side.
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And, Hanoi is also delicious at night. Market activity may not be as lively as the mornings but you'll see the locals bargaining for end of day meat, mobile fruit and flower vendors trying to offload before they lay their weary bodies to rest. Street food eating opportunities still abound. Pavement grilling and enthusiastic beer drinking hit their peaks when the sun goes down. </div>
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And the little plastic stools beckon.Van Cong Tuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12588216588419216202noreply@blogger.com139tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-701658624717720558.post-82915399915689831482015-06-13T01:10:00.000-07:002015-06-13T01:10:48.361-07:00Eating Elsewhere in Vietnam<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/59367994@N00/15958773630" title="Nha Trang banh xeo by Sticky rice, on Flickr"><img alt="Nha Trang banh xeo" height="331" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7486/15958773630_761a750f6c.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
Our street food experiences don't end with Hanoi. We're not that one-dimensional. While we eat with our clients in Hanoi, guiding them through the dishes, walking through the markets and helping them to peel back the layers of the city - to see it a little bit as we see it - our food expertise does extend to elsewhere in the country.<br />
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Oh yes, we've been eating at tables in the centre and the south of the country whenever we've had the opportunity over the years. And we continue to do so. The places in Vietnam that we find ourselves in - when we're having a break from the tables of Hanoi - are often the same ones that our clients are venturing to later in their trip.<br />
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So we like to share what we know in a follow up email. We hope that the skills we give our clients to navigate the amazing street food of Vietnam, they can then utilize on their own both after the tour in Hanoi and then in their onward travel. We want them to eat the good stuff throughout their journey.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/59367994@N00/14528722879" title="banh mi on a bike by Sticky rice, on Flickr"><img alt="banh mi on a bike" height="331" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2898/14528722879_d0e034616a.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
We tell them to wait until they reach the centre and the south to seek out Vietnam's incredible sandwich, the bánh mì. People are surprised to find that it's not done so well in the north of the country. Finer versions - with all of the classic ingredients - are being assembled in Hội An and Saigon.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/59367994@N00/14715033452" title="Hue bun bo Hue by Sticky rice, on Flickr"><img alt="Hue bun bo Hue" height="331" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3912/14715033452_c61fa9d637.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
Dishes like bún bò Huế - a ballsy meaty lemongrassy noodle soup - should of course be eaten in Huế, the ancient capital in the centre of the country. There is also the unique range of savoury cakes steamed in leaves, and dunked in very spicy <span class="st">nước chấm. </span>Huế gets kudos because of its historic sites and proximity to the Vietnamese DMZ - but we view the city as one of the very best to eat in, especially if a bit of local knowledge can be procured.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/59367994@N00/14528980357" title="Danang crab by Sticky rice, on Flickr"><img alt="Danang crab" height="500" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5553/14528980357_23120e3478.jpg" width="331" /></a><br />
Like the locals, we wait until we hit coastal towns like Danang and Nha Trang before we down any saltwater fish and seafood. It's common sense. In Hanoi, we eat freshwater swimmers. In the coastal cities, we follow the crowds to seafood barns where we select the fish or squid or prawns - whatever has been caught that day - we pay by weight, we instruct the waiter about how we want it cooked - and we gourmandize!<br />
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/59367994@N00/14528649660" title="Cao lầu by Sticky rice, on Flickr"><img alt="Cao lầu" height="331" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3874/14528649660_9dc5336fbd.jpg" width="500" /></a>
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Vietnam is a fine place to eat. There are many different tables across the country. Sometimes it might be a dish interpreted in a different way - using ingredients on hand in that region. Certain dishes are only eaten in certain locations. A dish originating in one city might be a poor imitation cooked in another city.<br />
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We do our best to impart these nuances to our clients both during the tour in Hanoi and in the follow up.Van Cong Tuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12588216588419216202noreply@blogger.com104tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-701658624717720558.post-65591857597446744792014-06-13T19:29:00.000-07:002014-06-13T19:29:21.833-07:00When it's hot, we drink...<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/59367994@N00/14224354779" title="tra chanh by Sticky rice, on Flickr"><img alt="tra chanh" height="334" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5489/14224354779_7ca445a0ac.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
The beginning of Hanoi's 2014 summer has been brutal. The first heat
wave of May has continued now for a few weeks, with high temperatures
combining with high humidity to sap the energy out of even the most
heat-hardened of the population.<br />
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But we must soldier on through it for now. The rains will come and we will get used to it to an extent. And we will keep our clients well hydrated as we amble slowly - in the shade - from one Hanoi street food table to the next. If appetites for food are down, we will down more drinks. <span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1402711750929_6694" style="line-height: 16.5pt;"> </span><br />
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Hot coffee? No - we recommend it with ice. Truth be told, Vietnam's climate - apart from a few months of cool weather in the north - means that the locals, almost without exception, are taking their caffeine with ice as a matter of course. When Hanoi coffee houses brew their coffee, it is cooled to room temperature and, if a customer does want it hot, a portion is heated to a simmer in a little saucepan. <br /><br />
On the subject of ice, many of our clients express concern about consuming ice in Vietnam, afraid that it may make them sick. These days, even street food eateries are ordering safe factory manufactured ice rather than bothering with the process of boiling water and freezing it. From time to time, ice may be handled in a dubious manner but in general, at street eateries with little or no refrigeration, if one wants a cold drink, ice it must be. <br />
