Fodor's Expert Review Lac Thanh Restaurant

Packed with tourists and teeming with easy riders and souvenir hawkers, this basic restaurant located near the entrance to the citadel is run by guidebook sweetheart, Mr. Lac. Sadly, what once was a great little local spot churning out a couple of delicious staple Hue dishes has turned into a giant enterprise with an equally giant menu and following. Despite the lackluster food, you can't help but admire Lac for building such a successful business, especially as he is deaf and mute and lives in a country where opportunities for the disabled are few and far between. Eat elsewhere, but do drop in for a drink (preferably a beer), and wander upstairs, where the secret of Lac's success is revealed. Every customer is given a wooden stick and bolt bottle opener, fashioned and signed by Lac himself. The lucky few travelers that have spent enough time with him to appreciate his desire to travel, send photos of the bottle opener from various landmarks worldwide.