BBQ Wings !!!!

In Vietnam, we eat almost every part of the animal. Chicken is no exception, with the organs a regular part of pho ga at many establishments. In the Old Quarter's Ngo Gach St, there are several restaurants specialising in barbeque chicken, wings and feet. The place at 21 Ngo Gach, which is a coca-cola outlet by day, is called Tuan - Duc and is a place that my friends and I have been eating at for 10 years. The difference between this place and other similar places in town, the popular ones in Le Truc, too, is that they serve seasonal side dishes like young mango pickle, young morning glory pickle and jicama. Most of these kinds of chicken vendors in Hanoi marinate their chicken in a mixture containing honey. Here it is the same, though the unique fruity dipping sauce of chilli and cumquat also sets them apart.

The owner is a funny old skinny man whose his son is a younger version of the same. The wife is a bit of a grumpy control freak and usually shouts orders at the young team of helpers. There is always a funny thing to see or a story to hear at this shop.

The chickens are sourced from a farmer in the countryside not far from Hanoi, and the owner tells us the chickens are "happy chickens", which I think means that they are free range.

But back to the parts of the bird. When I go with my Vietnamese friends to this place, we love to eat the chicken feet as well as the wings but my western friends are more keen on the wings because they have more meat compared to the feet which only have skin. In Vietnam eating culture, when we drink beer we love to chew on something and chicken feet are a popular choice.

Also available at this place is grilled bread rolls with honey, very tasty but very filling. The other good thing about this shop is that the beer is always served cold and the price is fixed for tourists and locals alike. Ga Nuong: 21 Ngo Gach Street Hanoi

Steamed Rice with Salt and Sesame/ Com Nam Muoi Vung

I always go to my favorite Cafe Nang for coffee after lunch or sometimes after breakfast with my good friends. Last week, I saw a woman carrying her baskets past the shop. Some women inside the cafe called her in and bought some small packages wrapped in paper. I wondered what was inside the paper.

The owner of the Cafe Nang told me it was called Com Nam Muoi Vung / Steamed Rice with salt and sesame. I've actually eaten these before but most of the time my friends put them on plates and also my mother used to put them into a bowl for me to take to school.

I love this rice cake very much and I ate them all in one go. The lady in the shop told me that this dish was eaten by poor people in the past and that it's also a popular snack to pack on day trips to pagodas in the countryside. I'll definitely be up for another serve at only 4000 dong/serve.

Heavy Snack

My friends usually go out in the evening after their dinner for a snack and a chat. Last week, they invited me out for Nem Chua Ran - deep fried fermented pork in Tam Thuong Lane. There are lots of small shops selling this snack around Hanoi but it seems the most popular area is in Tam Thuong lane in the middle of Hang Bong street.

We ordered one serve which included Nem Ran, mangos, cucumbers and also french fries. Beside these snacks, they also serve different kinds of grilled dried fish and dried squid. Dry seafood doesn't exactly sound very nice but they are a perfect match for wine and beer, even hot and iced corn juice. All of these snacks use the same dipping sauce and condiments, salt and chilli or sweet chilly sauce. These two dipping sauces sound boring but they really work with these dishes

It's a good snack for a change but you wouldn't want to eat it every day as it's quite high in fat. I am sure I will come back for more as it is quite cheap and something that you can dwell over for a long time for a good chat. Definitely worth exploring this little lane in the Old Quarter.

Thanh Son shop
Tam Thuong Lane

Hoi An

Sorry that I haven't updated my blog for a long time. It's been a combination of being busy and laziness. I was actually considering quitting blogging. After 10 days holiday in Hoi An, Ho Chi Minh City and Nha Trang, I decided to start blogging again as I have enough energy now to walk around, take some photos and learn more stories to tell you guys.

I went back to Hoi An with my friends for a break to escape Hanoi's awful spring drizzle and dull grey skies. We were greeted in Hoi An by stunning blue skies, a more than warm sun and a really nice hotel.

I spent a few hours relaxing by the hotel pool before hitting the shops. My friends hadn't been to Hoi An, so they were excited to see the tailors and lanterns. It was actually a nice time to be in Hoi An as there were not many tourists around. During our wanders, we passed a small pagoda in Tran Phu street where food was being served in the courtyard. What a fantastic atmosphere to enjoy one of Hoi An's specialties, chicken rice...and one of the local beers, LaRue.

Unfortunately, I couldn't find my old tailor after an hour walking around. I decided to stop at Mac Khai, one of dozens of tailor shops around Hoi An. I had some shirts and shorts copied to be ready for the hot summer in Hanoi. Within 24 hours, my clothes were ready for pick-up, all perfectly sewn and made to order.

The next day we went to the beach for a short time to try some squid, prawns and scallops. They were good but dear compared to Nha Trang. I was looking forward to eating more seafood on my arrival home in Nha Trang. Seafood is always good and cheap down there and that's one of the things I miss most. My friends and I wanted to eat in the night food market which is always full of tourists. It is a good place to try some other local specialties, like the noodle dish cao lau. During our visit, we also ate at one of my favourites, the Bale Well restaurant, which I've written about before.

Really enjoyed the first leg of our trip.

Tra Chanh Iced Tea

It's hard to find a seat at Tra Chanh at noon on hot days, especially just after lunch. I'm not sure how it got to be so famous and well-patronised. Not that long ago, it was a standard kind of cafe. I finally got the chance to try this place recently.

Most people who come here are young office workers and students. They come here during their lunch breaks for a drink and something sweet before heading back to work. Many conversations take place, ranging from lottery results to political scandals. I was sitting there for an hour listening to the customers' stories, which made me laugh, particularly the ones between girls about their boyfriends. Many of the young male tea drinkers were telling thier bad luck stories about missing lottery numbers from the draw the night before. It really gives a sense of what is going on in the minds of young Hanoians.

Tra Chanh serves one of the most popular street drinks in the old quarter of Hanoi. There are few options to choose from iced tea, served with slices of lemon, to coffee to sweet comsomme of banana.

Tra Chanh - 31 Dao Duy Tu - Hanoi