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Even in beer at such eateries, ice is required. Though this may go against the grain for many beer drinkers, the practice has the added benefit of providing hydration to an alcoholic drink that typically dehydrates. Hanoi's other beer culture, bia hoi (or fresh draught beer), is pulled from lengths of hose attached to kegs packed in layers of insulation and dry ice or stored in refrigerated metal cabinets. A couple of tumblers of this preservative-free, low alcohol beer is almost compulsory drinking, particularly on our evening tours. Though, in Hanoi, there is no stigma attached to drinking at any time of the day.<div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1402711750929_6703">
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There are soft options, of course. We carry water throughout our tours and though it may not be cold after the first five minutes in the current weather, it is wet. We eschew manufactured soft drinks in preference to those made in the city's tea and coffee houses. Would you prefer a Fanta or a freshly made long glass of passion fruit juice? A Sprite or green tea, sweetened with sugar, soured with lime, cooled with ice?<br /><br />
Quenching a thirst and keeping liquids up to our clients is just as much a priority in the Hanoi summer as feeding them.Van Cong Tuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12588216588419216202noreply@blogger.com64tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-701658624717720558.post-23469872490032511632013-11-11T01:51:00.000-08:002013-11-11T01:51:25.875-08:00So you think you don't drink coffee...<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/59367994@N00/166987365/" title="the coconut by stickychopsticks, on Flickr"><img alt="the coconut" height="500" src="http://farm1.staticflickr.com/77/166987365_9795766a02.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
During our street food tours, we inevitably end up at one of Hanoi's local coffee shops. It's a mandatory part of all of our itineraries, morning, noon or night. As Mark wrote recently on <a href="http://stickyrice.typepad.com/my_weblog/2013/11/saigon-footpath-coffee.html" target="_blank">stickyrice</a>, in Hanoi, coffee can be sipped "against a century old ochre wall, in a memorabilia-lined passageway a metre wide, up a spiral staircase overlooking a lake. Even a standard Hanoi cafe is perfectly good for watching the frenetic passing parade." So the experience is very much about ambience and cultural immersion.<br />
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But occasionally we strike a client who self identifies as a 'non-coffee drinker'. While we try not to openly show pity, such admissions can be disheartening because the whole coffee experience in Hanoi - old-world atmosphere aside - is quite fascinating. So, to such clients, we assume the deviant role of 'drug pusher', enticing them with details that stray from the deleterious and addictive nature of coffee and caffeine, away from the side-effects of sleeplessness and anxiety, away from the notion of "I like the aroma of coffee but not the taste."
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/59367994@N00/8208518146/" title="cafe nau da by stickychopsticks, on Flickr"><img alt="cafe nau da" height="331" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8488/8208518146_1f1c3bc46e.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
We say words like sweetened condensed milk.<br /><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/59367994@N00/8208520436/" title="yoghurt treats by stickychopsticks, on Flickr"><img alt="yoghurt treats" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8349/8208520436_a0b1537640.jpg" width="331" /></a><br />
We say words like homemade frozen yoghurt.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/59367994@N00/8208531344/" title="cafe trung by stickychopsticks, on Flickr"><img alt="cafe trung" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8344/8208531344_d15ee1aaaf.jpg" width="331" /></a><br />
We say words like "imagine liquid tiramisu".<br />
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We don't even mention the word coffee. We say "just try it "or "take a sip".
Consequently, we've had feedback emails from certain clients saying that their Hanoi coffee experience was transformative. It made them see coffee in a brand new light. They are now drinking coffee back home.<br />
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Some would say what we're doing is evil. Van Cong Tuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12588216588419216202noreply@blogger.com44tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-701658624717720558.post-41480886599492639552013-05-17T05:15:00.002-07:002013-05-17T05:17:56.206-07:00Hanoi's Food Workers<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/59367994@N00/8207440647/" title="bun cha griller by stickychopsticks, on Flickr"><img alt="bun cha griller" height="331" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8062/8207440647_dd4cdd6b74.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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There's no doubt visitors to Hanoi - especially the food-centric ones - notice the constant presence of edible stuff on their strolls around the Old Quarter and further afield. Street-side meat, bicycles laden with fruit and vegetables, simmering pots of stock on doorsteps, boiling kettles, tipping teapots, sacks overflowing with rice - the streets are where the food action is at, not hidden indoors in gigantic supermarket halls nor protected behind glass windows or cabinetry. One can reach out and touch food up and down the length of any Hanoi street.<br />
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But where there is food there are people. Hanoi is definitely not a western supermarket aisle, where even shouting blue murder is unlikely to bring customer service assistance. Butchers here constantly cast a tending eye over their cuts of meat, keeping up their appeal, shooing the odd fly, ready and poised with a sharp blade at hand. Fruit vendors spend their days pushing bikes and re-arranging their specimens into perfectly conical formation, meticulously examining longans or lychees for flaws. The watermelon vendor, with baskets bending from her shoulder-poles, is weightlifting - all day!<br />
