Despite being an ardent foodie, I have never taken a food tour so I decided that Hanoi would be the perfect opportunity to find some hidden gems. Luna, our Airbnb guide, made the evening jaunt worthwhile. First of all, the tour cost $0 so we were already ahead, but we paid for the cost of our food and left our guide a bit of a tip at the end. 

We started out sampling some delicious and piping hot pork eggrolls and pork cutlets from a street vendor.

Then we headed off to try some sticky rice,

followed by a sampling of Vietnamese papaya salad and ending the food tour with an off-the beaten path beef pho. 

The latter didn’t even have a storefront sign but did have a sign hanging off a tree and was located literally inside a family’s home.

The family previously had a stall but the government forced them to shutter so they have made do and hold a pop-up in their home with limited hours, from 3-7 p.m., serving only one speciality dish that they have clearly perfected.

To get to their establishment, you have to find the sign first and then enter a narrow pathway and climb up very narrow cement stairs which wind upwards. Then you end up on the landing and make a sharp right, taking a few steps before arriving at the restaurant. As in all Asian homes, you’re required to remove your shoes before entering.

We sat down on the low level plastic stools and a few minutes later our pho arrived. The broth was perfectly clear but distilled with hours upon hours of layers of beef essence. The pieces of beef were tender and the noodles were perfectly cooked. There were some herbs in the pho but they weren’t overwhelming. As we were the last customers, I saw the staff heading with our bowls to the kitchen which was in another room, where they were hand washing all of the plates and silverware.

Every square inch was used economically and efficiently which just goes to prove that one doesn’t need a state of the art kitchen to create an amazing dish. 

What I particularly enjoyed about our evening, aside from the delicious and unique food of Hanoi, was hearing some of the stories about the norms in the city. There are certain jobs and responsibilities relegated only to women. Regardless of income, the government rations how much each person is able to buy to eat. The reason why storefront businesses are very narrow, deep and tall is property taxation is based on width and not height. Several families and generations of families live within one room, sometimes sharing one bathroom amongst them all with some homes not equipped with any bathrooms. 

All of that seems shocking having been raised in the U.S. but it’s just a part of life in Vietnam, and there is a great and overwhelming sense of optimism and ambition amongst the people of Hanoi. If I had to describe the rhythm of the city, it’s a bustling metropolis in the heart of a young country that is readying and positioning itself to be a contender in the world of commercialism.

I just hope that in Hanoi’s valiant efforts to modernize, that it doesn’t turn its back on its roots, history and its values. Only time will tell.