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Hanoi Street Food With Locals, Hoàn Kiếm, Hanoi (2025)

22/03/2025

Bun Cha Obama
The “Bún chả Hương Liên” is a prominent family run restaurant, situated in in the south east of Hanoi’s French Quarter. The place is now commonly referred to as “Bun Cha Obama”, as it was where Barrack Obama and Anthony Bourdain ate their $6 dollar dinner.

During a visit to Hanoi in 2016, the US President sat down with the former CNN celebrity chef filming his travel food show – “Parts Unknown”. Since the historical moment, the restaurant’s changed forever. It’s been crowded with curious diners from all over the world.

The 4-story, easy-to-miss and like-a-house restaurant, has no big “Obama ate here!” sign or a giant poster of him on its facade. It’s not even in some snazzy or rich part of town. In fact, the place is at a tight street, quite relatively hard to find for many. Nothing makes the restaurant stand out, except for the fact that it’s really busy.

Our clients on Hanoi walking food tour recently asked us to take them to “Bun Cha Obama”. Knew it was a very busy place, we arrived between lunch and dinner so we wouldn’t need to wait. On arrival, there was no welcome, just directed to go upstairs.

We headed up a narrow tiled staircase to the second floor, and took a table adjacent to where Obama and Bourdain sat. Although there was no wait, all the staffs were so rushed to get people in and out quickly that it didn’t feel like a pleasant meal we were looking for.

The eatery looks much as it did when they were there, but there were a few key changes. The owner’s made the most of her opportunity. It was packed with tourists dining among canteen-style stainless steel tables and plastic stools, the stools that are ubiquitous around the city.

Where We Want To Be
There were photos of ‘the moment’ everywhere – on the walls and the menu. Our clients, wishing to relive the experience, ordered a “Combo Obama”, which included bun cha, a crab spring roll and a bottle of Hanoi beer. The total cost was 85.000 d**g (about $3.50).

I ordered the traditional bun cha for myself. The beloved local specialty of Hanoi included bits of marinated, charcoal-grilled fatty pork patties and pork slices in an unctuous dipping sauce with rice noodles and accompanying herb garnishes. The cost was 40.000 d**g (less than 2 dollars).

But what we couldn’t do is to sit down at the same table, in those same blue plastic stools. As the restaurant encased the table at which the two men sat in protective glass, probably to preserve its claim to fame.

A set of plates, spoons, chopsticks, two empty beer bottles and staged dinnerware were organized as they were on the table where they ate together. Of course, the iconic low plastic stools were also included, as if waiting for the return of its distinguished diners.

Very quickly after placing our order, there laid our plates of cold rice noodles, leafy greens and herbs. The combo got individual plates of crisp spring rolls scissored into bite size chunks. Then everyone of us got a bowl of sweet and sour dipping sauce containing the tempting black-edged pork belly and minced pork patties.

The sauce was highlighted with pickled carrot and korhrabi, that helped cut through the fattiness of the meat. But, to any local standard, while the crab spring rolls didn’t deliver a lot of thrills, the dipping sauce was cold and overly sweet. Thankfully, we were able to adjust the taste with a kumquat and a tea spoon of rice vinegar.

For a reason, there’re always a little plate of smacked up garlic, sliced chilli, small jars of fish sauce, rice vinegar, and some kumquats set available on each table at every local restaurant in Hanoi. Dinners are supposed to affix those condements into whatever they are eating, to tailor the palate.

The service, on the other hand, did not accompany the fame of the place. We could hardly get a smile out of the waiters; they were no friendly. Many customers, like our own, were really banking on the reputation that Obama ate there and just want to try.

The place was good a long time ago, but it’s definitely not the must-try one. It’s now lacking in any charm, charisma and service it once had. It’s been taken over by tourism and clearly forgotten its routes, that’s a pity.

We are actually not surprised. When things become internet famous then tend to fall in quality quickly. Once the volume of customers is flowing no matter what, it’s a common mistake to forget about quality.

