From egg coffee to Ruou gao, Vietnam's gastronomic offerings will delight you

HANOI
Region: Vietnam

What better way to experience a culture than through its food. Vietnamese cuisine is just like the country's geographical divisions, the food can also be separated into south, central, and northern style. When in Hanoi, do as the Hanoians do: greet the morning with a steaming bowl of pho, which is a Vietnamese noodle soup consisting of broth, rice noodles called banh pho, a few herbs, and meat, primarily made with either beef or chicken. Then burn off the calories on a stroll around Hoan Kiem Lake.

Also, look forward to trying a brew unique to Hanoi, which is a frothy concoction called egg coffee (ca phe trung).



A visit to Hanoi is near incomplete without trying bun cha, a Vietnamese dish of grilled pork and noodle. Besides, indulge in the local tipple, a Vietnamese spirit called Ruou gao or Ruou de, which is made from sticky rice laced with herbs and spices. As night descends, head to the intersection of Ta Hien Street and Luong Ngoc Quyen in the Old Quarter to experience the revelry of Bia Hoi Corner, a chaotic sight where pubs spill out onto the street in true Vietnamese fashion, clogging up the intersection.