Must Try Summer Street Food in Hanoi (Part 2)

Sweat trickles down your back as summer knocks at the door here in Hanoi. Nothing is sweeter for this kind of sweltering summer than a cold glass of “Chè”, tasty ice cream. Just to name a few. Discover here part 2 of Hanoi’s must try street food in the summer hidden away in a very small places, or on really narrow side streets and alley ways.

Caramen (Caramel Pudding)

Caramen contains of custard dessert with a shining and smooth layer of soft caramel on top. It is a sweet treat brought to Vietnam by the French. Not only the visualization of the pudding is impressive, once you take a scoop, you are urged to take another and many other scoops follow. This treat is also available in a variety of options and could be mixed with fermented violet sticky rice, fruits or jelly. All of these are worth to try, but in the end nothing beats the original taste of plain Caramen.

Address: 29 Hang Than Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi.

Hoa Qua Dam (Mixed Fruit Dessert)

 
If you want to go for a healthy alternative, you might want to try Hoa Qua Dam. It is a colorful fruit dessert which basically contains many types of fruit put in a bowl or glass mixed with condensed and coconut milk. Additionally, a separate bowl of shaved ice is served to create a cold and milky mix. Particular types of fruits differ according to the season, you know you have got a good treat if a lot of fruit such as avocado, custard apple, golden melon, jackfruit and watermelon are mixed in it.

Address: 17 To Tich Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi.

Nom (Salad)

There are many types of Vietnamese salad with different combinations and together it harmonizes in flavor to create a fresh dish. Each Nom has a distinctive taste, but in general the sourness is pure and the sweetness is very pleasant. The ingredients usually include garlic, mixing peanuts, raw vegetables, chili and spices. The most well-known salads are Nom Hoa Chuoi (Banana Flower Salad), Nom Sua (Jellyfish Salad, Nom Xoai (Green Mango Salad) and Nom Bo Kho (Mixed Dry Beef and Papaya Salad).

Address: 30 Cua Bac Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi.

Pho Cuon (Pho Rolls)

Pho Cuon has become very popular in Hanoi in the past few years, especially around the Truch Back lake area. Rumor has it that it is the place where it was invented first. Although it has similar ingredients as Pho Bo, the tasting is much more different than the soup. Remarkably, they are served cold. It is made out of rice noodles layers and is used as a tortilla to wrap some thin slices of beef, herbs and vegetables together. As they are kind of under-seasoned a small bowl of sweetened dipping fish sauce come together with this dish.

Address: 35 Nguyen Khac Hieu Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi.

Sua Chua Mit (Yoghurt with Jack Fruit)

Lately, a Vietnamese dessert which is very popular amongst the locals is mixed Yogurt with Jack Fruit. Besides being super tasty it is good for your skin too! The combination between these ingredients create an outstanding flavor when savoring. Sua Chua Mit Ba Trieu is one of the most favored food stalls in Hanoi. One of the reason is due its crunchy and sweet taste of jack fruit mixed with the cool and sour yogurt. Moreover, the dish itself is invented by the stall owner. That is why this place has a unique taste compared to Sua Chua Mit in other places.

Address: 22 Ba Trieu Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi.

Tra Da (Iced Tea)

Pronounced as ‘Cha Da’ and is commonly sold at street vendors which is not that difficult to be noticed and can be quickly found almost everywhere. A simple drink consisting of tea with ice. They are located in front of the gate of bus terminals, schools, train stations, offices or some corners in quiet alleys. Locals usually go to wait for their friends or to have some rest in short breaks. It connects people as it is a place where you are able share stories, hence strangers become friends.

Address: Nha Tho Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi.

The summer street food in Hanoi can be overwhelming with its mix of smell and tastes, but it is one of the flavorful, freshest and healthiest dishes in the world and worth trying.