Word Ha Noi January 2013

CHUYÊN ĐỀ DU LỊCH, ẨM THỰC HANOI EDITION

DECEMBER JANUARY 2013 2012

NHÀ XUẤT BẢN LAO ĐỘNG

January 2013 Word | 1

Contents

wordhanoi.com

JANUARY 2013

030

052

066 FEATURES

006 | The Prelude THE TALK

028

030

014 | The Buzz

034

052

028 l Many Faces

The Hanoi Gastronomy Chef

064 l Trendspotter Eco to Go

070 l Mystery Diner Gingerly done

071 l Street Snacker Muc Nuong

2 | Word January 2013

THE LION’S ROAR

Singapore is the entertainment hub of the region

060

GYM OR WHIM?

Luxury gyms are the craze in the capital

020 | Calendar

INSIDER

THE BODY

You are what you eat. The body from as many angles as possible

018 | In the Papers

022 | Overscene

THE VILLAGE

Phu Lang ceramics village is everything that Bat Trang should be but isn’t

010 | Just In 013 | The Exhibitionist

FOOTBALL OR DIE

The Vietnamese love of football refuses to be quelled

008 | Feedback Loops 009 | The Big Five

110

034

062

TAM DAO

Fresh air, mountain views, pagodas and the famed bear sanctuary

066

COCKTAILS AND FISH SAUCE

Think they don’t go together? Try it for yourself

068

WOMAN

The mathematician, female spirit and mothers who like art

070 City Guide COLUMNS 075 l Business Buff 078 l Travel Promos 090 l Wine Connoisseur 095 l Book Buff 096 l Cinema Buff 104 l Medical Buff TIENG VIET FINAL SAY 110 l Pho in Nepal

With a Vietnamese population of 7, Nepal gets its first dose of pho

116 l Last Call

Oneness and meditation trainer Caz McDonagh January 2013 Word | 3

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HOA LE

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NICK ROSS

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4 | Word January 2013

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In tại Công Ty In Trần Phú 71–73–75 Hai Bà Trưng, Q. 1, TP. HCM. www.tranphuprint.com Giấy XNĐKKHXB của Cục XB số: 161/CXB-QLXB ngày 18/01/2012 Quyết định xuất bản số 477/QĐCN-LĐ Nhà xuất bản Lao Động cấp ngày 10/12/2012 In xong và nộp lưu chiểu năm 2012.

January 2013 Word | 5

The Prelude “W

e ARE going alternative this month, aren’t we?” was the comment of one of our colleagues after reading the piece by Karen Gay on human beings having multiple bodies. Although this wasn’t the intention with our cover story, The Body, she has a point. By going conceptual, we’ve looked at the body in its many forms and returned with something that takes our physicality out of its typical western, globally accepted context, and looks at it from different angles.

From issues of growing obesity levels in Vietnam through to the traditional concept of beauty, changing diets, eastern versus western notions of physicality, detox, bacchanal, performance art

and even a fashion spread, the aim of our approach is to provide an alternative perspective on our notions of the body. Whether we’ve achieved that is up to you to judge — as our article Feedback Loops on page 8 so clearly states, tell us what you think.

Building community requires dialogue and comment, without that we will remain fragmented at best.

This month we also look at the local football league and the love Vietnam has for the beautiful game. We meet a chef who has spent years trying to recreate traditional Hanoi recipes that have been lost due to the transformations of the last century. We visit one of the few remaining crafts villages close to Hanoi that is actually a success, one of our writers takes a trip to

INBOX ERRATUM

Word would like to make a few amendments to the photo captions in the article The Bigger Picture (December 2012).

The photo caption in white on page 56 should not have been included. On page 57, the top right image should be credited as follows: Bitter Seeds, photographer Shaul Vitis. The Bottom right image should be credited as: Bitter Seeds farmer Ram Krishna, photographer Shaul Vitis. Our apologies for any confusion caused by this error.

Singapore and David Nguyen delves into the luxury gym industry that is spreading its wings around Hanoi faster than the top speed on a treadmill.

Now based in Nepal, one of our former photographers, Galen Stolee, also pitches in with a piece on the first Vietnamese restaurant in Kathmandu, and to round off our issue on The Body we once again go holistic and talk to wellness and meditation practitioner Caz McDonagh.

Comments, comments and more comments. We really need you to tell us what you think, no matter how negative or positive. Simply email editor@wordhanoi.com and we will do our best to respond.

Wishing you a Happy New Year and hope you enjoy this month’s offering.

CHUYÊN ĐỀ DU LỊCH, ẨM THỰC HANOI EDITION

DECEMBER JANUARY 2013 2012

NHÀ XUẤT BẢN LAO ĐỘNG

THIS MONTH'S COVER Photo: Aaron Joel Santos Design: DH Advertising

- Authentic Indian Cuisine Serving both North & South Indian dishes - Cozy & Ambient setting - Halal Food - Free Home Delivery - Indoor Party facilities & Outdoor catering services - For details contact Gopi 0903 266 997 Or Ms Dung 093 657 2277 Add: 47 Lo Su Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi Tel: (84 4) 3935 2400/01 Email: Info@namastehanoi.com Fax: (84 8) 3935 2402 Website: www.namastehanoi.com

DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO AIR? IF SO, PLEASE EMAIL US AT editor@wordhanoi.com

PICKING UP THE PIECES

(Cover Story, December 2012) That was a terrific spread you did on Project RENEW, very skilled word-crafting and the photographs by Francis Roux added so much to the story. You really captured the plight of the people of Quang Tri who are still living in fear of bombs and mines 40 years after the war ended, and yet their daily lives of hard work within this sad context are also inspiring. Dang, the mushroom farmer amputee who is such a wonderful guy, is one example of many.

The realisation that the problem still exists, today, is startling for many people and needs to be explained widely. At the same time, the Project RENEW model has demonstrated how the problem can be solved, and how Vietnam can be made safe — at least to the same level of crisis management and security now in place in Germany, France and England where bombs are still unearthed every year and quickly, safely and professionally disposed of. No one gets hurt, or very rarely.

