As I stood at the bar of one of several popular backpacker venues in Hanoi on Sunday afternoon I overheard some customers discussing how they missed cheese and red wine, so I thought a blog about where to buy those goodies from home that you miss while travelling was in order. Of course, wine is … read the full post

Many hotels in Hanoi will include breakfast in the room rate, be this an egg in a bread roll – most common in the cheaper places – or a full breakfast buffet. But what if your hotel doesn’t or you’re just not up early enough? The cheapest option is to eat with the locals and … read the full post

Where and how to eat Bo Nuong – BBQ beef – in Hanoi

A rundown of four places you can take a cookery course in Hanoi

As well as being a tasty and cheap dining option, eating street food provides a great opportunity for people watching and an insight into local life. If you want to take this one step further, it’s worth considering a street food tour: not only will it take you to eateries and markets you might otherwise shy away … read the full post

A new restaurant in Hanoi that’s serving up delicious, good value Vietnamese food

Che (pronounced chair) is a popular Vietnamese dessert or snack found at street stalls around Hanoi. Today we aim to (partly) demystify this unusual delicacy and encourage you to give it a try. First up, find a stall. Che stalls are usually characterised by a glass cabinet housing bowls of colourful … um stuff. Sometimes the … read the full post

If you’ve managed to walk around Old Quarter in Hanoi and not be accosted by a lady in a conical hat trying to put her shoulder pole, supporting baskets of fruit, on your shoulder for a photo, you’re in the minority. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve been approached and have yet to say … read the full post

Chica Restaurant, centrally located on Hang Be Street, is a too-well kept secret; meaning that despite the good food, the great setting and the friendly staff it’s usually almost empty. I first visited on my birthday last year, having had a craving for steak and hearing that their steak and wine night was a great … read the full post

Vietnam’s favourite dish, pho, takes its name from the type of noodle that is used in its preparation, and this noodle is used in numerous other dishes. I’ve recently moved to a new apartment and find myself living in the epicentre of pho-land: within a few minutes’ walk I pass half a dozen restaurants selling … read the full post