With that said, Flavors of Hanoi rated Bun Cha Huong Lien 3 out of 5. Hope they clean up their act, concentrate less on customer turnover and more on service and quality. They should know there are so many bun cha restaurants in the Old Quarter, selling the same thing with much better customer service.

Bun Cha Obama - Bún Chả Hương Liên
24 Le Van Huu, Hai Ba Trung, Hanoi
Opening: 8h00 – 20h30

19/07/2024

𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐢 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞
Hanoi’s street food ranges from a collection of slightly grotty roadside tables and low stools to nicer looking eateries with bathrooms. Most of the time, you grab any available seat and then order what you want to eat.

Even if you’re in the touristy Old Quarter, stall owners are unlikely to speak a lot of English if any at all, so just be prepared. If you speak zero Vietnamese like me, I usually point at the menu or in the worst case at someone else’s food.

02/03/2024

𝐂𝐨𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐮𝐭 𝐣𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐲/ 𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐢 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐝
One of the delicious treats you shouldn't miss on a scorching summer day is Vietnamese coconut jelly. With its exotic flavors and refreshing qualities, this delectable jelly not only offers a sweet escape from the heat but is also known as a top-list Vietnamese dessert.

In addition, fans of jelly cannot miss that of the coconut. The way of making coconut jelly and serving it is special as all inside the coconut. The whole shell is offered with a full coconut-sized jelly that can make you full for both the size and fresh tasty savor. The advice is you better share it in two, especially if you are also a fan of ice-cream. Because then your stomach will have space for the sweet yummy coconut ice-cream served in another full shell.

26/12/2023

''𝐁𝐮𝐧 𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐧'' – 𝐀 𝐟𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝
In Viet Nam’s capital city of Ha Noi, Bun ngan (Noodles soup with mule duck) is a favorite dish all year round.

The ingredients are simple: mule duck, cellophane noodles or rice vermicelli, fresh bamboo shoots, watermint, scallions, fish sauce, soy sauce, salt, garlic and chili. The mule duck is cleaned, boiled, let dry and then cut up.

The soft and juicy pieces of meat are placed on top of the cellophane noodles. The stock is clear without any bubble or strange smell and has the natural pleasant taste of mule duck meat. Cellophane noodles or rice vermicelli is blanched until soft but not easily crushed or too dry.

The dipping sauce with a large amount of chopped garlic boasts a combination of sourness and spiciness. An alternative is soy sauce with garlic and chili.

Some recommended places in the capital city for renowned ‘bun ngan’ include:
1. Bun ngan Ben Beo at 65 Phung Hung Street, Hoan Kiem District;
2. Bun ngan Nguyen Du at 39 Nguyen Du Street, Hai Ba Trung Dist
3. Bun ngan at Chau Long Market, Ba Dinh District.
4. Bun ngan Mrs Nhan at Ngo Trung Yen Hoan Kiem distric Hanoi.

07/11/2023

𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐢 𝐁𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐎𝐫 𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐢 𝐁𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐭
Differ far from the noisy image of Hanoi in the daytime, Hanoi at night brings a charming and romantic beauty fascinating to everyone’s heart. When night falls, streets gradually sink into the darkness, it is time to discover the special beauties of the city.

The beauty of Hanoi at night is a combination of two opposite beauties which express clearly the difference between an old capital and a new one.

The capital of Vietnam is famous for not only peaceful poetic streets with white ancient houses standing quietly side by side under the yellow lights of street lamps but also rows of old trees on both sides of roads in the Old Quarter. There are also bustling streets crowded with people and full of restaurants, shops, bars, etc.

Some of them have become typical features of Hanoi in the eyes of international friends. The most typical is Bia Hoi Corner (also called Bia Hoi Junction), a destination that the foreign who come to Hanoi for the first time must go. Why does it become so popular? How to get and what to do there? Today, you will get to know useful information to make a plan on exploring the most famous bustling street in Hanoi – Bia Hoi Corner.

𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡 𝐁𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐢𝐚 𝐇𝐨𝐢 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞
Nowadays, fresh beer has become a familiar drink of the Vietnamese, the drink that you can find and buy easily anywhere from luxury restaurants to vending machines, small grocery stores, from city to countryside. However, not many people know where it came from and when it was first imported in Vietnam.

Fresh beer is said to have appeared in Vietnam from the end of the nineteenth century by French colonists. When they came here, they had brought and left in Vietnam their culture, lifestyle, architecture, and even food, and drink. Especially in Hanoi, you won’t have difficulty in finding corners or structures like in France.

Although the origin of beer is not Vietnam, the Vietnamese have changed it and turned it into a typical feature of Vietnamese cuisine.

So, what is the difference between fresh beer and Bia Hoi culture in Vietnam and in the others? There are some differences between fresh beer in Vietnam and in other countries, as follows:

First, fresh beer in Vietnam has a lower alcohol concentration than the average standard of Europe, about 4.5 degrees. Moreover, the taste of fresh beer is fresh, bitterish and easy to drink, so it is well-liked by both females and males.
Second, the price of Vietnam’s domestic beer is also considerably cheaper. It only takes you from 7.000 VND to 15.000 VND to have a spin of beer while the price of imported beer in Vietnam is remarkably expensive, from 30.000 VND to 40.000 VND because of the high import tax.
Third, the beer-drinking style of Vietnamese people. According to an international statistics report, Vietnam is reported to be one of the countries where the yearly wine and beer consumption quantity is the highest in the world. In Vietnam, it is not only on special occasions that people drink beer but also on even normal occasions people also drink it. For example, after stress working hours or hot weather days, a glass of beer is a complete choice for the Vietnamese to relax. Or, when they gather their friends, it is also exciting to drink beer at street diners and chat about problems in life. It is easy to see in Vietnam groups of people drink beer, sing songs, eat and happily chat together from the luxury restaurants to roadside diners.

𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐁𝐢𝐚 𝐇𝐨𝐢 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐫
It is true to say that beer seems more delicious when you drink with many people. Maybe, it is the reason why Bia Hoi Corner appeared and has become very popular in Hanoi. Bia Hoi Corner or Bia Hoi Junction or Bia Hoi Old Quarter or International Crossroad is an area from the beginning of Ta Hien Street to the intersection of this street and Luong Ngoc Quyen Street in Hanoi Old Quarter, which is full of street diners selling types of beer and street food, the most popular destination well-liked by both the young locals and foreign tourists.

Coming there at different times of the day brings tourists different experiences. In the early morning, when the sun shines, Ta Hien is also quiet and peaceful as other streets in the Old Quarter. The sun shines every corner of the small street, covers all the red roofs, white walls and green wooden windows of the small house which were built in French-style architecture in the previous century standing side by side on the street. How poetic it is!

Opposite to this image is the noisy bustling image at night. When night comes, Bia Hoi Corner sinks into colorful lights from street lamps, restaurants, bars, and clubs and full of the aroma of tasty street food. It is always crowded with locals and foreigners until the late-night even during the week. It is not difficult to see groups of people sitting on plastic stools spilling out of the street smiling and chatting happily.

07/11/2023

𝐁𝐢𝐚 𝐇𝐨𝐢 – 𝐕𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐧𝐚𝐦’𝐬 𝐌𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐏𝐨𝐩𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐁𝐞𝐞𝐫

Bia Hoi literally translates to ‘fresh beer’. It is a typical Vietnamese beverage, a very light beer with low alcohol content and no strong aftertaste. Bia Hoi is definitely a refreshing drink to have with friends after a long day’s work, and certainly a must-try when you travel in Vietnam.

Not just a drink, Bia Hoi is a way of life and it embodies the beer culture of the country. It is a common sight to see the Vietnamese at many small street corners across cities and towns consuming a cold beer at dusk. Tourist too have joined in this hobby, drinking beer and eating street food while sitting by the sidewalk in miniature plastic stools and tables. Bia Hoi is made fresh every night and gets delivered every morning to establishments in kegs. The kegs are not pressurized and have absolutely no preservatives nor carbonation added to the beer. Therefore, Bia Hoi needs to be consumed within 24 hours.