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The <a href="http://stickyrice.typepad.com/my_weblog/2011/10/where-there-is-smoke-there-is-bun-cha.html" target="_blank">bun cha</a> fanner needs recognition, too. In 80%+ humidity on a 35c day, she is sweating before she waves the fan once in anger. Crouched before a tin tray white hot with coals, one hand turns a fat-spitting wire griller filled with pork while the other is keeping the wind up to the fire. A kind of gym session in a smoky furnace - there is a reason why she looks on the verge of tears. It's bloody hard and hot work, obviously unhealthy.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/59367994@N00/8208517068/" title="rau can tay vendor by stickychopsticks, on Flickr"><img alt="rau can tay vendor" height="331" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8207/8208517068_37991ace7f.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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Maintaining Hanoi's image as one big bustling food shop relies on the physical toil of thousands of people, mostly women, all underpaid and under-appreciated.<br />
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Smile when you catch their eye.Van Cong Tuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12588216588419216202noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-701658624717720558.post-22032569667531844962012-11-19T19:14:00.001-08:002012-11-19T19:15:22.917-08:00Operation Nha Trang, February 2012<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/59367994@N00/8200882911/" title="prawns on the coals by stickychopsticks, on Flickr"><img alt="prawns on the coals" height="334" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8489/8200882911_d1f26a37fb.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
We are taking streetfood tour operations to the south central coast for the first two weeks of February. Nha Trang is a resort town a short flight from Saigon and very much on the standard tourist trail. While most visitors tend to spend their days on the beaches and their evenings at the bars - something we are not averse to ourselves - there is a fantastic street food scene in this town, one that we've been enjoying on a regular basis for the past ten years. In fact, in the case of <a href="http://www.vietnamesegod.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Vietnamese God</a>, his whole life as Nha Trang is his home town.<br />
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We'll be there over the Tet (lunar New Year) period, which adds a degree of colour and excitement to the atmosphere around town, as the locals hit the markets and shops in their preparations for Vietnam's biggest family occasion. But, that said, because Nha Trang is a southern coastal town, the feeling about town is still relaxed. Remember, there's always the beach.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/59367994@N00/8200886347/" title="Doc Let Beach by stickychopsticks, on Flickr"><img alt="Doc Let Beach" height="334" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8204/8200886347_6805bc8c8d.jpg" width="500" /></a>
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So, what does Nha Trang have to offer the food-obsessed?<br />
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Seafood has to be the number one attraction. For breakfast, it could be in the form of fish noodle soup. In Hanoi, of course, it would be pho. In Nha Trang, expect lovely chunks of mackeral or tuna, along with fish cake slices with your threads.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/59367994@N00/8201977780/" title="cafe phin by stickychopsticks, on Flickr"><img alt="cafe phin" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8205/8201977780_2bca61d2b4.jpg" width="334" /></a>
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After breakfast, coffee can be had street side or in a cafe by the sea. <br />
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Street food eateries and restaurants alike are pandering to the hankerings of those who want to eat stuff from the sea morning, noon and night. Let's make the pictures do the talking.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/59367994@N00/8200881253/" title="grilled prawns by stickychopsticks, on Flickr"><img alt="grilled prawns" height="334" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8485/8200881253_8c608b0bd9.jpg" width="500" /></a>
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Some of our other favourites around town include banh mi with fish cakes, <a href="http://stickyrice.typepad.com/my_weblog/2007/03/post_1.html" target="_blank">banh xeo</a> (rice flour pancakes) with baby squid and the best spring roll in Vietnam, <a href="http://stickyrice.typepad.com/my_weblog/2006/02/stories_from_th_1.html" target="_blank">nem nuong</a>.<br />
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If we've whetted your appetite, and you'll be in Nha Trang between February 2-13, drop us an email for further details of our itineraries/costs. (Mark: lowiemark@yahoo.com.au & Tu: tuvancong2003@yahoo.com)Van Cong Tuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12588216588419216202noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-701658624717720558.post-46556466955104063572012-06-24T03:33:00.001-07:002012-08-04T01:23:43.281-07:00Scenes from a Street Food Tour<p align="center"><a title="chicken vendor by stickychopsticks, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/59367994@N00/7708956642/"><img alt="chicken vendor" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8154/7708956642_f2a16cb7c9.jpg" width="430" height="336" /></a></p><a title="chicken vendor by stickychopsticks, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/59367994@N00/7708956642/"><div align="left"> </div></a><p></p>The streets of Hanoi tend to be a very foreign place for most of our street food tour clients. There's a lot to take in. A lot might be said. It can be sensory overload. Indeed, if Hanoi is a person's first ever stop in Asia, it will most likely be bewildering and confronting. And there is no doubt that a street food tour can accentuate those feelings.<br /><p align="center"><a title="hi there fish face by stickychopsticks, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/59367994@N00/7708965332/"><img alt="hi there fish face" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8291/7708965332_b702a57659.jpg" width="430" height="336" /></a></p><a title="hi there fish face by stickychopsticks, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/59367994@N00/7708965332/"><div align="left"> </div></a><p></p>While we don't want to protect or molly-coddle our clients, we do want them to have an enjoyable and relaxing experience rather than a stressful or confusing one. So we wander. And we see things and we eat and drink things.<br />At certain points, we explain things. But we don't talk from go to woe. Much of the experience of Hanoi is about allowing time for the brain to process the message from the eyes...or the nose...or the ears. If we yack too much, it interferes with that process.<br /><br />But we do get a lot of questions.<br /><br />Which we love answering.<br /><p align="center"><a title="banh com by stickychopsticks, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/59367994@N00/7708962308/"><img alt="banh com" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8143/7708962308_046a3c6414.jpg" width="334" height="500" /></a></p><a title="banh com by stickychopsticks, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/59367994@N00/7708962308/"><div align="left"> </div></a><p></p>Like, what is that bright green thing wrapped in plastic?