The RENEW EOD teams, the anchor of RENEW's response capacity, in my opinion are the most professional in the country. They are the only Vietnamese deminers who are certified to international standards. Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) and Gus Guthrie get full credit for training, equipping, and providing quality control and assurance for these teams. Supported by NPA’s top-quality advisers, the RENEW teams are an integral part of the solution to the threat. — Chuck Searcy, Project RENEW

6 | Word January 2013

January 2013 Word | 7

The Talk

THE BIG 5 / JUST IN / THE BUZZ / CALENDAR / OVERSCENE

THE

BIG HANOI FASHION EXCHANGE

THINGS TO WATCH OUT FOR THIS MONTH

Feedback Loops Creating dialogue is the path towards creating community

H

ave you heard the bearded musician around Hanoi who plays a riff on his guitar, records it, then loops it back on top of the next riff?

Listening to him is like remembering that what has just happened is still happening except that it is returning to us in a new form. Looping is done by many other musicians besides our bearded friend — the outcome makes it possible to layer sounds on top of one another. It keeps a series of past chords relevant by playing them back and back again. In hearing it repeated in various forms, the listener gets a different perspective on the nature of the first sound.

The ear gets a rich set of information — it’s a pleasing effect.

Here at the office of Word, we like feedback loops. Because of feedback loops, we are certain that in November at least two people read the magazine. Rather, two people read at least two articles of the magazine. We know this information because those two voices contributed feedback, critical feedback, in taking issue with a particular angle of a story, and questioning the relevancy of a certain feature. One set of comments was on the story of the young woman who travelled to 26 countries on just US$700 (VND 14.7 million), while the other criticism was focused on our piece about the Free Man. Of course, getting praise on a job well done is always, always welcome. But

8 | Word January 2013

what critical feedback takes on is the onus of thought, the weight of a possible disagreement, and thus conversation.

Offering honest feedback that focuses on specific concerns is something more labour intensive than a nice pat on the head or even the lighter flipping through of a magazine and muttering into one’s coffee cup, “this is shit, this is shit, this is shit”.

Transience and Involvement Particularly for its foreign residents, Hanoi is a city that many of us call our home away from home... for now. There is an undeniable transience in the expat population here and even in the young and increasingly international set of born and raised Hanoians.

What seems unfortunately common, however, is the resident who comes to Hanoi for a year or so to work while taking advantage of the low cost of living to save money. During this time, despite earning a relatively hefty salary, there is often very little financial return to the community or to the country that’s clawing its way up the development ladder. We keep our money close and all the while keep the notion that it’s difficult to feel community in such a transient place.

Where that small soapbox of a paragraph is heading is to a call for engagement, a call to get involved.

Of course, engagement need not take a

monetary form. Whether it’s bothering to learn the names of your neighbours or just finding out which chicken it is that wakes you up in the morning and saying hello, participation can be on the most personal of levels. It also has its more public, social face. One can be the person to organise stuff, one can go to the stuff that other people organise, one can seek information about what the stuff is, one can pass that information along. And, participation can be giving constructive criticism on what you read, listen to, or watch in your community.

What is a book without a reader, music without a listener, an artist without an audience?

Criticising is wonderful when it’s specific and opens up alternative views. Such as our two critics from last month who had an opinion that was contrary to what was written. They turned what was merely an article, written by a single person, into a discussion that involved the wider community. They took pretty pictures on pulped wood and turned them into a dialogue, which is exactly what every publication aspires to be.

We need to hear your voice. Not just for our own purposes to improve and develop our magazine. We need to hear it because it’s good for the community at large.

Without it we will be fragmented and at each other’s throats. Time to get the loops going. What do you think?

1

MANZI HAPPENINGS

3

Only just opened, the art space/café on Phan Huy Ich is already making waves. From the second week of January, Manzi will be exhibiting the work of artist Nguyen Huy An, previously shown in the Skylines With Flying People open studios. An’s piece measures Vinh Tuy Bridge through a minimalist dust collection of memory and time. On Jan. 18, Suzi Garner launches her book of illustrations calling attention to the disappearing langur population in Vietnam. In addition, Suzi will display the series of 3D paintings that comprise her book. On Jan. 20, there will be an art talk on the state of contemporary literature in Vietnam and Belgium, with Nicolas Ancion, Pham Xuan Thach and Dili.

Manzi is located at 14 Phan Huy Ich, Ba Dinh. For an updated schedule of events, see their Facebook page or sign up with manzihanoi@gmail.com

Ever fancied the clothes of(f) a stranger? Ever stolen that perfectly fitting shirt out of your flatmate’s laundry basket and pretended the guys at the launderette lost it? For a legal, morally acceptable way to shop at someone else’s wardrobe join the Fashion Exchange at Exchange Café on Jan. 20 between 2pm and 5pm. A giving and taking of perfectly wearable items of clothing that somehow have ended up at the bottom of your “what-shouldI-wear-tonight-list“ but deserve a second chance, put them in a bag and find a wearer in exchange for a new item. Afternoon tea will also be provided at VND50,000 per person.

Exchange Café is located at 2B Ngo Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem. For more info go to www.exchange-cafe.com or email info@exchange-café.com

2

POSITIVE MASS In addition to the new Wednesday night movie screenings starting at 8pm and the Sunday World Music beginning at midday, the Hanoi Bicycle Collective, the movers and peddlers of our city, are organizing a Positive Mass bike ride.

Inspired by the Critical Mass rides that take place all over the world to promote cycling, on Jan. 25, starting at 8pm from the St. Joseph’s Cathedral, an expected 100 cyclists will crawl through the Friday night traffic, making the subtle yet convincing suggestion that bike riding is cool. We recommend you find a bike and join them.

The Hanoi Bicycle Collective is located at Nha 44, Ngo 31 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho.

SCIENCE OF THE SEASON

4

The SubElements crew welcome back Unconventional Science to celebrate the launch of his latest album Tiger Moustache on Saturday Jan. 12 with a night of community beats.

