This is my third visit to Vietnam. In Nha Trang, I felt the leisurely atmosphere of a resort city by the sea, and in Ho Chi Minh, I felt the energy of a rapidly growing city. This time, in Hanoi, I felt the calm charm of Vietnam, different from other cities. I was worried about the exhaust fumes from Vietnamese motorbikes and the very open kitchens for Koreans, but this trip, I was not worried at all. The streets where people walk are wide, and there are many stylish cafes and restaurants, so I had a lot of fun eating.
Hanoi (Hà Nội) is the capital of Vietnam and the political, economic, and cultural center of the North. It is a large city with a population of about 8 million people, boasts a history of over 1,000 years, and was the capital of the Vietnamese dynasty. Under French colonial rule for over 80 years, you can find French-style architecture throughout Hanoi, such as the Opera House, St. Joseph's Cathedral, and Long Bien Bridge.
Hanoi, where tradition and modernity coexist, is centered around the Old Quarter, which is full of old buildings and entertainment, the French Quarter, which is full of French-style luxury buildings, and Hoan Kiem Lake, a large green space in the center of the city. There are various temples and shrines that combine Buddhist, Taoist, and Confucian cultures, and representative historical sites include the Temple of Literature, the first university in Vietnam, and the mausoleum of national hero Ho Chi Minh.
Before leaving for this trip, I studied a lot so that I could fully enjoy the city. I really felt that the more I knew about the city’s history and culture, the richer my experience would be. This article is a compilation of stories, food, and places that will help you feel the charm of Hanoi more deeply.
Among Vietnamese film directors, Tran Anh Hung is a famous one. The director was born in Da Nang, Vietnam in 1962 and immigrated to France with his family due to the Vietnam War. Since then, he has directed works that deal with themes of longing for and loss of the homeland, and in particular, he tends to emphasize the role of women and love.
Representative works include The Scent of Green Papaya, which won the Golden Camera Award at the Cannes Film Festival in 1993, and Cyclo, which won the Grand Prix at the Venice Film Festival in 1995. Both films beautifully capture the scenery that can only be seen in Vietnam. Through the films, we can see the structure of traditional Vietnamese houses and the lives of families. Thanks to this, the traditional houses I visited during my trip felt completely different. I imagined that Mui, the main character, cooked here and that her grandmother slept here.
Tran Anh Hung is very meticulous in describing the cooking process, and I was happy to see it in The Scent of Green Papaya. In the recently released French Soup, her obsession with cooking reached its peak. She slowly savors the process of preparing and cooking ingredients one by one, to the point where it feels perverted. It felt more like creating a work of art than something that tastes good.
Director Jean-Jacques Annaud's film The Lover, released in 1992, is often featured in textbooks when studying film. Based on the novel of the same name by French novelist Marguerite Duras, it depicts the forbidden love between a fifteen-year-old French girl (Jane March) and a wealthy Chinese youth (Leung Ka-fai) in French Indochina (now Vietnam) in the late 1920s. It is an erotic and lyrical film that captures the complexities of love and separation.
It is said that it was very popular in the East when it was released. The reason was that it featured an attractive Asian actor who was only considered the main character of martial arts or comedy movies. The scene where fingers slowly touch in the car also paid homage to Director Park Chan-wook's 'Decision to Leave'.
The film gives a sense of a modern Vietnamese city deeply influenced by France and China. Thanks to the beautiful mise-en-scène, it feels like a love story is hidden somewhere in the smoky Vietnamese city center.
Coolie Never Cries is director Pham Ngoc Lan’s feature debut, which won the Best Picture Award at the Berlin Film Festival. It is a poetic film that delicately weaves together Vietnamese history and personal memories.
The protagonist, Nguyen, returns to Hanoi with the inheritance of her husband who returned to Germany and the 'coolies' left after the zoo where she worked was dismantled. Her niece Van, whom she raised like her own child, is pregnant and is preparing for an early marriage with her inexperienced boyfriend, worrying about an uncertain future.