<br /><p align="center"><a title="pomelo skins by stickychopsticks, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/59367994@N00/7708959606/"><img alt="pomelo skins" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8148/7708959606_997d857339.jpg" width="334" height="500" /></a></p><a title="pomelo skins by stickychopsticks, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/59367994@N00/7708959606/"><div align="left"> </div></a><p></p>Or what is that drying on the handlebars of that bicycle?<br /><br />Do people really eat that? Um...and what is it?<br /><br />And then later, when our customers are relaxing back at their hotel, we send them some information from <a href="http://stickyrice.typepad.com/my_weblog/">here</a> and <a href="http://www.vietnamesegod.blogspot.com/">there</a>, which they can peruse at their leisure.<br /><br />I suppose you would call it 'after sales service'.Van Cong Tuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12588216588419216202noreply@blogger.com142tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-701658624717720558.post-33850971934109186212012-04-28T10:35:00.000-07:002012-04-28T08:36:08.058-07:00Egg Coffee<p align="center"><a title="Egg Coffee by tuvancong2003, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11534736@N00/6949020453/"><img alt="Egg Coffee" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7055/6949020453_2b741d0a6d.jpg" width="430" height="336" /></a></p><a title="Egg Coffee by tuvancong2003, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11534736@N00/6949020453/"><div align="left"> </div></a><p></p><p align="left">Egg coffee??? It sounds fascinating and I have been wondering how they make it. After 10 years living in Hanoi, I finally tried egg coffee the other day with my clients from Australia.</p><p align="center"><a title="Egg Coffee by tuvancong2003, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11534736@N00/6949002893/"><img alt="Egg Coffee" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7057/6949002893_523ffa9bd8.jpg" width="430" height="336" /></a></p><div align="left">After half a day walking around eating heaps of different street food, we walked into Cafe Pho Co in Hang Gai street and tried their signature drink and signature view over Hoan Kiem Lake. The egg coffee is made with normal black Vietnamese coffee and egg yolk whisked with milk and sugar. It tasted a bit like tiramisu on the top, very creamy and rich.<br />This is a good place to stop for an hour for a coffee , juices or a beer as it located right in the middle of the old quarter even though it is a bit dearer compared to other cafes in town.<br />Cafe Pho Co<br />11 Hang Gai Street<br />Hanoi</div>Van Cong Tuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12588216588419216202noreply@blogger.com92tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-701658624717720558.post-77416974619128098192012-03-03T09:00:00.001-08:002012-03-03T22:48:34.573-08:00A Sweet Stop<p align="center"><a title="Wild Rice by tuvancong2003, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11534736@N00/6805152552/"><img alt="Wild Rice" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7177/6805152552_29b03a433a.jpg" width="430" height="336" /></a></p><a title="Wild Rice by tuvancong2003, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11534736@N00/6805152552/"><div align="left"> </div></a><p></p>Vietnamese cuisine, in fact Asian cuisine in general, is not particularly known out of the region for its sweets or desserts. The people who come on our tours are generally well-versed in the main features on Vietnam's plates; the range of herbs, rice and noodles, the use of fish sauce. But get them to name a dessert and they struggle.<br /><br />So, on our wanders, not only do we eat savoury but we also seek out sweet.<br /><br /><p align="center"><a title="Sua Chua Nep Cam by tuvancong2003, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11534736@N00/6802443484/"><img alt="Sua Chua Nep Cam" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7049/6802443484_0b6440b24e.jpg" width="430" height="336" /></a></p><a title="Sua Chua Nep Cam by tuvancong2003, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11534736@N00/6802443484/"><div align="left"> </div></a><p></p>Just north of Hanoi's Old Quarter, we sit low to the pavement for a sugar fix. Out of a narrow alley comes a northern speciality known as sữa chua nếp cẩm, which translates roughly as yoghurt with fermented wild rice. This dessert house is a Hanoi institution run by some wily elders and a bunch of enthusiastic teenage boys.<br /><br />The wild rice, predominately purple in colour, is cooked, covered and left to ferment for a period of days with the aid of men ngọt (sugar yeast/fungus), shorter in summer, longer in winter. Laid out in bamboo baskets on withered banana leaves, what eventuates is something akin to jam - minus the fruit, or with rice playing the role of fruit!<br /><br /><p align="center"><a title="Sua Chua Nep Cam by tuvancong2003, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11534736@N00/6948978661/"><img alt="Sua Chua Nep Cam" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7043/6948978661_19617a4c8e.jpg" width="430" height="336" /></a></p><a title="Sua Chua Nep Cam by tuvancong2003, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11534736@N00/6948978661/"><div align="left"> </div></a><p></p>Dolloped on top of sweetened yoghurt, it gets delivered to customers. In Hanoi's pulsating summer, a generous scoop of shaved ice adds another layer. All that is required of the customer is a rigorous stirring with the spoon.<br /><br />And, the enjoyment of the flavours - a slight twist of sour alcohol from the fermentation, the milkiness from the yoghurt, sweetness - a true dessert and a Hanoi tradition to boot!Van Cong Tuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12588216588419216202noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-701658624717720558.post-43646214652770012262012-01-03T08:18:00.000-08:002012-01-02T17:23:04.526-08:00Street Food For Honeymoon<p align="center"><a title="Kelly and Patrick210912 (76) by tuvancong2003, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11534736@N00/6621235411/"><img alt="Kelly and Patrick210912 (76)" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7014/6621235411_af29a498e4.jpg" width="334" height="500" /></a></p>A couple of weeks ago, I led a tour for a "Just Married" couple from the US. They were not too concerned about an itinerary, just stating that they wanted me to surprise them.<br /><br /><p align="center"><a title="DSC_0277 by tuvancong2003, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11534736@N00/6621087745/"><img alt="DSC_0277" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7003/6621087745_a4920543e9.jpg" width="430" height="336" /></a></p>First off, we headed to West Lake for fish noodle soup which is a pretty standard breakfast noodle dish in Hanoi. This was followed by a morning visit to the Quan Thanh temple to explain about how Vietnam's people make offerings to the Gods and ancestors.