Coming off the back of an extensive world tour from New Delhi to Manila which ended with him headlining Kuala Lumpur’s Raising the Bar Festival, Unconventional Science certainly isn’t taking it easy. While treating audiences to a blend of electronic music, jazz, psychadelia and turntablism, the LA native has still found time produce a new album of sample-based beats.

Unconventional Science will be playing at CAMA ATK, 73A Mai Hac De, Hai Ba Trung. The SubElements DJs will be spinning from 8pm with the headliner taking over at 10pm. Entry is VND50,000

ISAN DANCEHALL Hot on the heels of CAMA’s African vinyl night with Voodoo Funk, ATK hopes to keep the Hanoi masses dancing by bringing an afro-Asian equivalent.

DJ Maft Sai, the founder of Bangkok based Zudrangma Records will be introducing the crowd to tough basslines, heavy percussion and music from the worldwide dancehall on Jan. 26. The world’s premier collector of Thai vinyl and the main authority on the genres of Luk Thung, Molam and Isan often referred to as ‘Thai Funk’, Maft Sai combines these feettapping Asian forms with some of the finest roots tunes from Africa and around the world.

Isan Dancehall will be taking place at CAMA ATK, 73A Mai Hac De, Hai Ba Trung. Support comes from the CAMA Soundsystem who’ll be warming up the night with a selection of Jamaican reggae 45s. Tickets are VND100,000 with Maft Sai behind the decks from 9pm

5 January 2013 Word | 9

Just In

the talk

HANOI

TANNOY

HANOI ON THE HAPPIMAP Santa may have come and gone, but one would like to think the act of giving is an all year round event. Birthdays, anniversaries or just because. If you are in need for a gift, Vietnam-based Happimap (www.happimap.com) may provide just the right idea. You pay, the recipient chooses, or you choose and they collect. Or was the process altogether different? There are four simple steps in order to bring a “memorable golden moment” to your loved ones, and the gifts are anything from spa treatments through to hotel stays, sumptuous meals, rounds of golf and sessions of yoga. Huge in Europe, go find out for yourself and happy giving.

Happimap will be sold at a selection of retailers around town. For further information check out the website or email bique@happimap.com

I SPY Local hole in the wall Spy Bar has channeled the creative efforts of its owners and turned itself into an Irish Pub. The interior now features dark wooden paneling, the bar area has been moved to free up space and the upstairs has been turned into a function room. If you never got over the loss of Finnegan’s, or have embarrassed yourself once too often in the Irish Wolfhound round the corner, then you just got one of your nine lives back.

Spy Bar serves beer, Guinness, Jameson’s and shoots shit at 12A Nguyen Huu Huan, Hoan Kiem

PANIC & MADAKE Hanoi’s cultural landscape just got more expansive with the announcement that Madake is opening its doors. Run by a seasoned promoter, the venue promises to encompass outdoor areas, wellsoundproofed performance spaces and even private lowkey karaoke rooms.

With sustenance on hand from cult Thai restaurant Hanoi Panic and a remit for encouraging arts in the capital, Madake could well be on the way to being the West Lake area’s new best venue.

Madake is a giant space located at 81 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho. Find them and Hanoi Panic on Facebook for more information on events at the new space

THE BRICKHOUSE

THE CART ROLLS ON Lunchtime favourite The Cart just keeps on moving, this time making the jump to a warmer, cosier spot a mere three metres across the alley from its old Au Trieu address.

The wisdom of Hanoi street names dictates that despite the new venue being directly opposite its former haunt, the address is completely different. Regardless, The Cart’s new home serves the same tasty baguettes, cakes and pies, only with more space in which to ponder the arbitrary nature of place, or even just to check the latest football scores on the free Wi-Fi. The new location’s address is 10 Tho Xuyen, Hoan Kiem and you can order deliveries by calling 3938 2513

10 | Word January 2013

Located in the northern University district of Hanoi, The Brickhouse is a newly opened mid-range eatery that mixes casual chic with an extensive menu of pan European-Asian dishes and a large drinks menu and selection of wine. Fitted with reproduction art deco furniture, exposed rustic red brick walls, comfy sofas and velvet dining chairs, the cuisine includes Vietnamese favourites as well as a selection of grilled westernstyle dishes, including Norwegian salmon with passion fruit sauce, racks of lamb, pork cutlets served with apple sauce and a range of imported steaks.

With an al fresco terrace and a music themed around jazz and bossa nova, this restaurant just off Duong Buoi close to the end of Doi Can is the first of its type in Cau Giay and offers a dining experience rarely found outside of Central Hanoi.

The Brickhouse is at Lot 02, Nguyen Khanh Toan, Cau Giay.

Tel: 3839 8610

VIETJETAIR Domestic bliss is no longer enough for Vietnam’s low cost, AirAsia-styled carrier. On Feb. 10 they will take off for bigger adventures and cross borders to fly their passengers from Ho Chi Minh City to Bangkok. Their international premier will allow you to celebrate the New Lunar Year in Thailand. So, why not welcome the snake in the country of smiles?

For more information go to www. vietjetair.com

OVERHEARD IN THE CITY You know it's a posh wedding when there's no ice in the beer I got some bitchin' footage, a fat playlist, the roots of groove and a deep exploration of new directions It's FREEZING it's SO COLD. It's 16 DEGREES. What planet are you living on?

We got our Tet tree already, figured it could double as a Christmas tree So many holiday parties to attend what chode I do?

Maybe something about how the bars all close early now?

Or really there's nothing funny about that.

The more you become a citizen of everywhere, the less you are a citizen of anywhere Do you smoke? No. Well you'll die anyway.

It's okay. When I'm drunk you're handsome.

January 2013 Word | 11

Backwards on the Treadmill S

o let me tell you how this column works, in my head at least.

If I ever take a dig at anyone on here it has to be balanced with a bit of self-mockery. Upset that equilibrium and it’s just unpleasant expat whining. I am always the greater fool, the least cool, the most bewildered.

