Disembarking from our flight, we noticed something a bit "different" about Noi Bai Airport…..it is a lot quieter than other airports, almost somber. The immigration officials here are no joke either…..stone faced, cold, and dead serious.
We found our driver with minimal effort….there were actually 3 of them from the Hanoi Elegance Hotel, but we didn’t see our names. So we stopped to talk to one of them, and wouldn’t you know it, one of the Guys produces a folded up sign with our names from his pocket!
As we drove into Hanoi, we noticed the latest in motorbike fashion footwear for women….it was either plastic slippers, pumps(black and red seem to be the trend), or these slippers with teensy-tiny heels, that made me wonder how the heck they could actually walk. We could discern a palpable "buzz" as we approached the city. Yes folks, Hanoi is alive…it is a beehive of activity….these bees have two wheels, and make honking noises.
I’m a bit disappointed that we weren’t able to take any photos that can convey the controlled chaos….several times I had intentions of trying to capture that shot, but my focus had to be shifted to more important issues at hand….like trying to avoid getting run over by motorbikes parking or leaving the skinny sidewalks.
The beeping of horns is constant, over time the Missus and I identified several variations…the "here I come" beep, versus the "get the hell out of my way" beep, the "it’s 5am in the morning, and no one is around, but I’m approaching an intersection" beep, and so forth. And yet within this mass of two wheeled vehicles, there is order, and a distinct ebb and flow to it all. It’s those 4 wheeled vehicles you have to watch out for.
As for crossing the street……Jeni of Oishii-eats has a wonderful post you can find here. As mentioned in the post, slow and steady is the way to go. And while we did catch a bit of a thrill the first time we crossed Le Thai To, crossing quickly became routine, and even a bit of a pain in the end. Actually, we found the streets of Phnom Penh to be much more dangerous, the streets are wider, there are more 4 wheeled vehicles, and people drive faster.
Hungry after wandering the streets for a bit, we decided on having a our first meal in Hanoi in a proper restaurant, and wandered over to Highway 4. There would be plenty of time for street food and other stuff later…or so we thought. Both Beach and the wonderful Web Site Savour Asia, recommended Highway 4 for interesting riffs on traditional Vietnamese Food. Plus, the restaurant was located on Hang Tre only 2 blocks from our hotel on Ma May Street.
Since it was only 4pm the place was empty(our internal clocks were obviously messed up), and we were led up the winding, cramped stairway, with tiny steps…..something which we found to be the norm in most places. You will want to watch your step if you’ve had a bit too much Ruou(rice wine).
The seating on the second floor is on mats…..on an elevated floor.
The young lady who served us was very nice, if a bit ummmm……spaced out, in a cute kind of way.
"We’d like 2 bottled waters please…."
"Two waters…….small or big?"
"Big ones will be fine…."
"Okay, but we don’t have any big one’s right now."(So why did she ask us in the first place?)
"Alllrighty…..2 small ones will be fine."
She gives us a shy smile, walks away and starts singing……comes back a minute later because she forgot to take our order….
The menu at Highway 4 is huge, a classic case of Vietnamese menu overload, with everything from Roasted Locust to French Fries(!!!???). Unfortunately, just like the "big" water, they seemed to be out of a few things we wanted to order, like the Deep Fried Pig Tail and Sauteed Ostrich stomach.
The first dish to arrive was the Pork Ribs with Salt and Lemongrass(55,000 VND – approx $3.50/US).
This was served, in what we found to be a classic accompaniment with meat: salt, chilies, with lime….which we enjoyed so much, that we now eat meat this way at home. The pork was extremely tough. I had expected the meat in Vietnam(and Cambodia) to be more chewy, since most animals are raised "free-range"….but this was like rubber.
It was interesting to find that the "appetizer sin" is not only alive and well in the US, as our Catfish Spring Rolls arrived after our entree (64,000 VND, $4/US).
The rice paper served for these spring rolls was different from what I’m used to, thin, crisp, almost parchment like. The battered and fried catfish, was moist, if a bit on the chewy side, and had excellent flavor; a touch of sweet, without a hint of muddiness. The dill was very mild, with just the breath of fennel-anise flavor. The most interesting thing about the dish was the use of wasabi mayonnaise, which I must say that was used in good proportion.
Since there was no Ostrich to be found; I ordered the Whole Roasted Sparrow (36,000 VND, approx $2.25/US):
4 roasted birds served with some herbs, greens, grape tomatoes, and with the ubiquitous salt-chili-lime juice, this may have been my favorite dish on the entire trip. The birds are eaten whole…head, bones, everything. The flavor is a tasty "cornish game hen approaching duck", we were tempted to return just for this.
Buffalo Grilled with Fermented Rice (52,000 VND, approx $4.25 US).
Having had buffalo before, and based on the pork ribs, I expected this to be very tough…but the meat had a pleasant chew to it. More of a 2 part stir-fry than a grilled dish, we detected a distinct sourness to the dish, I’m assuming from the fermented rice. The addition of Ngo Om (Rice Paddy Herb), added a pleasant, palate cleansing, peppery-citrus flavor to the whole dish, which the Missus enjoyed.
Unfortunately for us; we also ordered 2 of the Ruou Samplers (approx 44,000 VND each):
Some of this stuff tasted just plain heinous to us……ginseng, gecko, seahorse, snake, you name it. None of them, save the Black Bee flavored Ruou, which had a mild floral finish, even approached the home made Ruou we tasted in Le Mat, Can Cau, and Bac Ha. Still, we enjoyed our meal at Highway 4, and I’d sure like couple more roasted sparrows.
Things seem to move at a pretty leisurely pace at Highway 4, but it could be because we were the only customers in the place. It may seem amazing to those used to dealing with the price of meals in the US, but this was probably one of our most expensive meals in Vietnam, at close to $20/US. In what was a good reality check for us, we found that none of the locals we spoke to, guides, people at the hotel, and other folks had ever eaten at Highway 4, not because the food was bad…in fact they had all heard very nice things about Highway 4. It was that they couldn’t afford to eat there……
Highway 4
5 Hang Tre
Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
After dinner, we took a not so leisurely stroll, and ended up at what can be considered the heart of Hanoi, Hoan Kiem Lake. And in spite of the gazillion motorbikes, and the honking horns, there is something about Hoan Kiem Lake that is relaxing…… Though one should not confuse the idyllic photos of the lake that look like this.
That’s the Tortoise Tower (Thap Rua), dedicated to the legendary turtle of Hoan Kiem Lake. Every so often, the mythic tortoise will reappear. A more realistic modern version of that photo would be this….
We thought this simple photo is quite telling, the exotic old Hanoi, and the young, dynamic, vibrant, Hanoi. This Young Lady kept text messaging the entire time we sat, and was still at it when we passed by later; for all I know, she’s still there going at it.
And unless, you arrive early in the morning, or after Ngoc Son Temple closes, the photogenic The Huc Bridge, is more likely to look like this.
Than this…..
Still, there’s something about the place that draws you in…..
More on Hoan Kiem Lake later, and for even more, Wandering Chopsticks has a delightful post here.