<br /><br /><p align="center"><a title="Cafe by tuvancong2003, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11534736@N00/6363292709/"><img alt="Cafe" src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6111/6363292709_3264471989.jpg" width="430" height="336" /></a></p>At this point in the tour, coffee is generally a good idea and in Hanoi, there are quite a few choices about how you have your coffee. Sweetened condensed milk and even yoghurt are used in some coffee drinks. It's also common, because Hanoi is pretty hot most of the year, to have ice in coffee. Some of our clients worry about the ice but it is all commercially produced this days. Vietnam's hot so if you don't have ice in your drinks they won't be very refreshing.<br /><br /><p align="center"><a title="Grape fruit seller by tuvancong2003, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11534736@N00/6363321887/"><img alt="Grape fruit seller" src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6034/6363321887_8ccda5b2bb.jpg" width="334" height="500" /></a></p>With caffiene in our systems, we headed to market which can be a challenging experience for westerners who are used to doing their food shopping in supermarkets. Vietnamese wet markets are a place where many processes occur, even the killing of animals like chickens, ducks, fish, even frogs. My client Patrick helped the vendor pull the skin off a frog, saying that he thought that if you are going to eat animals you should be prepared to kill them.<br /><br /><p align="center"><a title="Bun Rieu Cha by tuvancong2003, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11534736@N00/5981363430/"><img alt="Bun Rieu Cha" src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6001/5981363430_702ab72f15.jpg" width="430" height="336" /></a></p>After the market, the eating continued. We had Hanoi's most famous lunch dish Bun Cha which is served with Hanoi spring rolls. To celebrate their recent wedding, we had some beers too. And then cake...but not wedding cake. Instead, a traditional cake made from pounded rice, mung beans and sugar which is actually eaten at engagement parties in Vietnam.<br /><br /><p align="center"><a title="Dong Xuan market by tuvancong2003, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11534736@N00/5981422164/"><img alt="Dong Xuan market" src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6029/5981422164_5681717ec3.jpg" width="430" height="336" /></a></p>We stopped off in one of Hanoi's streets where ceremonial merchandise is sold, stuff for altars and festival occasions. In between, we took the paintings that Patrick and his wife, Kelly bought at the temple to my favorite framing place and it turned out super cheap for them.<br /><br /><p align="center"><a title="Kelly and Patrick210912 (16) by tuvancong2003, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11534736@N00/6621313447/"><img alt="Kelly and Patrick210912 (16)" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7144/6621313447_fceb84dd6e.jpg" width="430" height="336" /></a></p>We finished our day at Bia Hoi (draught beer) with grilled dried squid in the old quarter. I had a brilliant day with them and I guess it was a unique thing to do on a honeymoon.Van Cong Tuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12588216588419216202noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-701658624717720558.post-36559692282787953622011-12-07T07:23:00.001-08:002011-12-12T07:17:16.728-08:00The Disappearance of Wet Markets<p align="center"><a title="Dong Xuan market by tuvancong2003, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11534736@N00/2000969308/"><img alt="Dong Xuan market" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2296/2000969308_41407b728f.jpg" width="334" height="500" /></a></p>There is no doubt that wet markets in Vietnam are indeed part of the culture, as much a feature of the country as street vendors. These days, however, these wet markets are being threatened by development and it may be that their days are numbered.<br /><p align="center"><a title="Duck by tuvancong2003, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11534736@N00/6353315529/"><img alt="Duck" src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6048/6353315529_dfe01224e6.jpg" width="430" height="336" /></a></p>In Hanoi, in recent years, many of the city's biggest central wet markets have been knocked down and replaced by commercial office and retail complexes. Obviously we don't want to live in the dark ages in Vietnam but it would be nice to think that the authorities could attempt to maintain certain aspects of this unique part of our heritage. Many Hanoians have been patronising these markets for their whole lives, have established friendships with their regular vendors and their day is not complete without a stroll (or two) through the market each day to pick up the ingredients for lunch or dinner.<br /><p align="center"><a title="Dong Xuan market by tuvancong2003, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11534736@N00/5980926145/"><img alt="Dong Xuan market" src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6145/5980926145_66a87198a7.jpg" width="430" height="336" /></a></p>Even for me, a beach boy who's been living in Hanoi for ten years, the speed of change and development has been pretty remarkable. The number of cars clogging the streets, especially the narrow ones of the Old Quarter, makes life difficult. Crossing the street is not so easy and the charm of this special part of Hanoi is getting lost in the noise and pace of modern life. I still enjoy my trips to the remaining wet markets but they're getting harder to find and harder to get to.<br /><p align="center"><a title="Dong Xuan market by tuvancong2003, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11534736@N00/2000341409/"><img alt="Dong Xuan market" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2369/2000341409_08ab22667b.jpg" width="334" height="500" /></a></p>Of course, some of the big retail and commercial office complexes have permitted the market vendors to operate in the basement of these buildings. But for regular customers, for the older people and even me, we don't really like shopping in such a strange environment?<br /><p align="center"><a title="Hue - Dong Ba market seller by tuvancong2003, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11534736@N00/488048675/"><img alt="Hue - Dong Ba market seller" src="http://farm1.staticflickr.com/220/488048675_ac9db59355.jpg" width="430" height="336" /></a></p>Maybe I'm weird but I do like to shop in a real market and choose my own produce from my friendly market vendors.Van Cong Tuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12588216588419216202noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-701658624717720558.post-76283693928237945512011-11-19T10:25:00.000-08:002011-11-19T07:30:04.141-08:00Eat Walk Drink<p align="center"><a title="Adam James by tuvancong2003, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11534736@N00/6363317409/"><img alt="Adam James" src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6234/6363317409_eb21d53f5c.jpg" width="430" height="336" /></a></p>British actor <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0416253/">Adam James</a> joined our morning street food today.