So anyway, the gym. The gym in XuanDieu where I’m the fat guy. The fat, sweaty, irritable guy.

Now we’ve got that out of the way I can point and giggle at everyone else.

Talking with friends about my intention to write about gym life, one shared his horror of the changing rooms – Vietnamese guys, butt naked, drying themselves all over with hair dryers. Apparently it’s remarkably similar in the women’s. A female friend told of a lady standing proudly central, hair drying “her magnificent bush”.

Err... Wow. But Tays are exempt from neither daftness nor unsociable gym behaviour.

The Italian lady, too busy to take a break from work, schedules all her phone calls for treadmill time. The skinny white guy with the Penelope Pitstop high-knee run that gets

12 | Word January 2013

locals’ heads turning. The couple who, for reasons best known to themselves, play a hopping version of catch as part of their stretching routine.

There are also the Vinateens.

Some chubby, some skinny – no doubt sent to the gym because of their parent-disappointing physique. They shrug from machine to machine, moved on as people want to use the equipment they’re playing with their smart phones from. They occasionally settle on exercise bikes, feet resting on the pedals, watching the attached TVs. The staff are all lovely, though having not tried it myself, the induction one-on-one workout seems a little odd. Vietnamese exercise routines seem to be 90 percent mirror gazing with instructors only too happy to share the best gazing techniques.

The mirrors remain the most used equipment in the place.

One trainer insists instructees do a long striding, low bobbing, Ministry of Silly Walks manoeuvre down the corridor.

In the evenings when the boss has gone home, attractive, young, single girls are enthusiastically assisted by up to four trainers at a time.

Moving into the weights room and there are the foreign

body builders with their strange noises – earnestly discussing ab strategies in between their grunts and “pfsshhhttss”.

I heard one French/British duo discussing the issue of eating too much after work and being bloated by gym time.

“Just have a tin of baked beans,” said the Brit.

The Frenchman looked like he’d rather die.

“Maybe an egg,” he countered.

Eyes and Ears There was a time when it was foreigners who were considered to dress inappropriately.

Vietnamese have long since taken over. Ladies in hot pants and bra tops mean I have to adopt a fixed gaze ahead of me when exercising with my wife.

One regular hot panter, I noted out of the corner of my eye, did a brief run this week before retiring to the stretching area where she did a 20-minute dance on her own in front of the mirrors.

And me, I like to forward exercise. It’s the western way, but there’s not a machine in the place I haven’t seen used backwards by locals.

“It’s better for your knees,” my wife tells me.

Ah yes, knees, worn out by

decades of forward walking.

When will we learn?

A mixture of Vietnamese gym bunnies and Tay NGO types is a perfect storm of flakiness.

Vietnamese old wives’ tales meet foreign fads. Communistera physical jerks meet Californian yoga.

The daftness extends beyond staff and members of the gym itself. Most specifically the music. Every last person has headphones on turned up to 11 to block out piped music no one wants to hear.

You remember that Friday song? The track that was supposed to be the worst song ever? The international YouTube hit famed for its sheer awfulness?

A whole quarter of all songs played sound like that. Another quarter are oddly out-of-place rap tunes, another that loveable niche, vocoder-based R&B. The final quarter is interchangeable corporate rock.

All of which makes me irritable – which goes well with the red face and the sweat patches.

To its credit, in some ways the madness has been a distraction, 11 kilos have gone already.

By next summer I also hope to be considerably less sweaty.

THE OPERA HOUSE IN JANUARY This month the Opera House hosts two nights of Beethoven’s piano concertos with soloist Dang Thai Son accompanying the Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra.

Conductor Honna Tetsjui will start on Jan. 15 with Concerto No.1, No. 2 and No. 3, and follow with No. 4 and No. 5 on Jan. 18.

Both shows begin at 8pm.

Tickets range in price from VND500,000 to VND1,500,000 and can be purchased with free delivery by calling 0913 489858 or emailing ticketvn@gmail.com

UNDER SNOW

LE CAT TRONG LY QUINTET

The ever-reliable Goethe Institut kicks off the year with a retrospective on German photographer Ulrike Ottinger. Known for her ethnological portrayals of people from all over the world, Ottinger’s work is both surreally theatrical, resolutely documentary and artificially stylised.

Her large format prints centre on the offbeat, outlandish and grotesque of the regions she captures. January’s exhibition focus is on China and Mongolia, both of which Ottinger has visited frequently. After the opening on Jan. 11, the Goethe-Institut will present Ulrike Ottinger’s Under Snow, a documentary film about a mountain village of Japan with magical elements. A fine example of the contrast between Ottinger’s mix of realism and the fantastic.

The Ulrike Ottinger Retrospective will run from Jan. 11 at 6.30pm until Jan. 31 at the Goethe Institut, 56-58 Nguyen Thai Hoc, Ba Dinh.

No stranger to the stage, Le Cat Trong Ly will front a musical quintet of Vietnamese performers for two consecutive nights. On Jan. 11 and Jan. 12, starting at 8pm, Le Cat Trong Ly on vocals will serenade audiences alongside Le Minh Tuong on piano, Nguyen Duc Minh on the lip reed and Ngo Hong Quang on a string instrument.

Tickets cost VND120,000 and can be purchased at L’espace anytime before the show. L’espace is located at 24 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem

BLACK BOATS A gruesome murder of a young woman in Hanoi, an inspector who just wanted to escape the mid-May heat, a lead to the boatmen of the Red River and a savvy criminal with his finger in all of Vietnam’s illegal pies: sounds like a perfectly thrilling holiday read. That is if you are capable of the German language.

Schwarze Schiffe is written by Nora Luttmer, a German freelance writer and frequent Vietnam visitor. The book is being launched on Jan. 23.

For more information email the press officer at Aufbau Verlag, Mrs. Ohlendorf on ohlenforst@aufbau-verlag.de. An English translation is in the works

THE WALL

Für Nora Luttmer ist Hanoi eine alte Bekannte: Sie hat dort studiert und bereits ein Buch über die Stadt veröffentlicht. Nun schickt sie erstmals Kommissar Ly auf Verbrecherjagd in die vietnamesische Metropole.