Since the alcohol content of this foamy beer is just 3%, bia hoi is exceptionally cheap – a glass of bia hoi costs less than 50 US cents (11,500 VND), with some vendors offering it for as cheap as 20 cents (5,000 VND). Thus, bia hoi is known as the cheapest beer in the world.

Bia Hoi is Vietnam’s most famous beer and iconic beer. Bia Hoi is served throughout Vietnam, particularly in North Vietnam, and has shaped a beer culture enjoyed by everyone. No matter what age you are (as long as you are of legal drinking age!), whether you are rich or poor, Vietnamese, expats, tourists etc, you will surely enjoy having a good time drinking Bia Hoi. For just a few pennies, you can enjoy the world’s not only the cheapest beer but also the freshest!

𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐁𝐢𝐚 𝐇𝐨𝐢
The history of bia hoi is much like that of the Vietnamese coffee, beef noodle soup, and banh mi pate, it began with the French colonialists – who first brought beer into Vietnam in the late 19thcentury.

Before beer, traditionally, Vietnamese drank home-brewed rice wine – ruou gao. As the first beer brewery in Hanoi was opened by the French in 1890, the beer drinking culture of Vietnam caught on quickly.

After defeating the French in 1954, Vietnam took over the beer production and tried to bring beer to the masses. To deal with the shortage of materials to make glass bottles, reusable metal kegs were utilized. As it turned out, people loved the affordable and fresh taste of bia hoi.

Today, Vietnam is one of Asia’s biggest beer-drinking countries, consuming 4,6 billion liters a year in 2019, taking per capita beer consumption to 46 liters, according to Ministry of Industry and Trade.

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐢𝐬 𝐁𝐢𝐚 𝐇𝐨𝐢 𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐢?
Unless you’ve homebrewed or have read a lot about the technical side of brewing, we’d suspect you might have question about how bia hoi is made. Fear not! Let’s us get you familiar with the process of making bia hoi in Hanoi.

From the imported barley, the state-run Hanoi Beverage Company (Habeco) starts the regular malting process involving multiple steps; steeping, germinating, and kilning. The malting process is mainly about enzymes, which initiate the process of converting starch to sugar.

The malt solution will then boiled while hops (also imported) are added to create aroma and bitterness for the beer. The beer wort will then be cooled to a temperature where fermentation can begin, provided with additional enzymes necessary for the growth of yeast.

It’s this wort that they’ll also add yeast to, which will be very happy about all that grain-based sugar and nutrients it has to eat. Once that yeast finishes its work during the cooling and fermentation, they’re left with Hanoi beer. After filtering, the beer is packaged in kegs for delivering.

𝐈𝐬 𝐈𝐭 𝐒𝐚𝐟𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐁𝐢𝐚 𝐇𝐨𝐢?
Since it’s cheap and found mostly on the street, there has been many discussions when it comes to the safety of bia hoi. We haven’t experienced any problem while drinking it, except a hangover sometimes. It’s normal as we Vietnamese are insisting on fishing a beer in one sip. It just adds up after many bottom ups!

We haven’t heard any negative experience about bia hoi from our clients neither, though there were few headaches from those who had too many bottom ups though. Hence, it’s more than enough for us to say it’s safe to drink bia hoi. However, it’s worth bearing in mind that this a street style beer.

𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐁𝐢𝐚 𝐇𝐨𝐢 𝐢𝐧 𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐢
Hanoians love drinking beer, not because of its taste, but because they’re fond of the ambiance. Every day, after finishing work from about 5 pm, they flock to favorite bia hoi restaurants to congregate on little plastic stools.

These are their best places to hang out with their best buddies, sharing a piece of gossip and putting the world to rights, all while sipping on the cold beer and enjoying tasty local foods.

