Hanoi restaurants

Food is arguably the very best experience of a trip to Vietnam. Vietnamese cuisine is light, not overly greasy, emphasizes fresh vegetables and herbs, and uses sauces and flavorings that are tangy but not heavily spicy. Following are restaurants which should not be missed in Hanoi, in the admittedly biased view of one avid consumer of Vietnamese food. On weekends, reservations are recommended. Khazaana Indian Restaurant Address: 1C, Tong Dan St., Hanoi, Phone 043934 3513 Au Lac Cafe 57 Ly Thai To Tel.: 3825-7807 Just behind the Metropole hotel, outdoor cafe with wonderful ambience, mixed menu offering western and Vietnamese food as well as drinks and snacks. Brothers Cafe 26 Nguyen Thai Hoc Tel.: 3733-3866 Indoor and outdoor sections; a lunch-time buffet including specialities served street-vendor style that should not be missed. Cha Ca La Vong 14 Cha Ca Tel.: 3825-3929 "Cha ca" is a specialty dish, fish cooked in a hot pot with dill and eaten with noodles. If you are a seafood lover it is worth a try. Hoa Sua 81 Tho Nhuom Tel.: 3825-8167 Training school for disadvantaged youth. Good French and Vietnamese cuisine at rock-bottom prices. Bakery next-door has French pastries. Indochine 16 Nam Ngu Tel.: 3824-6097 If you go nowhere else, go here. A beautiful old villa-style house with an interior courtyard, converted for indoor and outdoor dining. Beautifully cooked and presented dishes representing the best of local cuisine. Be sure to order the banana flower salad! Nam Phuong 19 Phan Chu Trinh Another example of lovely ambience and fine Vietnamese food. Seasons of Hanoi 95B Quan Thanh Tel.: 3843-5444 Probably one of the most expensive up-scale Vietnamese restaurants in town, although still reasonable by western standards. A very enjoyable and refined dining experience. Van Xuan 15 Hang Cot Another don't-miss. Walk up to the second floor of a small commercial building to reach this popular restaurant. Beautiful decor and musical entertainment on classical Vietnamese instruments. Menu includes specialities from Hue and overall the food is excellent. Have the Hue pancakes. For those who aren't Asian food fans or just need a break, try the following for decent western fare: Al Fresco's 23 Hai Ba Trung Tel.: 3826-7782 Australian proprietor. Good ribs, pizza, mexican dishes. A nice get-away. Hot Rock Cafe 11A1 Giang Vo tel.: 3844-5661 Eye-boggling menu. Decent pizza. Moca Cafe 14-16 Nha Tho Tel.: 3825-6334 Near Hanoi's old cathedral. Trendy atmosphere and mixed western-Vietnamese menu. Reportedly serves a mean blueberry pancake for breakfast. Very popular spot for expats and Vietnamese. Press Club Deli 59A Ly Thai To, ground floor Tel.: 3934-0888 The place to be at lunch time to see who's who in Hanoi. Good menu, great deli/bakery counter. Red Onion Bistro 49 Hai Ba Trung Tel.: 3934-2342 In the Hanoi Towers apartment building. Huge burgers and other dishes done nicely by an expat chef. Spacious booths, great atmosphere, good views of the city.