Tödliches

Hano i Foto: André Lützen

BY STEVE JACKSON

Photo by whylogwhy/Flickr

OUR MAN

The Exhibitionist

the talk

N O R A L U T T M E R , geb. 1973,

I N H A LT Hanoi, Mitte Mai. Die Stadt ist heiß und stickig.

lebt in Hamburg und arbeitet als Autorin und freie Journalistin. Sie hat Südostasienkunde mit dem Schwerpunkt Vietnam

Hauptkommissar Pham Van Ly will eigentlich nur raus aufs Land, doch da wird im Hof eines Tempels eine junge Frau ermordet aufgefunden. Ihre Tätowierung und der Tatort weisen auf Prostitution hin. Die ersten Spuren führen zu den Schif-

NOR A LUT TMER

Schwarze Schiffe Kommissar Ly ermittelt in Hanoi Kriminalroman Etwa 240 Seiten € [D] 9,99 / € [A] 10,30 SFR 14 90

Der erste Kriminalroman über Hanoi Großer Serienauftakt mit neuem Kommissar Von einer Vietnam-Kennerin von internationalem Form

With nothing less than the analysis of human emotions, sorrow and war on the agenda, Vietnamese-Cambodian artist Le Huy Hoang clearly isn’t one to shy away from big topics. Which is just as well because his latest exhibition The Wall, organised as collaboration between the Danish Cultural Development & Exchange Fund, the Danish Embassy and the Goethe Institut is a striking success. With a massive barrier of animal bones dividing the Goethe Institut, viewers would have to be blind to the human history of ill fated divisions or devoid of the most base of human emotions relating to isolation, community and fraternity: if you missed it, it may be time you started reading the online version of your favourite listings magazine.

The Wall is running until Jan. 6 at the Goethe Institut, 56-58 Nguyen Thai Hoc, Ba Dinh

Trendreiseland Vietnam

January 2013 Word | 13

The Buzz EMERALDA NINH BINH Escape the winter drag and head to Ninh Binh’s Emeralda Resort to wield a golf club at their new 9-hole course while savouring a BBQd rib and enjoying spacious sleeping quarters in their expanded family suite. There might even be talk about getting all of that, or whichever aspect appeals, at a discounted cold season rate. For more detailed information visit them directly at www.emeraldaresort.com.

PRE-TET AT BOOKWORM AND HCC Any idea what snake art is? A few weeks before the dragon officially passes the baton to the snake, Bookworm and the Hanoi Cooking Centre will host an afternoon of artistic festivities on Jan. 27. To prepare for the New Year and the new animal, a live orchestra will provide the soundtrack to banh chung moulding demonstrations and tastings, and To He figure making out of coloured sticky rice dough. Alongside the local artists crafting snake art, a master calligrapher will be drawing, free spicy mulled Tet wine will be flowing and books in the shop will be, erm, discounting.

The Bookworm and the Hanoi Cooking Centre are located at 44 Chau Long, Ba Dinh. The event will run from 2pm to 4pm

MICHELLE STEWART’S SANDS OF TIME

Looking for something besides lucky money to give to your loved ones for Tet? Or, maybe you’re looking to impress your New Year guests with some creatively designed home goods?

La Casa is having a three-day sale from Jan. 18 to Jan. 20 at 51 Xuan Dieu in the Syrena Towers. The home interiors store by Valentina stocks a lovely collection of creative designs to meet the needs of function and beauty. To check out their collection, visit www. lacasavietnam.com.vn.

You’ve probably heard that Hanoi based singer and songwriter Michelle Stewart released her 12-track album last month. The collection, Sands of Time, was conceived in the northern Thai countryside of Pai, Mae Hong Son, though four songs featured on the recording were written in Hanoi.

Accompanying the album release is a 15-page short story and photo journal entitled Sands of Time: The Short Story Behind...

An Album I Made Almost Entirely in My Underwear.

You can find the album for purchase at Amazon, CDbaby and Spotify. Contact michellestewartmusic@gmail. com for more information on this and her first album Walking on Ashes.

THREE OF THE BEST

TO LAO CHAI WITH LOVE

RALLY INDOCHINA ROUNDING UP RIDERS Having raised VND2 billion for Blue Dragon during the last two vintage bike rides, following the 1,500 km Ho Chi Minh Trail Rally Indochina is looking for motorists to join them for a trequal.

If putting a dent in child trafficking while cruising the length of one of Vietnam’s most historically interesting routes on a 650cc Ural sounds like your way of doing your bit, then get ready to saddle up between Apr. 8 and Apr. 22. Secure your spot in the fleet at www.rallyindochina.com.

NOVOTEL’S NIGHTMARKET DELICACIES If you love a good night market and have a knack for authentic Vietnamese food (and who doesn’t?), then Novotel Ha Long Bay should be your next weekend destination. From now until April they will bring the best of the country’s cuisine to The Square restaurant every Saturday.

To make a reservation and taste Ha Long’s seafood specialities drop them a line at info@novotelhalong. com.vn

14 | Word January 2013

LA CASA LETS OUT A SALE

Hanoi’s QSI International School has filled themselves with the glow of selfsatisfaction by providing H’mong school children with the snug warmth of jackets.

Thanks to donations and a whole lot of volunteers the school distributed 516 items by getting out there and handing out the goods.

The only way to do that is by walking in the rain, the cold and the mud of the area around Sapa. The jackets should help the kids study in more comfort during the winter.

If you need something to boast about, try the fact that Vietnam now boasts three of the world’s top hotels. That’s right, the Nam Hai in Hoi An, Hanoi’s Sofitel Metropole and the Park Hyatt Saigon all made the cut to appear in the Travel and Leisure magazine’s annual compendium of the top 500 international hotels. Seeing as Travel and Leisure is the highest circulating travel magazine on the face of the earth, our beautiful home is likely to be attracting even greater numbers of visitors in 2013. But if you’re wondering which hotel was voted the world’s best, it was the Singita Grumeti Reserves in Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park. Another bright idea for Valentine’s Day.