Though establishments serving bia hoi are relatively basic, the food and the beer are more likely to be fresh, even fantastic if they are busy places with high turnover of customers. Here are some of the best places to drink bia hoi in Hanoi’s Old Quarter.

Bia Hoi Restaurants
Bia Hoi Hai Xom, Bia Hoi Lan Chin, Bia Hoi Viet Ha, and Bia Hoi Hanoi are names that you will see across the city, including the French Quarter. These restaurants serve mainly fresh bia hoi with Vietnamese food that can go well with beer, including boiled peanuts and steamed carp fish.

If you’re not really looking for a specific place, then these restaurants are perfect spots to taste bia hoi. Their main customers are locals, providing a unique vibe while drinking there. Be prepared to get invited by locals to their table, and you may get few beers more than expected!

Hanoi’s Beer Corner
Located in the heart of the Old Quarter, the intersection between Ta Hien and Luong Ngoc Quyen Streets (north of Hoan Kiem Lake) is known as Hanoi’s Beer Corner. It’s where you won’t see any other thing than beer, plastic chairs, and local snacks.

When darkness starts to cover the city, head towards Hanoi Old Quarter’s famous beer corner. When you reach the quintessential nightlife spot where Ta Hien Street intersects with Luong Ngoc Quyen Street, you will find Bia Hoi Corner.

Generally speaking, be there between 7 – 8 pm for the most buzzing atmosphere! However, if you want to get off the tourist track, head to one of the quieter streets.

Bia Hoi Joint at 50 Bat Dan and 2 Duong Thanh Streets
Located by the intersection between Bat Dan and Duong Thanh Streets, there are two well-known bia hoi restaurants. Their customers are mainly local, so you can definitely experience a real and authentic culture of beer drinking in Hanoi.

The majority of their clientele are the working class and people living nearby, who wants to get relaxed after a hard day at work. They usually start to eat and drink around 6 pm and stay up to 11 pm. Pho Bat Dan, one of the best pho places in town, is also a few steps away.

Well, hope this post prepares you well with bia hoi – the world’s cheapest beer, don’t miss the chance to try it when you are in Hanoi. Join Flavors of Hanoi’s peronal foodie tour guide on our daily walking Hanoi food tour, and explore the best of what the city has to offer.

07/11/2023

𝐒𝐮𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐞 𝐉𝐮𝐢𝐜𝐞
This information will prove incredibly beneficial for your journey through Vietnam, especially since sugarcane juice ranks among the top Vietnamese beverages, making it a must-try. So, are you ready to uncover the secret to staying refreshingly cool in the tropical heat?

How Do Vietnamese People Buy Sugarcane Juice?
Sugarcane juice holds a cherished place among Vietnam's favorite beverages, and it's typically served ice-cold. Thanks to its refreshing qualities, you can find it available at almost every corner throughout Vietnam, particularly on hot and humid days. However, locating this beverage during the winter months can be more challenging, especially in the northern region.

The primary purveyors of this non-alcoholic delight in Vietnam are street vendors and roadside stalls. It's a common practice for locals to make a quick stop, purchase a cup of sugarcane juice, and continue on their way. While many places specialize exclusively in sugarcane juice, some also offer it alongside other cooling beverages.

Additionally, you may come across sugarcane juice in cafes, juice bars, and occasionally in restaurants. Nevertheless, most Vietnamese individuals view freshly pressed sugarcane juice as an affordable and convenient drink to enjoy on the go, so consuming it in a formal dining setting might appear somewhat extravagant.

A Closer Look At Vietnamese Sugarcane Juice
Vietnam stands out as one of the world's major sugarcane producers, cultivating various sugarcane cultivars across the country. Consequently, the characteristics of sugarcane juice can vary from region to region.

However, in general, Vietnamese sugarcane juice exhibits a vibrant golden hue tinged with hints of dark green. Over time, as it undergoes oxidation, the color gradually deepens, taking on a more brownish tone.