<br />Together, we hit some of Hanoi's main eating stages and Adam was up for the challenge. Our three hours started with Bun Ca - deep fried fish with noodles and herbs. This was perhaps his biggest challenge of the day as he indicated that seafood was not something he was all that fond of. With some apprehension, Adam tasted the fish and was surprised that it wasn't that fishy. Who knows, it may be that the experience will add another dimenion to his diet in future.<br /><p align="center"><a title="Fish noodle soup by tuvancong2003, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11534736@N00/5981332080/"><img alt="Fish noodle soup" src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6125/5981332080_1b91f328ed.jpg" width="430" height="336" /></a></p>A lakeside coffee followed before we continued our route into one of Hanoi's wet markets. Adam noted the differences between markets here and markets back in the UK and was impressed with the freshness of the produce and the fact that there were no flies.<br /><p align="center"><a title="Banh Gung by tuvancong2003, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11534736@N00/6353387325/"><img alt="Banh Gung" src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6036/6353387325_951fd54ed2.jpg" width="430" height="336" /></a></p>We made our way back into the Old Quarter for a dessert dish typical of Northern Vietnam, consisting of fermented wild rice with yoghurt. Other sweets we enjoyed during the morning included banh com, a traditional rice made from pounded rice, mung beans and sugar and che chuoi, dried banana with coconut cream.<br /><p align="center"><a title="Bun Cha Hanoi by tuvancong2003, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11534736@N00/206111998/"><img alt="Bun Cha Hanoi" src="http://farm1.staticflickr.com/66/206111998_d9cf536237.jpg" width="430" height="336" /></a></p>As lunch time neared, the bun cha experience loomed. This Hanoi barbeque of pork belly and pork patties is a must for all visitors to the capital. Adam was particularly interested in the range of herbs that accompany Vietnamese cuisine and, of course, they are not in short supply when bun cha is for lunch.<br /><p align="center"><a title="DSC_0102 by tuvancong2003, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11534736@N00/6363343103/"><img alt="DSC_0102" src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6105/6363343103_9a776c5bdc.jpg" width="430" height="336" /></a></p>An after lunch coffee was our last stop on the tour. Adam departed the tour with a full stomach and a kind word. And we thank him for choosing us to guide him through Hanoi's street food scene.Van Cong Tuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12588216588419216202noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-701658624717720558.post-9772362278130098832011-11-17T10:57:00.000-08:002011-11-17T07:59:56.438-08:00Fun Evening<p align="center"><a title="Duck meat by tuvancong2003, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11534736@N00/3246396834/"><img alt="Duck meat" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3075/3246396834_b5bfe4c1ae.jpg" width="430" height="336" /></a></p>Over the last few days, we've been receiving quite a few bookings for our evening snacks tour. I do love this tour as it's like a social occasion, like going out with friends for a beer and some tasty treats. It's more relaxed than the chaos of the markets in the day time.<br /><p align="center"><a title="Joanne's family by tuvancong2003, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11534736@N00/6353281003/"><img alt="Joanne's family" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6106/6353281003_2afb54087a.jpg" width="430" height="336" /></a></p>With Hanoi resident Joanne and her friends from Sydney and KL the other night, we did some serious eating. For starters, it was fried noodles with beef which is available along the lengths of many old quarter streets in Hanoi. A special dessert followed; only available from October through to April in Hanoi's cooler weather, local TV personality Pham Bang serves the Chinese influenced sweet dumplings known as Banh Troi Tau. I like to do some taste testing with our clients whenever I visit this place...see if they can guess some of the exotic ingredients that go into these daumplings and syrups. It's fun!<br /><p align="center"><a title="Che Chuoi by tuvancong2003, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11534736@N00/6353424961/"><img alt="Che Chuoi" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6103/6353424961_0cb0ff42fc.jpg" width="430" height="336" /></a></p>We needed wheels for our next stop. I wanted to show Joanne and co my favorite duck noodle soup so we took a short trip by taxi to a vendor just out of the old quarter. Duck with bamboo and Asian basil served with fresh vermicelli noodles and a robust broth is a nice proposition on a cool evening in Hanoi, everyone agreed. Walking towards West Lake, we stopped in to Truc Bach village for some spring rolls known as pho cuon, a fresh spring roll with stir fried beef and herbs. Joanne actually suggested that one as she didn't want her friends to miss out on one of her local favourites.<br /><p align="center"><a title="Joanne Cusin by tuvancong2003, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11534736@N00/6353289111/"><img alt="Joanne Cusin" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6225/6353289111_0108355c76.jpg" width="430" height="336" /></a></p>Steamed rice pancake with some Hanoi beer was next on the street food menu. By this stage in the tour, there is normally quite a bit of sharing going on rather than everyone having their own serve. Sensible because we had two more stops; for lemon iced tea and sweet banana with jelly and coconut milk followed by grilled dried squid and a beer nightcap to top it off.<br /><p align="center"><a title="Tra Chanh by tuvancong2003, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11534736@N00/6353407625/"><img alt="Tra Chanh" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6220/6353407625_7129267841.jpg" width="430" height="336" /></a></p>Thoroughly full, Joanne and her friends waved me off saying they had experienced something special. That's the way we like it.Van Cong Tuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12588216588419216202noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-701658624717720558.post-76495078526879151932011-10-30T11:07:00.000-07:002011-10-30T09:09:21.363-07:00Morning .....<p align="center"><a title="Rob and Petrie by tuvancong2003, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11534736@N00/5980755439/"><img alt="Rob and Petrie" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6134/5980755439_27657fe3e1.jpg" width="430" height="336" /></a></p>It seems the Dutch are pretty adventurous. I've had close friends from Holland who have lived in Hanoi for long periods of time and now, the majority of our current streetfood tour clients are also from that country. They are great to have aboard because they embrace the experience and will give almost every thing a try.