RETURN OF THE ROAST With the weather having sufficiently cooled, the sunday roast is back in season at the Hanoi Cooking Centre. What that means is a roasted lamb with all the trimmings followed up with a golden syrup pudding and custard. If you’re looking for fulfillment in the form of food, Sundays from 11.30 am to 3pm starting Jan. 20 is where you might find it. In addition to the sunday roasts, the cooking centre also offers a Street Eats Tour, regular cooking classes and a daily courtyard café with Vietnamese, European and Middle Eastern dishes.

The Hanoi Cooking Centre is open from 9pm to 7pm Monday through Sunday, at 44 Chau Long, Ba Dinh

EXOTISSIMO If the Hanoi winter chill is not enough reason to get out of the capital for a few days during this holiday season, then Exotissimo’s January travel options will have you packing. Warmer international climates like Singapore and the islands of Thailand are calling with multiday packages until March. Or head south within the borders of Vietnam to Nha Trang for a good old buy-some-get-one free luxury deal at The Sheraton.

For more information and booking before beds fill up for Tet visit Exotissimo at 26 Tran Nhat Duat, Hoan Kiem

January 2013 Word | 15

WIRED Apps: An Ending Trend?

Have a smartphone? If you do, how many of all those apps you’ve downloaded do you actually use?

This writer, an owner of a Samsung Galaxy S3, uses Aldiko (a book reader), Andoku 2 (a Sudoku app), the calculator, camera, gallery, Google Chrome, Evernote, Gmail, GTasks, The Guardian, Google Maps, MX Player Pro, Play Music, Pocket and S Planner. Considering the number of apps out there — there are 450,000 apps for Android phones and 700,000 for iPhones — this is a miniscule proportion of what is actually available.

WAR GOES WILD As part of their project to replenish the fish stocks of the country's waterways, Wildlife at Risk (WAR) has released more than 150 individuals of native fish into the Nhieu Loc Canal in Binh Thanh, Ho Chi Minh City.

Including the three-lined rasbora (rasbora trilineata), fighting fish (betta splendens) and rasbora (rasbora paviana), the fish were all bred in captivity as part of a programme started in February 2010 by WAR. To date, over 1300 individuals of four native fish species have been bred by WAR and released back into the wild.

For further information on the project go to www.wildlifeatrisk.org

PRESS CLUB’S PASTA PROFUSION The Press Club kitchen is getting a culinary head start on the New Year with a weeklong showcase of Italian pasta dishes. From Jan. 21 to Jan. 27 stop in to sample Chef Isaak’s Pasta Abbondanza! menu.

Choices include a seafood pasta salad, claypotbaked beef lasagne, or vegetable ravioli. With every main ordered from the pasta menu, diners can enjoy a complimentary glass of Antinori Santa Cristina, courtesy of the Warehouse.

The Press Club is located at 12 Ly Dao Thanh, Hoan Kiem

FATCAT FEELING INSPIRED There is no missing out at the FatCat this month.

From more mysterious themed evenings like the MISFIT party (Jan. 9) to some straightforward Rock (Jan. 23) The Cat has it all, and lots of it. If you don't make their international DeepHouse on the 3rd, you can always dance the night away on the 10th, or the 17th, or maybe the 24th. Oh wait the 31st as well, but that really is your last opportunity and all of January's Thursdays accounted for. Don’t take any chances on the 16th, though, that's when the Chemical Brothers rule the beat.

FatCat Bar is at 25 Ta Hien, Hoan Kiem

16 | Word January 2013

Which all begs the question. Why is there this obsession with creating apps? Is this yet another .com bubble that will explode as quickly as it came to life? Is having a successful app a shortcut to riches?

The answer comes down to one app. Angry Birds. With over 1 billion downloads — yes, 1 billion — it has become the model that all app developers are desperate to emulate. As for the developers, Rovio, in May 2012 they announced their profits for 2011. A mere US$60 million (VND1.26 trillion). For the overall popularity of Angry Birds, this is a fraction of the amount.

It’s the spin-offs that will really make this now global brand pay dividends. An animated movie has been scheduled for release in 2016, Angry Birds Land has opened in the Särkänniemi Adventure Park in Finland, while Formula 1 racing driver Heikki Kovalainen used an Angry Birds crash helmet for the 2012 season. What few people realise is how much planning went into Angry Birds before it was actually released.

As everyone chases each other to create that killer app, there will only be a few winners. Apps, or their equivalents, are here to stay.

But with so much competition out there, investing big bucks in putting your business or ideas into app form may be an investment not quite worth making.

In the Papers THE BEST OF THE VIETNAMESE PRESS

the talk AVON TO EXIT VIETNAM

CAO VIT GIBBON POPULATION ON THE RISE The population of cao vit gibbons in Vietnam, one of the world’s rarest and most endangered primates, has increased by 17 percent from 2007 and is five times its size compared to 2002, reports Fauna & Flora International (FFI).

Located in the Cao Vit Gibbon Conservation Zone in northern Cao Bang Province, there are now thought to be 129 cao vit gibbons living in the area. The results of a two-week long survey conducted by a group of 31 scientists led

by Nguyen The Cuong, a Vietnamese census coordinator of the cao vit gibbon, and Brian Crudge, technical advisor of the FFI Vietnam’s Primate Program, in 2007 there were 110 individuals while in 2002 there were only 26.

According to FFI, the increase in the population size is due to FFI's conservation efforts in the area, which include improved forest protection, community outreach, livelihood development, environmental education, habitat restoration and ecological research. The cao vit gibbon is listed among the world’s 25 most endangered primates.

Avon, the world’s largest door-to-door cosmetics seller, will cut about 1,500 jobs globally and exit South Korea and Vietnam as part of a plan to save US$400 million by the end of 2015.

