Hanoi will create extra walking streets next month for pedestrians to enjoy the Old Quarter while promoting culture and culinary delights of the 1,000-year-old city.
The streets Hang Buom, Hang Giay, Luong Ngoc Quyen, Ma May, Dao Duy Tu and Ta Hien will join those already closed to traffic in the evening, Hang Dao and Dong Xuan.
"We aim to tap the strong points of these streets for tourism including century-old food dishes such as cha ca (grilled fish) and pho (noodle soup)," said Nguyen Quoc Hung, deputy director of the Hanoi Department of Transport.
Kim Eun-hee, a visitor from the Republic of Korea said visiting Hanoi and discovering the Old Quarter and its eating-places was a dream come true for her and her friends.
Kim said she had wanted to visit the Old Quarter for a long time and finally got the chance when she was invited to a wedding in Hanoi.
Cha Ca La Vong restaurant is one of her picks to visit, though it was famous for just one dish.
"After reading the contents of a little book on the plane, I decided that Cha Ca La Vong would have to be one of my first destinations upon arriving in Hanoi," Kim said.
"Cha Ca La Vong turned out to be a veritable Hanoi institution," she said, adding that it was a must-visit place if you enjoy different tastes on your travels.
Restaurant owner Doan Nguyen said the Doan family was said to have invented the dish and had been churning out cha ca at 14 Cha Ca street for more than a century.
Seated at a table by the window, the guests were given cool towels to wipe off the characteristic Hanoi sweat; the waiter also brought a laminated card that stated the restaurant only served fish and that one serving would cost 120,000 VND per person.
A plate of vermicelli rice noodles, a bowl and a set of chopsticks arrived and in the middle of the table platters of scallions, roasted peanuts, Vietnamese coriander and bowls of shrimp paste called mam tom garnished with slices of chilli pepper.
Kim said she added everything to the fish, scallion and dill mixture – lots of peanuts, a few sprigs of coriander, and a large spoonful of the mam tom – stirred it all together and took a bite.
"It was piping hot and I had to wait until my mouth cooled down in order to appreciate the delicate balance of the flavours," Kim said.
"The flaky white fish was perfectly seasoned with what one diner thought must be turmeric or saffron; the fresh dill and coriander gave it an earthy taste while the crunchy peanuts gave it texture.
"After we finished our second pan of fish and polished off all of the trimmings, we sat back completely satisfied."
The shop owners said of the ingredients: two drops of an essence extracted from the scent gland of the ca cuong (beetle) which has made the Doan family's cha ca recipe such a success for more than a century.
"The dish was so tasty and delicious I will tell my family members and friends to come here to enjoy it. It was unforgettable," said Kim.
Belgian businessman, Daniel Vanhoute who has visited Vietnam many times, said he never missed a trip to Hanoi's Old Quarter to enjoy the small streets, tube houses and bustling business.
"I become a pho addict whenever I am in Hanoi," said Vanhoute, adding that Vietnamese pho is a "world phenomenon".
"I often eat pho from a vendor near my house for its taste and convenience." Pho is one of Hanoi's iconic dishes. Few people in the capital haven't sat down to a bowl of the steaming noodle soup, with beef, chicken or tripe chunks floating in it – perfect to ward away the winter chills.
Late writer Nguyen Tuan wrote pho first appeared in Hanoi in the early 20th century, made with beef. It has since evolved into tens of different varieties.
Anh Tuyet, a cooking teacher and the owner of one of the oldest houses in Ma May street and a seventh generation Hanoian, said she has been handed down the cooking art from her ancestors.
Tuyet said she has trained hundreds of foreigners to cook.
"My students are particularly interested in preparing traditional Vietnamese dishes such as rieu cua (crab soup), bun thang (vermicelli soup with chicken, pork and egg), and different sorts of sticky rice," said Tuyet, adding that it took her students about two months to learn to cook the dishes well.
Tuyet said her reward was when she saw dishes carrying the Anh Tuyet trademark being presented at luxury restaurants in New York and many other capitals.
Meanwhile, Frank Muller from Germany, who has been working in Vietnam for years, welcomed the opening of more streets for pedestrians only, saying he liked going to the night market with his Vietnamese girlfriend.
"We come to the market not for buying things but to discover the quarter by night and enjoy the fine art and handicrafts performances, particularly traditional arts such as cheo (traditional opera) and ca tru (ceremonial singing)," Muller said.
He said the Old Quarter is very special: not magnificent but very attractive.
"Very few countries in the world have a 1,000-year- old area like Hanoi. What I most remember about it is the small streets with bustling souvenir shops and special dishes," he said.
The 3km market is located along the centre of the Old Quarter stretching past ancient houses and dead end streets from Hang Dao to Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square.
The market opens from 6.30pm every Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Student Hoang Thi Tam said she and her friends like going to the night market to buy things because prices are affordable and more importantly there is "no bargaining".
Hang Buom street resident Nguyen Thanh Thuy said it was a nice idea to create pedestrian areas where she and other residents could escape from the noise and gas emissions.
"I think authorities should also arrange parking lots to avoid disrupting residents' trading activities," she said.
Nguyen Van Han, 80, of Hang Ma street, said Hanoi's Old Quarter is the busiest business area in the capital.
Some streets carry the name of items or goods produced or sold in the street, which was why their names often start with Hang (commodity), Han said.
A number of them, such as Hang Ma, Hang Tre, and Hang Thiec, are still selling their traditional items while many others have changed to focus on other businesses such as tourism promotion.
Han said five or six generations of his family have produced and sold votive papers for worship and death anniversaries.
"Now we still sell these items but my neighbours sell toys," said Han.
A group of travellers from the US came to visit his stall. The group's leader, James Rhode, who has been in Hanoi many times, said his friends had asked him to guide them on a tour of the capital.
"The Old Quarter is one of our must-see destinations. Its culture, history and food are very attractive," said Rhode.
He said his group had visited the old house at 87 Ma May street which had been built in the 19th century with traditional architecture: open air in the middle surrounded by rooms. The first floor at the front is used to sell goods, while the inside was where the goods were produced. The rear of the house is where the kitchen and toilet are located.
The second floor is the worshipping place plus a guest room and bedroom.
The house was repaired and protected as a national heritage in 1999 and is now a tourist attraction.
"Apart from cultural and historical sites in the Old Quarter, we also wish to visit the ruins of the Thang Long royal capital city and pagodas and temples such as Tran Quoc Pagoda to understand more about Hanoi," said Rhode.
Mai Tien Dung, deputy director of Hanoi Department for Culture, Sports and Tourism, said between 1.5 and 2 million travellers visited Hanoi every year.
"But the destination they most like to visit is the Old Quarter, the soul of Hanoi," said Dung.
Source: VNA
Photo: Dantri/Phunutoday