<br /><br /><p align="center"><a title="Thanh Ha Market by tuvancong2003, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11534736@N00/6041198948/"><img alt="Thanh Ha Market " src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6197/6041198948_7192a487e0.jpg" width="430" height="336" /></a></p>I always try to connect the clients with the market atmosphere, try to involve them with the market vendors. As Holland is a dveloped country very different to Vietnam, the concept of a wet market is something new to them and some of the activities in the wet market can be shocking. Skinning frogs and killing chickens and ducks are examples. I don't see the point in protecting the client from this as it's part of the wet market culture. Generally, after the first few minutes they get used to it and start to understand the difference...or they turn away! When it comes to eating though, they don't mind sitting down on the tiny stools in the middle of all this activity to enjoy a bowl of noodles.<br /><br /><p align="center"><a title="CL Market by tuvancong2003, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11534736@N00/6295278110/"><img alt="CL Market" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6229/6295278110_10bbf35d9b.jpg" width="334" height="500" /></a></p>Many people who take part in our street food tours want to try some bazaar food such as duck fetus eggs or tofu with fermented shrimp paste. They like the combination of these dishes and their accompanying herbs. Duck fetus eggs are served with ginger and Vietnamese mint for example. I get a real buzz when people are prepared to try food that may be unusual for them and the Dutch are the most adventurous so far.Van Cong Tuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12588216588419216202noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-701658624717720558.post-31287567539826353552011-09-23T08:05:00.000-07:002011-09-22T18:07:01.284-07:00Eat Walk Love<p align="center"><a title="Dong Xuan market by tuvancong2003, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11534736@N00/5981481702/"><img alt="Dong Xuan market" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6007/5981481702_32a6978823.jpg" width="500" height="335" /></a></p>Since we started our first street food tour offically a few months ago, this is the first time we've written about the experience with our clients (with their permission, of course).<br /><p align="center"><a title="Loretta by tuvancong2003, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11534736@N00/5981249360/"><img alt="Loretta" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6014/5981249360_1b9e31f447.jpg" width="334" height="500" /></a></p>Mrs Loretta joined our morning tour and she wanted the experience to be a surprise so Tu didn't show her any of the itineraries. Tu took her by motorbike and started the day by trying a delicious fish noodle soup called bún cá. This dish incorporates crunchy pieces of fried fish with different herbs, including dill, bean shoots, mustard leaves and of course, the noodles.<br /><p align="center"><a title="Dong Xuan market by tuvancong2003, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11534736@N00/5980905121/"><img alt="Dong Xuan market" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6130/5980905121_6f5d7ae415.jpg" width="500" height="334" /></a></p>The tour continued through one of Hanoi's wet markets where Loretta enjoyed the atmosphere very much, saying it was very different to the markets back in Australia. More streetfood followed in the form of Hanoi's signature lunch dish, bún chả, which combines grilled pork belly and pork patties with noodles, herbs in a wonderful warm fish sauce based broth. A stop at a traditional Vietnamese coffee house rounded out the tour and Loretta was definitely full by the end.<br /><p align="center"><a title="Tu - Viola by tuvancong2003, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11534736@N00/5980853911/"><img alt="Tu - Viola" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6006/5980853911_80df9d8533.jpg" width="500" height="334" /></a></p>Another client was Viola, a Canadian expat who has been living in Hanoi for a long time. We did the tour on a pretty cool day and she enjoyed the hot chicken noodle soup (phở gà) to start. We walked through a wet market and Tu explained the different ways of cooking in Vietnam, something Viola appreciated a lot as she loves spending time in the kitchen. After that, Viola also learned about wedding and offering culture in Vietnam which is something unique to this part of the world. We finished our morning trip by having coffee and exchanging our coffee experiences.<br /><br />Sometimes I learn a little something from my clients, too.Van Cong Tuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12588216588419216202noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-701658624717720558.post-52832868159029789462011-09-12T07:10:00.000-07:002011-09-12T03:11:32.739-07:00Braised Eggplant with Pork<p align="center"><a title="Eggplants by tuvancong2003, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11534736@N00/6136118966/"><img alt="Eggplants" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6209/6136118966_60b0e69645.jpg" width="500" height="334" /></a></p>Like most Vietnamese people, I can cook some basic daily dishes but I really enjoy cooking for my good friends. I love trying new recipes but I always put my own interpretation in there and don't always follow the recipes or the rules for cooking. Luckily the dishes normally turn out pretty tasty. I would like to introduce this recipe on our Street Food Tour website one of the dish called Braised Eggplant With Pork. I cooked it over the weekend for some friends.<br /><br /><p align="center"><a title="Vinh Long - Eggplants by tuvancong2003, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11534736@N00/3967779095/"><img alt="Vinh Long - Eggplants" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3432/3967779095_38bae4bfc2.jpg" width="500" height="334" /></a></p>Cooking Vietnamese food doesn't take lots of time or preparation. I cut preparation time by asking my vegie vendor, who is fantastic, peel and sometimes chop the vegetables at the market. This dish takes next to no time to prepare but the key is allowing the eggplants to soften and take on the other flavours.<br /><br /><strong>For 4 to 6 people:</strong><br />Eggplant 4 : slice into batons<br />Pork 200 grams : slice into batons<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11534736@N00/6139403153/in/photostream">Gala Thau</a> - Pickled dried radish : slice into batons<br />Ginger : thinly sliced<br />Chilli : thinly sliced<br />Onion : diced<br />Garlic : finely chopped<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11534736@N00/6139437689/in/photostream/">Chicken powder</a><br />Oyster sauce<br />Sugar<br />Soya sauce<br />Coriander to garnish<br /><br /><p align="center"><a title="Eggplants by tuvancong2003, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11534736@N00/6139353561/"><img alt="Eggplants " src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6177/6139353561_f70fca0b44.jpg" width="500" height="334" /></a></p>Stir fry the eggplants in oil for a few minutes for color and tenderness then put them on a plate. Stir fry garlic, add pork then Gala Thau for three minutes. Add chicken powder, oyster sauce, a little bit of sugar and soya sauce. Keep stir frying for 5 minutes then return the eggplants, ginger, onion and chilli and stir fry for a minute or two more.