Authentic Vietnamese sugarcane juice should also possess a certain opaqueness. Clear-looking sugarcane juice often indicates heavy dilution and tends to be less flavorful. Additionally, a distinguishing feature of high-quality sugarcane juice in Vietnam is the presence of a white foam atop the beverage, a characteristic that is exclusive to freshly prepared drinks. The thickness of this foam serves as an indicator of the juice's delectability, with thicker foam being associated with more flavorful juice.

Vietnamese Sugarcane Juice: A Dance Of Flavors
Sugarcane juice in Vietnam offers a distinctive flavor profile, characterized by a deep sweetness underscored by grassy notes and subtle hints of green fruits. While it naturally possesses a sweet taste, some street vendors may enhance its sweetness by adding extra white sugar.

In Vietnam, pure sugarcane juice is a popular choice, but locals often infuse it with other ingredients to elevate its flavor. Traditional options include kumquat juice and salt, which impart a delightful blend of tanginess and spiciness to the beverage.

The combination of sugarcane juice and kumquat juice enjoys immense popularity in Northern Vietnam, with locals holding it in high regard, leaving little room for other variations to compete.

For those seeking a more complex and diverse flavor experience, many Vietnamese vendors offer sugarcane juice infused with roasted peanuts, jelly, mung beans, or coconut milk. These innovative concoctions are more readily available in Southern Vietnam compared to other regions.

Fresh fruits also serve as favored toppings for local sugarcane juice, with jackfruits and pineapples being common choices. However, adventurous food enthusiasts can explore creamy durian-blended sugarcane juice, an exotic delicacy that has gained popularity in the Southern region.

Whether you're in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, or My Tho (Tien Giang Province), you'll find a wealth of delightful sugarcane-based beverages to savor in Vietnam.

Health Benefits
Sugarcane juice is low in fats, sodium, and cholesterol, making it a healthy choice. It's rich in essential nutrients like vitamin C, fiber, antioxidants, and various minerals, including potassium, zinc, calcium, and magnesium.

These nutritional qualities contribute to its antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties, benefiting organs like the liver, kidneys, and digestive system. Additionally, sugarcane juice can help improve skin conditions such as acne, promoting a radiant appearance.

However, it's important to note that this beverage is high in sugar and calories. While it provides a quick energy boost, individuals with diabetes should exercise caution when consuming it.

Sugar cane is a cool, sweet and favorite drink. In terms of nutritional value, sugarcane contant about 70% of sugar, there are proteins, fats, many minerals, vitamins and about 30 kinds of organic acids. In addition, sugarcane is also a good medicine used by people for a long time.

According to Oriental medicine, sugarcane juice tastes cool, works for cooling, refreshing, detoxifying, sputum, antiemetic, treating fever.

22/10/2023

𝐕𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐆𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐑𝐢𝐜𝐞 - 𝐗𝐨𝐢
Wandering around Hanoi's streets early in the morning, travelers can easily catch sight of a scrum of people gathering at a corner, waiting impatiently. Move a closer step, we can realize in the middle of the crowd, sits a woman with a small basket, continuously serving some strange food onto the banana leaf. That is “Xoi”- one of the most popular Vietnamese " Fast Food"

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐗𝐨𝐢
“Xoi”; or “glutinous rice”, “sweet rice”, “sticky rice” in English; can be found in many Asian dishes, especially in the South East Asia areas. To cook “xoi”, Vietnamese often soak the glutinous rice for around four hours until the grains have absorbed enough water. Then, the rice will be drained and steamed dry so that the grains can remain as the whole, soft but not mushy, sticking together in a lump.

Sometimes people can also make “xoi” using electric rice cooker, with the same method when cooking regular rice. However, the grain will break down under the direct heat, becoming glue-like and soggy.

“Xoi” can be eaten at any time of the day, but typically, Vietnamese often choose it as a cheap and scrumptious dish for their morning meal.

