Newly opened restaurant and cafe has gained quick acceptance among HCM City residents partial to the capital city's culinary fares, Xuan Hiep reports.
I carry fond memories with me every time I return to Ha Noi and roam around the Old Quarter. And amidst all its architectural and other aesthetic charms, I have to confess the most abiding thoughts are about street food in the capital city.
The craving for special Ha Noi dishes like bun dau mam tom (vermicelli served with fried tofu and shrimp paste), one of Ha Noi's popular dishes, stays with me when I am back in HCM City.
So when a friend called last week and said she had a treat for me, I immediately thought of some snack she had sent over through someone.
No such luck. All she gave me was an address. Try this place out, she said, with the clincher: "Go there and experience the taste of real Ha Noi."
I needed no second invitation, or in fact, a third.
After my first visit to Ha Noi Corner, I was back the very next day. The food is certainly authentic, which by definition means delicious, and the ambience just adds to a fine dining experience.
Located on 11B Nguyen Binh Khiem Street in District 1, close to the must-see Viet Nam Historical Museum, Ha Noi Corner impresses from the outside itself with a refreshing design and colour scheme.
One side of the restaurant is totally covered by glass that is framed with wide crisscrossing, curving wooden bands, allowing the flow of natural light. Thin bamboo grasses planted outside creates a comfortable, green space.
The first impression when you walk into the 550sq.m air-conditioned restaurant is that it is a luxurious lounge. It is divided into two areas, one bordered by the glass wall and lit with sunlight, and the other lit by tastefully designed ceiling lights.
Small plants with large green leaves are also planted inside the restaurant, creating a natural divider and adding to the sense of space.
The two photos on the walls featuring Ha Noi's The Huc bridge, a popular tourist site in the capital, and another scene from the capital city during the Tet (Lunar New Year) season, shot by famous photographer Duong Minh Long, leaves no doubt about the origin of food and beverages served in the restaurant.
Given Ha Noi's rich breakfast traditions, I am glad that the restaurant is open for breakfast, and that it serves various several common (and oh-so-tasty) dishes like sticky rice, bread, noodles, vermicelli and, it should go without saying, the king of all dishes, pho (traditional Vietnamese noodle) served with beef or chicken, all reasonably priced VND25,000 – 55,000 (US$1.2 – 2.2) each.
The restaurant owner told me that pho was among the restaurant's specialties because it has the same recipe as Pho Bat Dan, a very popular dish in Ha Noi since the 1950s.
Deep roots:Pho bo (traditional rice noodles with beef) is one of the restaurant's specialties. The dish uses the same recipe with Pho Bat Dan, a hugely popular dish in Ha Noi. — VNS Photos Xuan Hiep
For lunch, the restaurant serves appetizers like nom su hao Ha Noi (kohlrabi salad in Ha Noi style), cha com (green rice flakes meat pie), nem nuong Mien Bac (Northern grilled meat roll) and others (VND50,000 – 120,000), boiled and fried vegetables (VND45,000 – 90,000), several main courses including tep rang khe (tiny shrimp fried with star fruit), fried tofu, pork, beef, fish (VND55,000 – 110,000) and soups (VND60,000 – 80,000).
A set lunch that changes daily caters to a variety of tastes. For VND69,000, a choice of main dish from four options, a plate of vegetables, a bowl of soup, a dessert and tea or tra voi (eugenia tea) that is a daily beverage in agricultural areas in northern provinces.
The restaurant owner said that the business set lunch was very convenient for those having lunch by themselves, but when clients come in groups, he would recommend that they order separate dishes so they can try many during one meal.
My friend and I ordered two set lunches, choosing thit rang mam ruoc (pork fried with shrimp paste) and oc nau chuoi dau (snail cooked with green banana and tofu) as the main dishes.
The oc nau chuoi dau was superb and I still remember its taste. It is an inspired combination of three different items – snail, green banana and tofu. The light acrid taste of green banana, the somewhat greasy and sweet taste of tofu and the somewhat crunchy texture of snail hit all the right spots on my palate. The dish is not complete without rau tia to (perilla) and other sauces made with great care.
Most of the materials and spices for cooking are transported from Ha Noi, the restaurant owner said, adding he spared no effort to ensure the fare at Ha Noi Corner offers is authentic.
The restaurant employs a chef and three cooks. The chef, no guesses as to where he is from, takes every care to see that the dishes served are authentic.
The mystery of the lounge-like atmosphere was solved soon. In the evening, Ha Noi Corner becomes a coffee shop, the restaurant owner said. Apart from all the coffees, teas, fruit juices, beers, cocktails and ice cream, the drinks menu has authentic Ha Noi beverages like nuoc mo (apricot juice), nuoc sau (sau juice) and bot san day (tapioca drink) (VND35,000 – 120,000).
Sandwiches, spaghetti and other Western foods are also served in the evening. The restaurant owner said he was planning to hire five more cooks with five-star experience to cook Western dishes in an effort to expand his business.
An attentive staff of about 20 persons, some of whom speak English, adds value to the restaurant.
Every Friday and Saturday, diners can enjoy live music performances by emerging singing talents like Le Cat Trong Ly, Thai Trinh, Mai Khoi and Ho Trung Dung. The artists perform on a small round stage furnished with a grand, white piano located in the centre.
The restaurant offers live music performances every weekend to create a special atmosphere and add value service for customers.
