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  • 1. 40-year-old sticky rice ice cream and Thai dessert shop in Giang Vo
  • 2. Three sisters' mixed fruit stall on Thai Phien street
  • 3. Donut shop lined up in Lac Long Quan
  • 4. Shrimp cake shop at Dong Xuan market
  • 5. Dried beef salad shop on Hoan Kiem Lake Street

1. 40-year-old sticky rice ice cream and Thai dessert shop in Giang Vo

Located in an old apartment building in Giang Vo (Ba Dinh district) with a menu of only 3 dishes, the sticky rice ice cream - Thai sweet soup shop of 90-year-old lady Duong Thi An is a familiar dining address for many generations of diners in the capital.

The sticky rice ice cream here has the traditional flavor of Thai cuisine, not modified like many other shops. The sticky rice grains are soft, fragrant with the smell of rice mixed with the aroma of pandan leaves. The vanilla ice cream is homemade by Mrs. An's family, smooth and soft, without any ice flakes.

The sticky rice ice cream and Thai dessert shop of an elderly woman in her 90s in Giang Vo is a familiar snacking spot for many Hanoi diners. Photo: Kim Ngan

Besides sticky rice ice cream, Thai dessert here is also loved by many diners.

The dessert only has pureed mung beans, sago seeds, fresh coconut, coconut milk, "worm" jelly or "shell" dough balls but is still popular with many customers.

Sticky rice ice cream and Thai dessert shop opens from 10:30 to 21:30.

2. Three sisters' mixed fruit stall on Thai Phien street

The mango, green plum, and guava salad stall of Ms. Vu Thi Loan's three sisters located at the beginning of lane 25 Thai Phien street (Hai Ba Trung district) is also one of the delicious and cheap snack shops in Hanoi that is always crowded with customers.

This stall has existed for more than 20 years because Ms. Loan's three sisters make their own recipes and take turns selling them.

Accordingly, the secret to the restaurant's high sales lies in fresh fruit. "I choose the freshest, most delicious fruit, not crushed, not too ripe so that when pickled, it still retains its crunchy texture," said Ms. Loan.

The fruit salad stall of the three Loan sisters on Thai Phien street attracts customers to buy snacks. Photo: Kim Ngan

In addition to mangoes, green plums, and guavas, she also sells seasonal fruits such as pineapples, peaches, plums, and star fruit.

According to diners, the fruits here are mixed with spices to taste very well, permeated, and retain the crunchiness, sourness, sweetness, saltiness, and spiciness in harmony. The mango and green plum pieces are cut quite large.

The shop opens from 9am to late afternoon. Mixed fruit here costs 5,000 VND/tael.

3. Donut shop lined up in Lac Long Quan

Located in alley 242 Lac Long Quan (Tay Ho district), Vong Thi salty fried cake shop has been a favorite dining address for many Hanoi diners for decades.

The fried cake shop in Lac Long Quan is a famous and crowded dining spot. Photo: Minh Khoi

The restaurant serves sweet and savory donuts. The savory donuts cost VND9,000 each, the sweet donuts cost VND6,000 each - quite high compared to other restaurants.

However, diners are delighted by the cakes here with full fillings and attractive dipping sauce...

Previously, each customer would be given a ticket with a number written on it and only when the owner called out the number would they be able to enjoy the cake. However, now customers do not need to take a number anymore, they just need to wait in line.

4. Shrimp cake shop at Dong Xuan market

In the alley of Dong Xuan market (Hoan Kiem district), Mrs. Am's shrimp cake is the most popular snack address.

Here, the cake flour is not only made of wheat flour and tapioca starch, but is mixed in the right proportion with eggs and turmeric powder, beaten until smooth and supple, then julienned sweet potatoes are added.

The shrimp is carefully selected by Ms. Pham Thi Am (born in 1965) - the owner of the restaurant - to ensure that when fried, it is still fresh, the meat is sweet and firm.

Shrimp cakes are more delicious when eaten hot, because when dipped in sweet and sour sauce, the cakes still retain their crunchiness. Photo: Kim Ngan

At the restaurant, each portion of shrimp cake will be served with sweet and sour dipping sauce, papaya and carrot salad and raw vegetables.

The shop opens twice a day, 10:30-1:00 p.m. and 3:00-5:30 p.m., with the busiest times being around noon and around 4:00 p.m.

5. Dried beef salad shop on Hoan Kiem Lake Street

Located on Hoan Kiem Lake Street - the shortest culinary street in Hanoi, the traditional dried beef salad restaurant of Ms. Dinh Thi Hanh's family has been a popular dining spot for many years.

The traditional salad here is made from many ingredients such as shredded papaya, herbs, dried beef, char siu beef, thinly sliced ​​ground beef, beef tendon, fried spleen...

The ingredients are simple and easy to find but require careful selection and preparation.

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Dried beef salad is a delicious and cheap snack in Hanoi that is loved by many diners. Photo: Thao Trinh

In addition to the above ingredients, the spicy and sour dressing is also considered the "soul" of this dried beef salad. The dressing is made from familiar spices such as soy sauce, chili, lemon, sugar... in a special ratio and recipe, completely without using fish sauce.

A serving of dried beef salad costs 40,000 VND. Diners can order other side dishes such as roasted bird, fried spring rolls, sour spring rolls...

The shop is open from 9am to 11pm, busiest between 4pm and 5pm.

Western tourists try a specialty that few people dare to eat in the Northwest, praise it as delicious as ice cream . Having the courage to taste a "rare" specialty that not everyone dares to eat in the Northwest, the Western tourist praised the dish as soft, succulent and fatty.