“Xoi” plays an essential role in Vietnamese’s life, which is an indispensable dish in many rituals. On Tet Holiday the Lunar New Year in Vietnam), every family will cook "Xoi Gac" sticky rice with momordica, with the belief that its appealing red color will bring good luck to this whole new year. Students also have mung bean “xoi” on the day before the test in the hope of passing with high scores, and avoid peanut “xoi” for fear of misunderstanding the requirements of the test ( in Vietnamese, mung bean means “do”- passing”, and peanut means “lac”- misunderstanding).

𝐕𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐭𝐲𝐩𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐗𝐨𝐢
From one main white plain “xoi”, there are nearly hundreds variations have been created. Normally, sticky rice can be steamed together with other seeds like mung bean (black and red mung bean are also included), corn, peanut, etc.

As many other Vietnamese street food, “xoi” is a “enjoy it in your own way” cuisine, because one is free to eat with whatever he wants according to his personal taste!

For breakfast, people usually eat “xoi” with “ruoc” - stringy, salty dried pork; “muoi vung” - salty sesame and peanut; or even with only deep fried shallots and a tablespoon of vegetable oil. It will cost around 0.3-0.5 USD for a simple set of “xoi”. Others may serve their “xoi” with braised egg, braised pork, ‘”lap xuong”- Chinese-like sausage, “gio cha”- Vietnamese pork pies, or chicken breast, chicken drumstick; but the price will be higher, from 0.7 USD up to even 2.5 USD.

Different areas have various kinds of “xoi” with distinct taste. In the mountainous area of Northern Vietnam, the ethnic minority are very proud of their "Five-color Xoi". “Xoi” is cooked with special local herbs which originate the colors of red, black, purple, and yellow. No food coloring using, all are natural and good for your health.

Hanoi, the capital, is famous for its “Xoi com”- “young green sticky rice”, a delicacy that is made only in autumn. Together with white coconut, the grains are so sweetly scent that it will leave a lasting flavor. In Southern Vietnam, coconut milk and panda leaves are also added, which makes “xoi” a sweet dessert fitting perfectly for supper.

𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐗𝐨𝐢
Most of the time, “xoi” can be purchased in small roadside vendors in the morning. Let’s come back with the sight of the woman selling “xoi” on the street that we have just seen. Everything she needs for her vendor is s bamboo basket fully packed with “xoi” (which is kept warm by a thin blanket) and some small bottles containing “ruoc”, “muoi vung”, deep fried shallot...to fulfill all the demands of the customers. Most of the sellers will sit at the same place every day, normally in front of school or office gate, or in corner of the streets. Customers will come, calling down orders and they will be served within three minutes. Yes, only three minutes, that is the reason why “xoi” is considered one of Vietnamese fast food!

Watching people buying “xoi” in the street is far more than interesting. The seller is in the middle, with all the customers standing around, waiting for their turn. Customers can check on their portion while the seller serve, noticing whether the seller diminishes the size of the portion or not, or trying to have more “xoi” with the same price. They express their requirements directly with “extra this”, “no no no not so much of that”, and the sellers magically always meet their satisfaction.

A portion of “xoi” is often thrice-wrapped, with one layer of banana leaf, another layer of recycle paper or old newspaper, and one plastic bag covered outside; so as to keep it warm while eating.

Some contains corn while the other peanuts. Some is colored by black beans while others flavoured with salted seasame seeds. “Xoi” is one of the most filling options for a meal and the price is hardly over 1 USD. It is served hot or cold, wrapped in banana leaf or plastic cover.

Most Vietnamese have “xoi” for breakfast and all local markets will have at least one lady with some baskets selling this specialty. While the presence of “xoi” in local market seems permanence, more and more restaurant is specializing in “xoi” and others attempt to include “xoi” in their menu. If you visit Vietnam, try “xoi” for any of your meal to feel the fragrance of lotus or mung beans and to enjoy Vietnamese rice in an off-the-beaten-path way.

Hanoi Street Food With Locals

22/03/2025

19/07/2024

02/03/2024

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07/11/2023

07/11/2023

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