CEO Sheri McCoy, who took over in April, announced the cost-cutting plans last month and said she would lower the company’s dividend as it works to recover from three years of declining profits. The move will be completed by the end of next year and will account for about 20 percent of Avon’s cost cutting savings target.

INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT NOW OPEN IN PHUQUOC Vietnam’s newest international airport on Phu Quoc Island in the Mekong Delta’s province of Kien Giang opened at the end of last year.

The 900-hectare, VND16.2 trillion (US$777.4 million) Phu Quoc International Airport took four years to construct and is set to serve more than 2.6 million passengers each year.

The airport will enable the island district, which now receives around 600,000 passengers per year by airplane, to become a centre for tourism and services and connect it to other areas of Vietnam as well as international destinations. Vietnam currently has eight international and 13 domestic airports.

HYDROPOWER PROJECTS POSE THREATS TO NATIONAL PARK Two more hydropower plants that are planned to be built on the Serepok River in Dak Lak Province will contribute to threatening the ecological environment in Yok Don National Park, the park’s management warns.

Six hydropower plants have already been built on the Seperok River and the two new plants - Drang Phok and Serepok 4 - will both be located in Buon Don District, the core area of the park. About 53 hectares of park forest will be cleared and another 10 hectares will be temporarily occupied to make place for the plant. This will affect the local eco-system says the park’s management, and the emissions and noise from the construction will also frighten away wildlife.

VIETNAM'S RETAIL SECTOR IN DECLINE Due to several factors, Vietnam has lost its shine as an attractive location for retail investment since 2009, reports Saigon Giai Phong. One of the top 30 emerging retail markets in 2008, according to the annual GRDI report by A.T. Kearney, the country fell to 6th place in 2009, 14th in 2010, 23rd in 2011 and 32nd in 2012.

The causes of this fall are widespread and include an unpredictable economy as well as obstacles and barriers faced by investors when applying for business licences.

An additional disadvantage of doing business in Vietnam is its costly rental space and difficulty in regaining consumer confidence. With purchasing power down, consumers have tightened spending and prefer bargain sales, for which enterprises have to continuously launch promotional programmes, offer discounts and give gifts to keep the consumer coming back to stores.

However, the continued 5 percent growth rate in GDP and a young population accounting for 50 percent of the country are causes for optimism. Sales of consumer appliances will register a 15 percent rise in 2013, says market research company GFK, and smart phone sales are predicted to rise by 100 percent.

18 | Word January 2013

GROWING GENDER IMBALANCE IN VIETNAM Sex ratios at birth are becoming increasingly imbalanced in favour of males and more than 4.3 million Vietnamese men will be unable to find a wife by 2050, according to a recent report announced at a conference in Hanoi.

The imbalance results from Vietnamese families' traditional preference for sons over daughters.

Nationwide sex ratios at birth in the first three months of 2012 were 112.3 males per 100 females, with a higher imbalance among the wealthy. Provinces in northern Vietnam were particularly affected. The sex ratios at birth in 2011 in Hai Duong, Nam Dinh, Thanh Hoa, Lao Cai, Lang Son and Bac Ninh exceeded the 120/100 ratio, while the north central province of Quang Binh topped last year’s list at 127 males per 100 females.

At the current rate, by 2050 there will be 12 percent more males than females among people under 50 years old.

January 2013 Word | 19

January

CALENDAR TUE

MON 01

WED 02

SKYLINES WITH FLYING PEOPLE. Until Jan. 6 at Japan Foundation Center for Culture Exchange

07

08

ZOUK NIGHT! 8pm every Tue @ La Bomba Latina

URUSHI LACQUER. Until Mar. 31 at Luna d’ Autunno (78 Pho Nhuom)

09

15

SALSA PARTY. 8pm every Tu TTue. uee. @ Olympic Dance Club

16

WOMEN’S GAELIC FOOTBALL TRAINING @ Dang Thai Mai football field every Tuesday

21

22

EXHIBITION CROSS VISIONS. From Dec. 18 to Jun. 16 at Vietnam Museum of Ethnology

SCREENING OF “FRENCH FOR BEGINNERS”. 7pm at GoetheInstitut Hanoi

FREE BIRD BAND “LIVE”. 9pm every Wed. @ Polygon Musik Cafe TOASTMASTERS. 6.30pm to 8.30pm every Tue. @ KOTO on Van Mieu

TRADITIONAL MUSIC PROGRAMME. Until Jan. 28 at Vietnam Women’s Museum

29

“BUDDY LOVE” LIVE. 8.30pm every Tue. @ Panacea Cafe

QUIZ NIGHT. 7.30pm every Tue. @ Puku FREE VIETNAMESE CLASSES. @ Puku every Wednesday, 7pm

CHEMICAL BROTHER NIGHT. At FatCat Bar

23

ROCK NIGHT. at FatCat Bar

EVERYDAY PEOPLE. 8pm every Wed. @ Finnegan’s Irish Pub LIVE MUSIC AT TAY TAP. 8pm every Wed. at Tay Tap Bar and Grill

30

MACEO PARKER. at FatCat Bar

SOCIAL TOUCH RUGBY. 8pm every Wed. @ Song Hong Stadium

SAT

04

05 SCREENING OF “PEAU D’ANE”.

8pm at L’espace

THE WALL. Until Jan. 6 at GoetheInstitut Hanoi HANOI: 18H/6H. Until Jan. 6 at L’Espace

11

UNDER SNOW. 7pm at GoetheInstitut Hanoi

VIETNAM ON MOTORBIKE. Until Jan. 17 at Commune (20A Duong Ven Ho,Tay Ho)

TREE MUTATION. Until Jan. 15 at An Duong Garden (55 Duong 1, Lane 32, An Duong)

24

PIANO CONCERT OF TRANG TRINH. 8pm at L’Espace

ORDER ANY MEXICAN PIZZA, GET CHICKEN NACHOS. Every Thu. at Don’s SPOTLIGHT! @ Hanoi Rock City, 8pm every Thu.

