Culinary Conquests: Hanoi

Fanny ice cream, Hanoi Airport

I seriously thought I missed this in Hanoi because between dinner and last minute shopping at the heart of Old Quarter, we couldn't spend time looking for Fanny ice cream along Hoan Kiem Lake anymore.

Well, as The Secret says, the more you want something, the more it will come true for you. I really wanted Fanny ice cream, and it was serendipitous that when we entered Cafe Restaurant (I don't make up restaurant names!) as a last place resort where we can spend some idle time, the Fanny ice cream sign greeted us on the table.

Perfect cap for a sweet escape

Martiniquaise at USD 6 (USD 0.50 cheaper than outside ice cream)

Rum, vanilla and coffee ice cream, coffee liquor,

almond and whipped cream (yup, that much in there)

Cafe 69, Hanoi, Vietnam

For our last Vietnamese meal, Clark, Jho and I hit Cafe 69 for a chillax vacation ender slash UBE meal. The place was a beautiful fusion of Western and Vietnamese influences - jazz music reverberates on the dark wooden walls, pho served on European ceramic bowls.

The last of the avocado shake series - VND 12,000

Home made creme caramel at VND 20,000

Bun cha Hanoi (first part)

Bun cha Hanoi (second part)

marinated pork BBQ pieces over coals

and served with fresh herb rice vermicelli and spring rolls

VND 55,000

Spring rolls at VND 45,000

Sea bass fish fillet in banana leaf VND 70,000

Cafe 69

69 Ma May Street

Hanoi, Vietnam

"Gourmet" Bfast at Pinta Gold, Halong Bay, Vietnam

Breakfast was the usual suspects: bread, cream cheese, basil omelette and some jam. But the lingering statement was: they really decorate everything with cucumber! Haha FTW!

That's bacon btw

P.S. Good morning, Sunshine!

Authentic Pho! at Hanoi Cozy Hotel, Vietnam

Had this for breakfast the morning before we hit Halong Bay. The day before, we had less pleasant scrambled eggs and less fresh fruits, but I think since we had breakfast earlier we were able to catch some Pho.

Yummy! Maybe its the way they cook the beef, which almost feels like sponge cake, or the herbs that they put in the soup that warmly soothes my throat, but it's genuinely unlike any pho that I tasted outside of Vietnam.

Does this mean Pho Hoa has been faking it?? Nvm, it's the next best I suppose.

Hanoi Cozy Hotel

58 Hang Be Street

Hoan Kiem District

Hanoi, Vietnam

Tel: 84 4 3926 4761

Cafe 48, Hanoi, Vietnam

For late night drinks, we searched for Funky Monkey but ended up in Cafe 48 instead. Anyway the goal was to taste the Ha Noi and Saigon beer.

Essential iced Vietnamese coffee (qualifier is important!) at VND 15,000

Yes, it is made up of 1/6 condensed milk

Bia Ha Noi at VND 20,000

Bia Saigon at VND 17,000

I rarely drink beer cause I don't like the taste. I'm Samson that way. I will not be a good judge of good and bad beer, so all I can say is - it tastes like beer!

Cafe 48

48A Lang Ha St

Hanoi, Vietnam

Tel: 84 4 826 7782

Vietnamese Buffet at Sen, Hanoi

Finding Sen was a happy accident. We were looking some high end buffet restaurant that charges VND 250,000 when the cab driver brought us to some carnival place where a lot of Japanese tourists were parked. We all felt tired and hungry and didn't want to add to our VND 90,000 cab fare, so Ramon and I checked our the place and I impressed with the ambiance.

This buffet package cost VND 170,000. Super sulit considering it was the first time we had escargot!

Trust that I tasted everything that I feature here. I'm not a glutton, but yes, I ate a lot.

Highlights are: