21st December 2015 Hanoi VIETNAM

This morning we had an early start at 8.30 for a Street Food Experience.

Unfortunately our mucker Mandy has a slightly dodgy tum (AKA Galloping Knob Rot) and as we are on the overnight train tonight wisely decided to forego the street food just in case !
As we all look out for each other in such cases - we left her and went on the do the food tour.

We were advised not to have breakfast so Paul just had a light one of bacon eggs, toast and Steve a round of bacon sandwiches….they were soon to regret it !

We were collected by a fast talking chippy little South Vietnamese foodie called Tu who was fantastic and knew everything about Vietnamese street food.  Sadly, he looked just like Gok Wan

We started off with BBQ pork and sticky rice along with Bang Than Diu a yummy noodle dish – odd for breakfast but really delicious. We were told how to make sure our chopsticks were clean and how to make sure that things were boiling and freshly cooked.

Our next stop was up a dark and dingy stairwell into a tiny dark smoky room where we were sat on tiny stools and given Egg coffee to try which turned out to be the most delicious creamy cappuccino type, sweet and yummy. We also had Vietnamese coffee which was strong but lovely.

Next stop was crab spring rolls wrapped in rice paper and freshly fried in front of us. They were served with a fish dipping sauce with garlic and pickles and were just delicious.

Then on to the tea stop where we had lemon ice tea to clear our palates 
before having dessert of tapioca and banana cream. By this time we were having trouble hoisting ourselves off the small stools and it was still only 10am 

If we remember one thing from out 12 course food tour, it was egg coffee - fantastic

Next stop a tour of the food market where everything you can imagine is on sale. Everything is brought in freshly slaughtered or alive, we saw fish, chickens and rabbits all alive waiting to be sold. The butchers stalls had every kind of meat you could imagine and Tu told us that they prepare everything for you once you tell them what you want to cook with it whether it is meat, fish, fowl or vegetable. Just fascinating.

On then for our next stop which was noodle soup with pork, by this time we were really struggling to eat everything and Paul was regretting his breakfast !

Last stop was for Prawn fritters on a stall that makes only them and has done for 22 years. They were just delicious and despite being full Paul & Janette managed to stuff most of them down. Steve bowed out of this one as they had whole small prawns with heads, eyes etc. on the outside.

Back to the hotel to lie down and rest our stomachs !!

Images for the Vietnamese Food Tour.  Interesting locations that you would never have chosen unless with an expert food guide.

You might be thinking that Vietnam has good food and for the record, its probably the best food we had anywhere ever in all of our travels.  We were all VN food converts by the time we left the country

 Janette is used to working in high quality kitchens

Locals and us - all having a cup of egg coffee

Easy to read menus were a great help

Typical kitchen on our food tour - as the guide ensured that everything was cooked fresh, not one of us became ill

Sea Worms - yum yum...no we didnt have any

 Pig trottors about to be fried -I prefer Salt and Vinegar !!

Rest of today is packing and sorting out before our overnight train trip up to Sapa in the far North near the Chinese border…….were going to be very cold