Oc Di Tu has a variety of snails and seafood prepared in its own style, known to many diners before Michelin experts suggested it.
Oc Di Tu, at 144 Quan Thanh, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi, is one of five snail restaurants recommended by Michelin inspectors in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in January. The restaurant is located between two famous tourist attractions, Hang Dau post and Quan Thanh temple, one of the four passes protecting Thang Long citadel (Thang Long Tu Tran), and is open from 10am to 10:30pm daily.
The restaurant’s menu mainly consists of dishes made from Vietnamese sea and freshwater snails such as apple snails, fragrant snails, len snails, moon snails, and tiger snails. In addition, the restaurant also has seafood dishes such as shrimp, crab, oysters, squid, and octopus. Seafood and snails are imported from coastal areas near Hanoi such as Quang Ninh, Hai Phong, Thanh Hoa and are kept fresh until processing.
Grilled snails or snails with butter and coconut sauce are the restaurant's bestsellers. The most popular dish among customers is the salted egg snails (pictured), said Nguyen Thu Thuy, the restaurant manager.
According to Michelin inspectors, the snail dish prepared with fried green onions and garlic is also one of the dishes that diners should not miss when coming here.
The prices of the dishes at the restaurant vary depending on the weight and size of each dish. According to Ms. Thuy, on average each diner pays about 200,000 VND to enjoy the restaurant's best-selling dishes. Going in a large group will be cheaper.
Ms. Thuy said the restaurant opened in mid-2016. In addition to locals and domestic customers, foreign customers also came to the restaurant to enjoy snails and seafood dishes before being recommended by Michelin.
American tourist Catherine (in blue shirt), who came to Hanoi on a tour since February 1, said she liked the lively, comfortable atmosphere at the restaurant. She was especially impressed with the "various types of snails prepared in new ways and at low prices."
Gia Han (red shirt) said she knew about the restaurant for about a year, before it was recommended by Michelin. Although she doesn't come to the restaurant often, whenever she wants to eat snails, Oc Di Tu is her first choice because the ingredients are fresh, clean, and suitable for her taste. Han suggests that diners should enjoy grilled oysters with cheese, clams with Thai sauce, and snails with salted egg sauce.
During peak hours around 6:30pm - 8pm, the restaurant takes advantage of the sidewalk space in front of the door to add tables and chairs to serve customers. Nearly 20 tables and chairs are arranged in an area of about 30 square meters, the small space and large number of customers inevitably make it crowded and noisy.
During busy times, the staff works at full capacity with 6 kitchens, but customers still have to wait in line to order. For the best experience, customers should come to the restaurant before 6pm. After 9pm, the restaurant often runs out of ingredients, and customers do not have many choices.
Article and photos: Quynh Mai - Vnexpress.net
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