I first went to Vietnam before I worked at Cafe Hanoi. Since running the kitchen there, I've been three more times and I'll go again in August. Relaxing in Hanoi's Old Quarter on the side of the street, eating and drinking, is my favourite thing to do. You immerse yourself in the culture that way, because food is such a big part of Vietnamese culture. And you can feel the history in the buildings around you.
As soon as I get off the plane, I get a banh mi from an old lady with a stall on a street corner. It comes in a baguette, with pate, grilled pork, coriander and chilli. It's all about the bread; it's made with rice flour and wheat flour, which gives it the crunch on the outside and chewiness in the middle. It's delicious and costs $1.90.
When I was in Ho Chi Minh in August, I ended up at a place called Oc Oanh, a seafood restaurant well off the tourist track. All the seafood was cooked twice on open charcoal grills on the side of the street. The grilled octopus was the best I have ever had, so tender and smoky.
