Hanoi Capital What To Eat
Hanoi is one of Asia's top 10 greatest street food cities, with a culture characterized by significant and distinct features. Each dish offers a special taste, and Hanoians have a tradition of enjoying foods according to the season and time of day. In autumn, they eagerly celebrate the harvest of COM (Green rice flakes) in Vong village.
COM is a favorite specialty of Hanoi, known for its subtle scent of young glutinous rice, beautifully packaged in gemstone-green lotus leaves. In the cold winter, there's nothing quite like enjoying hot, crunchy fried shrimp cakes by the West Lake. Savoring the sweet taste of shrimp while chatting about old stories is a truly great joy on such chilly winter days. Hanoi is undoubtedly a four-season heaven for any gourmet or aspiring one.
Hanoi and its surrounding areas are the birthplace of many quintessential Vietnamese dishes, such as pho and bun cha, and the city is often cited as one of the world's great food capitals. It's a street eater's paradise, offering a plethora of options for those who want to eat like a local. In fact, many believe that the best food in Hanoi is found on the sidewalk, with dishes often featuring fish sauce, lemongrass, chilies, cilantro, and other fresh herbs. The city, which celebrated its one-thousandth birthday last year, has put those centuries to good use perfecting its curbside nibbles. Although vendors often cook in small shop fronts, they serve their delicious creations on the sidewalk, using small plastic tables and chairs that can seem comically small for taller visitors.
