Hanoi develops culinary tourism

Bun cha (grilled pork with vermicelli) is a delicacy for any tourist to Hanoi

Original food culture

Hanoi’s food culture is an original trait of the capital that has attracted every visitor. The delicacies were mentioned in Writer Thach Lam’s “Ha Noi‘s 36 Streets” book, including banh cuon (rice flour rolls), bun rieu (crab rice noodles), bun oc (snail rice noodles), bun cha (grilled pork with vermicelli), com Vong (Vong green rice), banh tom (shrimp cakes) and especially pho (rice noodle soup with beef or chicken).

Hanoi’s food is seasonally characterized.

In spring, people feel like tasting a bowl of snail rice noodles in one of restaurants around the West Lake or a bowl of vermicelli and chicken soup. In summer, they prefer to have a bowl of cooked dracontomelon duperreanum fruit and rib; while green rice and bananas and green rice cake are typical foods for autumn. Finally in winter, people usually look for baked sweet potatoes and corn.

Possessing a variety of delicacies, Hanoi was ranked first among 16-top cuisine cities in the world by the UK-based Telegraph Company. Telegraph said that Barack Obama was treated to US$6 Kebab rice noodles in Hanoi by culinary expert Anthony Bourdain and he surely appreciated the potential in the city’s cuisine.

Philip Kotler, father of modern marketing, once suggested that Vietnam strive to become a global kitchen, focusing on Hanoi.

Attracting tourists with food culture

Do Dinh Hong, Director of the Hanoi Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism considers Hanoi’s delicacies as a collection of common foods. However, the ingredients of every delicacy are delicately mixed with the intention of bringing diners specific tastes. Some spice vegetables are often used in these delicacies including onion, garlic and pepper. Raw materials for these delicacies are carefully selected to ensure the freshness and nutrients. All that helps make Hanoi’s delicacies tasteful, nutritious and attractive to tourists.

To promote these delicacies, Hanoi set up a food street named Tong Duy Tan, and a food lane named Hang Bong (or Cam Chi). Visiting Tong Duy Tan Street, tourists may have a chance to taste rice flour rolls, cooked chicken and herbs, rice noodle soup with beef or chicken, vermicelli and chicken soup and several other countryside dishes.

In recent years, restaurants located in the old quarter including such streets like Ta Hien, Ma May, Dong Xuan and Cau Go have increasingly attracted tourists who came not only to dine but also to experience the atmosphere of local cuisine.

To help Hanoi consolidate its footprint in the global cuisine map, the Hanoi Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism plans to organize a series of local culinary events including the Street Food Festival, which is scheduled to take place near the West Lake, and the Hanoi Craft Village Festival which is held every October. During these events, Hanoi will strive to introduce local specialties to visitors.

Thanh Tam