The film depicts the two women's wandering in search of the 'promised land'. The fact that the past is told verbally rather than shown in flashbacks shows that time that has passed cannot return. A rare animal called a 'coolie' appears as a symbolic being that watches over her misfortune.
The Temple of Literature is the site of the Imperial College, the first national university in Vietnam. It was built in 1070 by Emperor Ly Thanh Tong. It is considered the center of Vietnamese Confucianism and a symbol of education. In the Temple of Literature, there are steles with the names of those who passed the state examination, placed on turtle-shaped pedestals. The turtle symbolizes longevity and wisdom, and it is said that the turtle-shaped pedestals were made to forever commemorate the achievements of the scholars who passed the state examination. People believed that touching the head of the turtle would bring good luck and help them pass the exam.
Le Loiis the beginning of the country that founded Dai Viet, the root of Vietnam, against China. When Le Loi fought the Ming, he received a magic sword from a turtle in the lake, ended China's subjugation, and achieved independence. When he returned to the lake after the war, the turtle asked for the sword back, and Taizu returned the sword to the turtle. This lake is 'Hoan Kiem', a lake in the center of Hanoi, and the Chinese characters are read as 'Hwan Geum' in Korean, meaning 'Lake of the Returned Sword'. This legend is a story that symbolizes the freedom of Vietnam and has great meaning to the citizens.
Tran Hung DaoHe can be called the Yi Sun-sin of Vietnam. In the 13th century, the Mongol Empire attempted to invade Southeast Asia, including Vietnam. At that time, Tran Hung Dao, as a military leader of Vietnam, stopped the Mongols three times. In the two invasions in 1258 and 1285, he stopped the Mongols with guerrilla tactics that strategically utilized the northern forests and rivers. In 1287, when Kublai Khan invaded by sea, he completely annihilated the Mongols with tactics that utilized the low tide.
High BartlettThe street is named after the sisters Trung Trac and Trung Nhi, who fought against the rule of the Han dynasty of China around the 1st century. The Trung sisters were the children of a northern Vietnamese tribal leader in the early 1st century. When their husband was executed by Chinese officials, they decided to fight back. They rose up against the Han dynasty of China and maintained their independence for three years, but were eventually defeated by the large Han army in 43 AD. According to legend, the Trung sisters commanded battles from elephants. There is a district in Hanoi named after them.
Hanoi food is traditional in northern Vietnam and features many dishes using light, fresh ingredients.
Rice Noodles (Pho)is a representative dish of Vietnam. There are various theories about its origin, but it is generally known to have started in the Hanoi area in the late 19th century to early 20th century. When France colonized Vietnam (late 19th century to mid 20th century), the Vietnamese were influenced by French cuisine, and the French's favorite beef dish (boeuf - "boeuf") was combined with Vietnamese cooking methods, creating beef pho. There is also a theory that the name comes from French-style pot-au-feu (meat stew).
Anti-Americanismis a baguette sandwich influenced by the French colonial era. It is made with various meats (ham, chicken, pork, etc.), vegetables, and special sauces, and Hanoi is characterized by soy sauce and simple ingredients.
Banh Xèo is a Vietnamese crepe made with a crispy rice flour batter filled with pork, shrimp, and bean sprouts, and served with fresh vegetables and nuoc mam (Vietnamese fish sauce). “Bánh” means cake or bread, and “Xèo” refers to the sizzling sound it makes when it is fried.
Bun cha (Bún chả)is a dish of grilled pork dipped in a sweet and sour nuoc mam (Vietnamese fish sauce) broth. It is served with rice noodles and eaten with fresh vegetables. The 2016 U.S. President Barack ObamaWhen the famous American chef visited Hanoi Anthony Bourdain The scene of Obama eating at a small Bun Cha restaurant became a hot topic around the world. The restaurant Obama visited “Bún Chả Hương Liên” Afterwards, he became even more famous with the nickname “Bún Chả Obama”.