My friend and I held a concert of our own as we left – singing praises about the food to each other. — VNS
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I carry fond memories with me every time I return to Ha Noi and roam around the Old Quarter. And amidst all its architectural and other aesthetic charms, I have to confess the most abiding thoughts are about street food in the capital city.
The craving for special Ha Noi dishes like bun dau mam tom (vermicelli served with fried tofu and shrimp paste), one of Ha Noi's popular dishes, stays with me when I am back in HCM City.
So when a friend called last week and said she had a treat for me, I immediately thought of some snack she had sent over through someone.
No such luck. All she gave me was an address. Try this place out, she said, with the clincher: "Go there and experience the taste of real Ha Noi."
I needed no second invitation, or in fact, a third.
After my first visit to Ha Noi Corner, I was back the very next day. The food is certainly authentic, which by definition means delicious, and the ambience just adds to a fine dining experience.
Located on 11B Nguyen Binh Khiem Street in District 1, close to the must-see Viet Nam Historical Museum, Ha Noi Corner impresses from the outside itself with a refreshing design and colour scheme.
One side of the restaurant is totally covered by glass that is framed with wide crisscrossing, curving wooden bands, allowing the flow of natural light. Thin bamboo grasses planted outside creates a comfortable, green space.
The first impression when you walk into the 550sq.m air-conditioned restaurant is that it is a luxurious lounge. It is divided into two areas, one bordered by the glass wall and lit with sunlight, and the other lit by tastefully designed ceiling lights.
Small plants with large green leaves are also planted inside the restaurant, creating a natural divider and adding to the sense of space.
The two photos on the walls featuring Ha Noi's The Huc bridge, a popular tourist site in the capital, and another scene from the capital city during the Tet (Lunar New Year) season, shot by famous photographer Duong Minh Long, leaves no doubt about the origin of food and beverages served in the restaurant.
Given Ha Noi's rich breakfast traditions, I am glad that the restaurant is open for breakfast, and that it serves various several common (and oh-so-tasty) dishes like sticky rice, bread, noodles, vermicelli and, it should go without saying, the king of all dishes, pho (traditional Vietnamese noodle) served with beef or chicken, all reasonably priced VND25,000 – 55,000 (US$1.2 – 2.2) each.
The restaurant owner told me that pho was among the restaurant's specialties because it has the same recipe as Pho Bat Dan, a very popular dish in Ha Noi since the 1950s.
Deep roots:Pho bo (traditional rice noodles with beef) is one of the restaurant's specialties. The dish uses the same recipe with Pho Bat Dan, a hugely popular dish in Ha Noi. — VNS Photos Xuan Hiep
For lunch, the restaurant serves appetizers like nom su hao Ha Noi (kohlrabi salad in Ha Noi style), cha com (green rice flakes meat pie), nem nuong Mien Bac (Northern grilled meat roll) and others (VND50,000 – 120,000), boiled and fried vegetables (VND45,000 – 90,000), several main courses including tep rang khe (tiny shrimp fried with star fruit), fried tofu, pork, beef, fish (VND55,000 – 110,000) and soups (VND60,000 – 80,000).
A set lunch that changes daily caters to a variety of tastes. For VND69,000, a choice of main dish from four options, a plate of vegetables, a bowl of soup, a dessert and tea or tra voi (eugenia tea) that is a daily beverage in agricultural areas in northern provinces.
The restaurant owner said that the business set lunch was very convenient for those having lunch by themselves, but when clients come in groups, he would recommend that they order separate dishes so they can try many during one meal.
My friend and I ordered two set lunches, choosing thit rang mam ruoc (pork fried with shrimp paste) and oc nau chuoi dau (snail cooked with green banana and tofu) as the main dishes.
The oc nau chuoi dau was superb and I still remember its taste. It is an inspired combination of three different items – snail, green banana and tofu. The light acrid taste of green banana, the somewhat greasy and sweet taste of tofu and the somewhat crunchy texture of snail hit all the right spots on my palate. The dish is not complete without rau tia to (perilla) and other sauces made with great care.
Most of the materials and spices for cooking are transported from Ha Noi, the restaurant owner said, adding he spared no effort to ensure the fare at Ha Noi Corner offers is authentic.
The restaurant employs a chef and three cooks. The chef, no guesses as to where he is from, takes every care to see that the dishes served are authentic.
The mystery of the lounge-like atmosphere was solved soon. In the evening, Ha Noi Corner becomes a coffee shop, the restaurant owner said. Apart from all the coffees, teas, fruit juices, beers, cocktails and ice cream, the drinks menu has authentic Ha Noi beverages like nuoc mo (apricot juice), nuoc sau (sau juice) and bot san day (tapioca drink) (VND35,000 – 120,000).
Sandwiches, spaghetti and other Western foods are also served in the evening. The restaurant owner said he was planning to hire five more cooks with five-star experience to cook Western dishes in an effort to expand his business.
An attentive staff of about 20 persons, some of whom speak English, adds value to the restaurant.
Every Friday and Saturday, diners can enjoy live music performances by emerging singing talents like Le Cat Trong Ly, Thai Trinh, Mai Khoi and Ho Trung Dung. The artists perform on a small round stage furnished with a grand, white piano located in the centre.
The restaurant offers live music performances every weekend to create a special atmosphere and add value service for customers.
My friend and I held a concert of our own as we left – singing praises about the food to each other. — VNS
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