Giang Yen Phu, the place to find the old 'flavor' of egg coffee

Giang Yen Phu Coffee Shop, opened by Mr. Nguyen Van Giang's son, is a place where many people come to find the "flavor" of Hang Gai egg coffee of the past.

In Hanoi, Giang Coffee is known as one of the "four pillars of coffee" in the early period of Hanoi with the phrase Nhan - Nhi - Di - Giang. Giang is also the cradle of egg coffee, a popular drink that uses egg yolk instead of milk. To date, egg coffee has become a specialty of Hanoi.

Giang's egg coffee has become a popular specialty of Hanoi. — *Giang egg coffee - a popular specialty of Hanoi.*

The first Giang Coffee Shop in Hanoi was opened by Mr. Nguyen Van Giang in 1946 on Cau Go Street. However, through many ups and downs of the country, Mr. Giang had to stop selling coffee for a while. It was not until the opening of the economy (after 1986) that the shop reopened on Hang Gai Street.

After Mr. Giang passed away, his children continued their father's career and opened two Giang coffee shops. Mr. Nguyen Tri Hoa, the youngest son, opened a shop at 39 Nguyen Huu Huan. since 2007. This is a famous address for many domestic and foreign tourists when mentioning Hanoi egg coffee.

Mr. Giang's second son, Mr. Nguyen Tri Duc, opened a restaurant at 106 Yen Phu in 2006. Although not as famous as Nguyen Huu Huan, Giang Yen Phu is a familiar address for local people.

The shop is located on Yen Phu street, one floor, bright facade, airy outdoor space, shaded by green trees. The indoor space is about 20 square meters with about 6, 7 sets of low wooden tables and chairs typical of the old shop. Currently, the shop is managed by Mr. Nguyen Van Quyet (38 years old) and Mr. Nguyen Van Kien (45 years old), Mr. Duc's son, Mr. Giang's grandson.

Since its opening, the shop has continued to serve in the traditional way, aiming for intimacy and simplicity. No music is played, the sound in the shop is a mixture of customers' conversations. Although only using fans, the shop is still cool due to the open space. The low chairs are old but sturdy, arranged next to the wall with some pictures of the old Giang cafe in Hang Gai. There are no outstanding highlights, no virtual check-in corners, but customers still come every day.

*The front of Giang Coffee shop at 106 Yen Phu.*

The restaurant’s customers are mostly long-time regulars, mostly middle-aged locals. The restaurant has also welcomed celebrities, domestic and foreign tourist groups, and served food fairs and events at centers and establishments in Hanoi, said Mr. Quyet, the restaurant’s owner.

Giang Yen Phu's menu is similar to Nguyen Huu Huan's with the famous egg coffee and new variations of egg coffee such as green bean egg, matcha egg, cocoa egg, rum egg and most recently egg beer. Prices range from 30,000 to 60,000 VND per cup.

These drinks basically have a layer of light yellow egg foam on top, with the bottom being traditionally brewed coffee or green bean powder, cocoa, matcha as requested. The egg yolks are beaten smooth as velvet, sweet and fatty, with no fishy smell. Use a spoon to stir from the bottom up to see the green and brown powder mixed into the smooth foam.

The original flavor of egg coffee is the sweet, fatty taste of chicken eggs, combined with a little sugar to soften the bitterness of the coffee. When mixed with other powders, the traditional flavor of egg coffee blends with the aroma of green beans, cocoa or matcha, creating a new feeling. However, egg coffee is still the best-selling dish at the shop, Mr. Quyet said.

The difference of egg coffee at Giang Yen Phu is that "we make it as soon as customers order". "The eggs must be served immediately after being beaten, otherwise they will become fishy and runny. Because the number of customers is not too large during the first and middle of the week, I beat each cup, so the eggs will be fresh and smooth. On weekends, holidays, when there are many customers, or when there is a rush, I beat eggs in large quantities", said Mr. Quyet.

Mr. Bui Huu Ky (49 years old, Hanoi), has been drinking egg coffee since he was a high school student, when Mr. Giang was still running a shop in Hang Gai. Having been to Giang Yen Phu for more than 10 years, based on his experiences, he commented that "each shop has a different style. If Nguyen Huu Huan is the place that brings egg coffee to many domestic and foreign tourists, Yen Phu is the place that serves Hanoians, giving them a feeling of closeness and familiarity".

There are still groups of domestic and foreign tourists coming to the shop to enjoy egg coffee.

Mr. Bui Huu Ky, a regular customer of Giang Coffee when the shop was still on Hang Gai, has been there for more than 30 years.

The shop's egg coffee is characterized by a cup of coffee placed in a bowl of hot water to keep it warm.

Egg cocoa, one of the variations of egg coffee.

The restaurant is a familiar address for local people.

Mr. Ky said that perhaps because he is from Hanoi, he often sits at Yen Phu. Although both shops are noisy and crowded, they have different characteristics. Giang Nguyen Huu Huan is the crowdedness of a tourist destination, while Giang Yen Phu is the noisy sounds of daily life, the sound of passing vehicles, the cries of street vendors, and the old stories of elderly customers.

After nearly 80 years, Giang Coffee has become a long-standing famous brand in the heart of the capital. Giang's egg coffee was once recommended by the American television channel CNN as one of the 5 specialties that tourists should try when coming to Hanoi. And for the people of the capital, Giang is a place to find an "old Hanoi" with a popular snack from their childhood.

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