Our gastronomic journey through Hanoi

Our gastronomic journey in Hanoi continues! With the huge selection of street food at every corner of Hanoi, one never goes hungry!

The Old Quarter is a haven for street food. Walk along its streets and you’re bound to find something to soothe your hungry tummies! On our many walks around the Old Quarter, we found street stalls selling Vietnamese noodles, grilled cuttlefish, fried calamari and fresh-cut fries, snails, salads, banh mi pate, fried rice and local dishes, grilled chicken/pork on sticks and lots more! It is a never-ending discovery … our only complain being not enough time to savour them all.

On weekends where a section of the Old Quarter houses the weekly night market, even more food stalls are set up. A walk through the night market reveals two stalls selling freshly made bread and pastries which looks and smells delicious. Then there’s steamed sweetcorn, ice-cream, lollipops of every size and color, grilled chicken (much like satay), cuttlefish, desserts and of course, the Banh Mi Pate! In the day, virtually every corner of Hanoi has at least one food stall. We had delicious pho for breakfast at the cost of USD1. I’m sure it could have been cheaper and that we’re actually paying tourist prices, but USD1 is a small price to pay for such delicious comfort food.

At a street corner at Van Mieu we found a nifty little shop selling Bun Cha and Nem Cua Be (fried spring rolls). The smells emanating from the little charcoal grill is enough to make me swoon!

Who can resist the thick Vietnamese drip coffee? I like mine black with sugar. The coffee is robust and oh-so-good! It’s the perfect wake-me-up drink. As a matter of fact, we loved the coffee so much we packed some home along with the stainless steel drip.

For desserts there are little shops along the Old Quarter that sells cut fruits drizzled with condensed milk and of course, countless sweet soups. It’s enough to give one a sugar high! One thing about the Vietnamese is they all love their sugar.

If you're looking for something healthier, fresh fruits are a great option. We found some big custard apples for VND50,000 for 3 fruits. It's a little pricey, but still much cheaper than what we'll have to pay for in Malaysia. The fruits were so sweet! Their apples are crisper than the ones back home too.

We had a great time scouring the streets of Hanoi for good food. Our daughter had such a great time there that she's asked us when we'll be back in Hanoi.

Shopaholic heaven

Hanoi is a shopper’s haven, perfect for an incurable shopaholic like me. I’ve read up about their famous handicrafts before I arrived and was really looking forward to buying the famous Vietnamese lacquerware.

Most of the shops selling lacquerware are concentrated at the Old Quarter area. Vietnamese lacquerware products are handmade and make beautiful gifts for family and friends.

At the weekend Old Quarter night market I found these beautiful “balancing” dragonflies! They’re dirt-cheap and best of all, they keep my daughter fascinated!

The night market is filled with stalls selling souvenirs, fresh cut fruits, toys, clothing, lacquerware and even food stalls!

The stalls don’t just cater to the adults. Here’s what they have for kids! I’ve never seen so many types of lollipops at one place, let alone one stall! My daughter is very excited at the prospect of visiting this stall when we go back to Hanoi in October.
Beautiful silk ao dais (Vietnam’s traditional dress), silk embroidery, Vietnamese silk lanterns and masks are also sold in many shops at the Old Quarter.

The famous Vietnamese coffee and drip filters are also sold in the Old Quarter. The Old Quarter is a maze of shops where interesting discoveries await.

Of course, clotheshorses are not neglected in Hanoi either. I found two factory outlets specialising in jackets at amazingly low prices. Imagine a Columbia padded jacket for only USD10! I found the same jacket at a shop back home that went for USD125. The outlets carry brands such as Zara, Gap, Old Navy, Guess, Liz Clairborne and even Oshkosh & Gap Kids for kids. Sizes vary depending on availability.

I'll be planning ahead with a long shopping list for my next visit.

Jatiluwih Rice Terraces, Bali

I have earlier arranged with Pak Made to take us to the Jatiluwih Rice Terraces in the Tabanan region. The Jatiluwih rice terraces is a Unesco-nominated World Heritage site. It is unique due to its irrigation system (subak) which has its roots in the Tri Hita Karana, the essence of Balinese cosmology, a philosophy that seeks to maintain a harmonious relationship between God, humans and the environment.

Our drive from Tanah Lot to Jatiluwih took approximately 1 ½ hours by van. We passed many small villages on the way up and saw for ourselves the daily rituals in a Balinese’s life. Fortunately for us, there was a religious celebration in one village and all along the road were prayer altars set up in front of every single home. We also passed by a wedding party waiting for the arrival of the groom and we managed a smile from the bride when Pak Made told her that we’re tourists!

Pak Made also pointed out for us avocado and coffee trees growing in the hills. The difference with a personalized tour and a full-fledged one is that the experiences you encounter are much more personal and interesting.

You just can’t miss the imposing presence of Mount Batukaru rising above the rice terraces. Our lungs were thoroughly nourished by the cool crisp air in Jatiluwih. It’s such a treat to breathe in clean air after the acrid air in Malaysia’s haze-filled skies. We took a walk along the road to take in the natural surroundings and also show our daughter how rice is planted by the farmers. It was an interesting experience for her because growing up in a city does not afford her many chances to experience something like this. Every time we visit a country I try to look for places, activities, cultural events that’ll make up part of her education. Each of these experiences are priceless and cannot be learnt in school.