<br /><br />I think this is such an easy (but very tasty) dish in which eggplants are the star.Van Cong Tuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12588216588419216202noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-701658624717720558.post-29488552368911357442011-09-04T17:12:00.000-07:002013-08-13T01:10:02.688-07:00The Taste of Hanoi Street Food<div align="center">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11534736@N00/2991209970/" title="Banh xeo - pancake(Crispy) by tuvancong2003, on Flickr"><img alt="Banh xeo - pancake(Crispy)" height="334" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3291/2991209970_5afd25c25c_z.jpg?zz=1" width="500" /></a></div>
The food available in Hanoi's narrow alleys and tree-lined boulevards is just as much a part of the city as its lakes and old world architecture. In fact, all of these elements combine with the indomitable spirit of the Vietnamese people to produce a lively culinary scene that is both diverse and confronting.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11534736@N00/5966346743/" title="Thit Nuong - Hoi An by tuvancong2003, on Flickr"><img alt="Thit Nuong - Hoi An" height="334" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6013/5966346743_8a281e6b02_z.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
Over the past ten years, 'the god' (<a href="http://vietnamesegod.blogspot.com/search?q=diary+of+the+foodie">Van Cong Tu</a>, author of the blog <a href="http://vietnamesegod.blogspot.com/">'Vietnamese God'</a>) and myself (Mark Lowerson, otherwise known as 'Sticky' in the pages of his blog, '<a href="http://stickyrice.typepad.com/">Stickyrice</a>') have been traversing the streets of Vietnam's capital, as well as cutting a wider arc through other regions of Vietnam and beyond, wolfing down between us virtually everything on offer.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11534736@N00/2205171771/" title="Grilled pork with noodles at Duong Dong market - Phu Quoc by tuvancong2003, on Flickr"><img alt="Grilled pork with noodles at Duong Dong market - Phu Quoc" height="334" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2069/2205171771_3a6d933083_z.jpg?zz=1" width="500" /></a></div>
Tu is an accredited tour guide with more than 15 years experience in the tourism and hospitality industry. He is an expert on the cuisine of the south-central coast, having grown up in Nha Trang and frequent visits to Ho Chi Minh City and Phu Quoc Island make him very well-versed in what people are feeding their faces with in the south, too. But Hanoi is where he dwells and its chaotic web of lanes and alleys are where he eats most. Tu knows the market vendors and they like him.<br />
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Mark has been resident in Hanoi since January 2002, eating on the streets here from day one. The blog '<a href="http://www.stickyrice.typepad.com/">Stickyrice</a>' is one of the longest running foodblogs, with the first post dated May 2005. Named in<a href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/food_and_drink/real_food/article6092041.ece"> The Times Online's 50 Best Foodblogs in 2009</a> (at #22), '<a href="http://www.stickyrice.typepad.com/">Stickyrice</a>' has been featured on <a href="http://www.gourmet.com/diaryofafoodie/video/2008/01/206_bloggers_preview">'Gourmet's Diary of a Foodie' </a>and as part of <a href="http://www.sbs.com.au/food/article/4347/Featured_Foodie:_Mark_Lowerson">SBS's Featured Foodie </a>series.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11534736@N00/5980884141/" title="Dong Xuan market by tuvancong2003, on Flickr"><img alt="Dong Xuan market" height="334" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6141/5980884141_0b044737ce_z.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
We specialise in Vietnam's streetfood and wet markets and have recently designed a series of itineraries for travellers and food enthusiaists. These tours have been carefully planned to give visitors to Vietnam an authentic taste of a country very attuned to the rhythms of food through the day and through the seasons. Together, we visit the street stalls and markets, sampling the produce and eating from their dishes and bowls, as well as cooking with the ingredients at home.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11534736@N00/5997180139/" title="Macleod's family by tuvancong2003, on Flickr"><img alt="Macleod's family" height="334" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6021/5997180139_86d237c5bd_z.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
Our tours range from a one hour market familiarisation to a full-day eat-a-thon. The most popular tour is the 3 hour (<b>9am-12pm</b>) morning tour which kicks off at Hanoi's old East Gate, and includes a typical street market walk (Tu explains food practices, strange food items, some delicacies), a visit to ceremonial cake stalls, a special French dessert, the food sections of Hanoi's main Dong Xuan market, a streetfood alley for a noodle lunch, fruit stalls and coffee at an historic old quarter cafe.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11534736@N00/5980920253/" title="Dong Xuan market by tuvancong2003, on Flickr"><img alt="Dong Xuan market" height="334" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6150/5980920253_6a0f0830a2_z.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
A full day (<b>9am-3pm</b>) itinerary for foodie tragics (including more market visits and more street snacks and drinks) is also available. For those more in tune with the evenings (<b>5pm-8pm</b>), we also offer a tour of snacks, beers and street noodles, followed by streetside dessert. <b><i>All tours are inclusive of all food/drinks and are conducted entirely on foot after Tu meets and greets at the hotel.</i></b><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11534736@N00/6093402506/" title="Beef salad by tuvancong2003, on Flickr"><img alt="Beef salad" height="334" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6075/6093402506_c2c8b07787.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
Tu and Mark can also customise tours for particular interests if given sufficient advance notice. For more information and/or to book a tour, email <b><i>both</i></b> <b>Tu</b>: <i><b><span style="color: red;">tuvancong2003@yahoo.com</span></b></i> and <b>Mark</b>: <b><span style="color: red;"><i>lowiemark@yahoo.com.au</i></span></b>Van Cong Tuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12588216588419216202noreply@blogger.com