Eric_Bal

Hi, going to Hanoi for 3 days next week....last time I was there was about 5 years ago.

Have done the research via web, guide books, etc and am just asking for some "insider" info that maynot be captured in the usual books, etc :

1) Any tips for us, foodies ? Restaurants, street stalls, food we should definitely try in Hanoi ?

2) I didn't go to the Temple of Literature last time. Worth going ?

3) I'm thinking of buying some Vietnamese art...not just the usual / assembly line ones you can buy everywhere . But more specialized, unique art. A painting specifically. I can't find any tips on the web or the books. Any suggestions/thoughts ?

Thanks

Eric

Kathie

The Temple of Literature was my favorite place in Hanoi. When you visit, do go to the Museum of Fine Arts (a block away) where you can buy paintings very cheaply at the museum shop. Also, visit KOTO, a restaurant that trains street kids in food services and CraftLink, next door, a fair trade crafts shop.

As for food, our favorite fine dining restaurant was Club L'Opera. The sister restaurant, Emperor, was less consistent in its food. Also, don't miss Brother's Cafe. The original Little Hanoi (not the sandwich shop near the Lake) was good, cheap, local food.

MichaelBKK

Kathie is absolutely right. Don't miss the Temple of Literature or the Fine Arts museum.

Also, if you haven't seen it, do take in the watter puppet show at the theater near Hoan Kiem lake. It's not at all cheesy and you'll spend a fair amount of your time watching the show trying to figure out how they do it.

Kathie

Oh, yes, and the Ethnographic Museum is well worth a few hours. Really well done.

As Michael says, the water puppets are a classic Hanoi attraction.

Kathie

Oh, one other thing about paintings. We wandered across an art shop in Old Town. I could find it again, but I could never explain it to anyone else. An old Vietnamese man owned it and was the artist (though he sold paintings by others as well). He spoke French, really no English, and he and I bargained in my very rusty French. We bought some lovely things there.

Vietnam84

1. Try these restaurants in Hanoi:
Cha ca La VOng - 14 Cha Ca street, Goath Institute - Nguyen Thai Hoc street, Little Hanoi - Ta Hien...

2. You are all right! Don't miss the Temple of Literature. It used to be the first university in Vietnam's history (in royal regime). Enjoy its ancient style.

3. There are a lot of nice galleries in Trang Tien Street. You can buy something unique painted by Vietnamese painters there.

mrwunrfl

Definitely have cha ca also known as cha ca thang long. It is a Hanoi specialty, I believe. It is grilled fish and you continue cooking it over a burner at your table and mixing in vegetables to cook. Mix the stuff with rice noodles in a bowl and nibble on the leaves of some branches that are served with the dish (what is that?). It is a tasty dish with an interesting variety of flavors.

I think that the place I went to is named Cha Ca Vinh Long, but it may have been the Cha Ca La Vong that the previous poster mentioned. They served a delicious golden fish sauce with the cha ca. There is another sauce, brownish, that is served with cha ca but is more of an acquired taste. The VN restaurant near where I live serves that to the the Vietnamese customers but gives the fish sauce to westerners (tam lom or lom tam or something like that).

offwego

My favorite eating experience in Hanoi was searching out the holy grail of the perfect bowl of Bun Cha. Ask a cyclo driver to take you to his favorite one or just follow your nose and good sense.

The best one I found was "Bun Cha Dac Kim" at #1 Hang Manh in the Old Quarter, but I'm not done lookin' yet!

Temple of Literature is great, but be sure to either hire a guide at the entrance or read up about what you're looking at.

I also enjoyed the perspectives presented at the "American War" Museum.

I saw lots of interesting art galleries here and there in the old quarter. Where are you staying? Perhaps the concierge at the hotel can make some specific recomendations.

Kathie

Lori, are you referring to the Museum of the Revolution? (across the street from the History Museum?) I thought it was quite an experience. We were the only ones there when we visited. Well worthwhile, particularly for those of us who came of age during the war.

cruisinred

Another vote for lunch at cha ca la vong...I would go back just to have the fish/noodle dish...yum.

There was recently an article in the NYTimes about the contemporarty art scene in Hanoi, and buying art:
http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/02/18...l/18hanoi.html

offwego

yes Kathie that's the one. I thought it was facinating.

Kathie

Lori, we're obviously of the same vintage. It was a fascinating perspective.

Robbietravels

One more vote in agreement with Kathie and RobertBkk's recommendations. Take your time at the Temple of Literature; besides the stunning architecture and history, the people watching is very rich.

Elainee

We bought revolutionary posters (replicas!) from shop near cathedral. Very good stuff there.

hobbes

My fav restaurants were Green tangerine - near the Water Puppet theater so well combined with the show - and the Hoa Sua training school restaurant where yyou actually see young Vietnamese being trained.

rabidstoat

I'll second Hoa Sua training school. It's in a little alley opposite the lake from the Old Quarter, a kilometer or two away. Dig up the address from somewhere and take a taxi.

KOTO is another training school I heard good things about.

In general, I've had good look around SEA with either training schools, or restaurants with associated cooking courses.