Ngõ Nooks: Cháo Sườn Proves Sometimes the Simplest Snacks Are the Most Satisfying
Hanoi’s summer days are unforgiving. On the most intense days, a bullish sun forms thick layers of heat between cement roads and tall, oppressive buildings. Yet here I was, standing in the epicenter o...
Ngõ Nooks: Slurping Thick Noodles and Seafood at Banh Canh Ghe Ut Coi
A whiff of the ocean hits you before you even step foot onto the street. In this curious corner between Quang Trung and Nha Chung, a new form of restaurant exemplifies the vitality and variety of Hano...
Ngõ Nooks: Hearty Banh Mi From a New-Fashioned Hanoi Co-Operative
Hop Tac Xa Thit Xien is more than just a bánh mì eatery – it’s a place to rekindle your childhood nostalgia and absorb the style of the street.
Ngõ Nooks: Come for the Coffee, Stay for the Aesthetic
Apparently, the owners of Chon want people to find their café. However, you wouldn’t assume as much when attempting to navigate the narrow, snaking alleyways that lead to their joint. You’ll find a do...
Ngõ Nooks: The Deep-Fried Satisfaction of Steamy Bánh Gối
Thanks to being born and bred in Hanoi, I definitely have a love-hate relationship with the city. That said, there are more “loves” than “hates” on my list, and street food in Hanoi plays a huge part ...
Ngõ Nooks: Immerse Yourself in the Traditional Architecture of Cafe Nha San
Nestled deep in a dead-end street reached through a warren of alleyways from an almost impossible-to-see entrance is an ancient-looking building. This stunning traditional Vietnamese stilt-house is on...
Ngõ Nooks: Sumptuous Xôi From One of Hanoi's Friendliest Street Food Vendors
If you live in Vietnam, then you’ll already know how vital rice is here, and the role it plays in almost every meal we eat.
Ngõ Nooks: Vintage Sound Systems and Birds of Prey Coexist in Café Nhac Xua
A quaint melody drifts out of Nhac Xua and over to one side of West Lake, where café owner Nguyen Duy Binh and I sit. The calming, classical, Vietnamese-style guitar-driven music, is soothing.
Ngõ Nooks: The Dish That Smells Like Regret but Tastes Like Happiness
If you’re a food lover, there is one dirt-cheap, aromatic Hanoi snack that you must try: bún đậu mắm tôm.
Khoi Pham in Hanoi Ngõ Nooks
Ngõ Nooks: Crispy Fried Eels Complete This Warming Winter Soup
I am Hanoi’s hungriest tourist; and the capital welcomes me into its flavorsome, umami-rich warmth with open arms.
Ngõ Nooks: De Tam Café Adds a Contemporary Touch to a Familiar Retro Aesthetic
As soon as you walk into De Tam’s leafy entrance courtyard, a familiar vintage theme becomes apparent. An entire wall is covered in shelves containing over 100 film cameras and lenses, while record pl...
Ngõ Nooks: Take a Ride on Ha Dong’s Hipster Bus Café
When you initially spot the café, it’s hard to tell exactly what it is — it isn’t hurtling towards you at 50 miles per hour and doesn’t have helmet shrapnel from its previous victims stuck to its...
Ngõ Nooks: Cu Xa, the Cafe That Awakens Your Childhood Self
“Where is home?” is a question that at some point has probably nagged everyone who feels caught between worlds. To the owner of a retro cafe in Hanoi’s southern Dong Da District, it’s Cu Xa.
Ngõ Nooks: Oozing Quail Egg Bánh Giò for Upcoming Winter Days
After a long, draining day at work, the unexpected discovery of a steaming, peppery bánh giò, complete with oozing quail eggs, is the ultimate remedy.
Ngõ Nooks: On Hàng Bài, Golden Bún Cá Thái Bình in a Hole in the Wall
When a friend of mine returned home after living abroad last year, he longed for a bowl of bún cá. I suggested the classic Hanoi dish, with satisfyingly oily deep-fried fish, but he had other ideas&nb...
Ngõ Nooks: Ingenuity Meets Tradition at Phở Cuốn Hung Ben
As traditional and unchanging as Hanoi’s cuisine may seem to visitors, creativity can still be found below the surface. Every now and then, a novel dish catches on and becomes the talk of the town, an...
Ngõ Nooks: At Bun Bo Hue Thu Thuy, a Broth That Bridges Tastes
In only three places have I enjoyed truly sumptuous bowls of bún bò giò heo: in its hometown of Hue, in Hoi An and at Bun Bo Hue Thu Thuy in Hanoi.
Ngõ Nooks: Traditional Bún Thang Served With a Crunchy Twist
If you peel through the peaceful residential areas around the Quang Trung and Tran Hung Dao crossroads, you might just chance upon Bún Thang 11 Hạ Hồi, a humble, household noodle spot.
Ngõ Nooks: Autumnal Golden Hours Are the Key Ingredient in Cô Thoa’s Bún Bò Nam Bộ
Hanoi’s fascination with bún is endless. There are more varieties in this city than anywhere else in Vietnam. Bún has a lot more to offer than phở, especially as it can be served cool and dry, as seen...
Ngõ Nooks: At Tropical Forest, Coworkers and Plants Thrive in a Unique Ecosystem
Tropical Forest isn’t one of those adorable coffee shops you find hidden away in one of Hanoi’s many pokey alleyways. In fact, it’s quite the opposite – its large glass presence resembles a giant terr...