Nem ránIt is a Hanoi-style fried spring roll filled with minced meat, noodles, mushrooms, etc. and eaten dipped in nuoc mam sauce. In the southern region, it is also called 'Cha gio'.
Vietnamese coffee is famous worldwide for its unique taste and culture. Vietnam is the world's second largest coffee exporter, producing mainly Robusta variety coffee beans.
Coffee was first introduced to Vietnam during the French colonial period in the mid-19th century. When the French began cultivating coffee, the Central Highlands of Vietnam (especially places like Dalat and Buon Ma Thuot) became the center of coffee cultivation. Since then, coffee has been deeply rooted in Vietnamese culture, and its traces remain to this day.
Coffee is usually brewed slowly using a traditional Vietnamese filter called a phin (metal drip filter). Hot water is poured in so that it drips from the coffee beans one by one, creating a rich and intense flavor.
Café Write (Cà Phê Sữa Đá)is a representative menu of Vietnamese coffee, an iced coffee with condensed milk and ice. Robusta beans are roasted darkly and sweetened condensed milk is mixed in. The reason it appeared was because fresh milk was not available. During the French colonial period in the 19th century, the French introduced coffee culture to Vietnam, but at the time, it was difficult to obtain milk in Vietnam due to high temperatures and storage issues, so sweetened condensed milk was used instead.
Drinking it hot Cafe Sua NongIt is called in the North. Brown CoffeeAlso called. In Hanoi, it is eaten with egg yolk added. Egg Coffee (Trứng Cà Phê)) is also famous. It is made up of three layers: condensed milk at the bottom, coffee in the middle, and cream on top. Salt Coffee (Cà Phê Muối)Wow, a mixture of coconut milk and condensed milk Coconut Coffee (Cà Phê Dua)This is a unique coffee that you can taste in Vietnam.
Hanoi values the Temple of Literature so much that it is considered a symbol of the city. The wide lake and comfortable buildings are great for a walk. It is a place where citizens can take wedding photos or pray for passing exams, making them feel more alive.
Ho Chi Minh, who exists forever. You can see Ho Chi Minh enshrined inside a huge concrete building, typical of communist countries. The way the national hero is honored forever on such a grand scale is an experience that is hard to find in other cities.
It's like looking at a house in the movie 'The Scent of Green Papaya'. It looks like Mui is cooking somewhere. You can see the structure and form of a traditional Vietnamese house, and the courtyard and kitchen that mix the inside and outside are unique.
If you want to experience Vietnamese food easily and conveniently, this is a must-visit place. You can enjoy a variety of menus, and each and every one of them is of excellent quality. In particular, the Banh Xeo, a large egg pancake wrapped with fresh vegetables, is a cheat key.
This is the best restaurant selling vegetarian rice noodles at a very cheap price hidden deep in an alley. It is a restaurant that makes you wonder how they make such a deep and rich broth. If you want to eat real local food, you must visit this place.
This is the best restaurant in Banh Cuon. The owner is constantly making Banh Cuon. It is not a place prepared for tourists, but a place that feels like it was there because it was there. The sauce and flakes are different, and the fish cakes are deep and rich.
I thought it would just be a retro cafe with lots of books, but it's a really cool cafe with a stronger, more unique style than I thought. The coffee is delicious and the space is comfortable, so it's a cafe where you can relax for a long time.
This is the most Hanoi-like cafe. After passing through a narrow passage, you will come across a courtyard with lyrical sunlight. The high-ceilinged space and the street view from the terrace are charming. The drinks, which are transformed into cocktails in their own way, are delicious.
In coffee shops with a long history, I was surprised by the fishy smell of egg coffee, but Coffee York's egg coffee is deep, rich, and smooth. The thick texture of the egg is not burdensome at all, and the thinly sprinkled cinnamon finishes the taste well.