31

LE CAT TRONG LY PERFORMS. 8pm at L’espace

18

MUSIC NIGHT WITH DJ GLASER. Every second Thu. of the month at the Rooftop

FITNESS SESSIONS. 6pm every Thu. at Hanoi Os Netball Club

7777 SPEED DATING. 7pm every Thu. at Duc de Hanoi (15 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho) LIVE PIANIST @ Panacea Cafe, 8.30pm every Thu. & Sat.

SUN 06

INTERNATIONNAL DEEPHOUSE. Thu. at FatCat Bar

17

HANOI PUB QUIZ. @ R&R Tavern every Tuesday, 9.30pm to 11.30pm

FRI

LIVE FLAMENCO GUITAR TRIO. 8.30pm every Thu. at Don’s Bistro

10

WEEKLY PERFORMANCES OF CA TRU. W 8pm 8p every Wed., Fri. & Sun. at 42 Hang Bac, Ba Hoan Kiem

ULRIKE OTTINGER – RETROSPECTIVE. From Jan.12 to Jan. 31 at Goethe-Institut Hanoi

20 | Word January 2013

WEEKLY OFFICIAL MEETING OF COUCHSURFING HANOI. 7pm every Wed. at Climax

SHAPES EXHIBITION. From Dec. 14 to Jan. 13 at 21 NORTH (49 Lang Yen Phu)

SPECIAL MISFIT PARTY WITH OST FROM SP TV SERIES. at FatCat Bar

14

28

THU 03

LATINO NIGHT. @ FatCat Bar

To have your event included in our calendar, please email news@wordhanoi.com by no later than Jan. 20 with a description of the event and a high-res photo

SCREENING OF “LE GAMIN AU VÉLO”. 8pm at L’espace

ALL BEETHOVEN’S PIANO CONCERTO. 8pm Jan. 15 & 18 at Hanoi Opera House VIETNAMESE LANGUAGE CLUB. 7pm every Fri. at Tea Talk

25

FRIDAY MILONGA - ARGENTINE TANGO @ Xichlo Cafe, 8pm every Fri.

SCREENING OF “THE ARTIST”. 8pm at L’espace WEEKLY PERFORMANCES OF CA TRU. 8 to 9pm Every Wed., Fri. and Sun. at Ca Tru Hanoi Club

12

UNCONVENTIONAL SCIENCE ALBUM LAUNCH WITH SUB ELEMENTS. 8pm at CAMA ATK

ARGENTINE TANGO- MILONGA. 8pm every Sat. at Goc Ha Noi VIETNAMESE CLUB. 4pm every Sat. at R&R Tavern

19

JAZZ QUARTER, FUNKY, FUSION. 8.30 pm every Wed., Fri. & Sat. at Don's

13

GERMAN FILM WEEK. 7pm from Jan. 11 to Jan. 18 at GoetheInstitut Hanoi

LANGUAGES EXCHANGE. 3pm every Sun. at Climax LIVE TRADITION VIETNAMESE MUSIC. 8.30pm every Sun. @ Don’s Bistro

20

SUNDAY ROASTS. 11.30am every Sun. At Hanoi Cooking Centre

ISAN DANCEHALL. 8pm at CAMA ATK SPRING CONCERT. 8pm at L’espace

26 DJ NIGHT @ Summit Lounge, 9pm every Fri. & Sat.

27

TET FESTIVAL. @ 44 Chau Long

SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICE. 10.30am every Sun. at Hanoi Club Hotel 'BABYLON BURNING' SUNDAY AFTERNOON SESSION. 2pm every Sun. at Panacea Cafe

OVER

SCENE

THE RETURN OF JASPA’S Jaspa’s reopened last month with a more minimal, clean-cut and brighter aesthetic.

Guests found the same mix of western red meats and fine red wines unchanged and very much to their liking.

HA HA HANOI Hanoi’s second serving of Hong Kong comedians saw guffawing patrons merging the delights of Son Tinh liquor with the joy of tears of mirth. The high attendance has left many hoping that Vietnam’s capital may be reaching the critical mass of paying attendance needed to plug it into the international stand-up comedy circuit.

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY JASPA’S

VEGGIE THERAPY Do Anh Tuan’s exhibition of veggie infused paintings not only married the traditional with the space-age, but also brought big crowds of art lovers to the Hanoi Cooking Centre for festive drinks.

THE TASTE TEST Hands were shaken and wine was quaffed by the well to do at the Chateau Larrivet HautBrion Wine Tasting session at Da Loc. PHOTOS BY NICK ROSS

PHOTOS BY NGUYEN BAO NGOC

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY HANOI COOKING CENTRE

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY HANOI HILTON OPERA

POETRY AND BICYCLES

Hanoi Hilton Opera’s tree lighting ceremony was as iconic and as by-the-book as you’d ever hope a tree lighting ceremony to be.

Fairy lights, kids, cakes, excitement and chocolate made a heady brew for those who still believe in Santa Claus or have a taste for the bright lights

22 | Word January 2013

PHOTOS BY NGUYEN BAO NGOC

LIGHT UP

Noi Ha Noi continued to unite literature lovers at their monthly bilingual reading series, with this month’s theme of family being particularly topical.

Vietnamese and expats, both amateur and professional once again came together to build a community of poetry and prose at the Hanoi Bicycle Collective

Insider

FOOTBALL OR DIE / PHU LANG / THE BODY / GYM OR WHIM PHOTO BY NICK ROSS

24 | Word January 2013

January 2013 Word | 25

THE MANY FACES OF HANOI

The Hanoi Gastronomy Chef Words by Huyen Tran. Photo by Aaron Joel Santos

F

or many, Hanoian gastronomy is considered the ultimate example of Vietnamese cuisine, collecting together the best flavours and tastes from the many regions of Vietnam.

Sadly, this unique culinary treasure is on the verge of disappearing. Globalisation and development have affected the way people cook and eat these days. The younger generation, described by some as the fast food generation, spend less time in the kitchen and many don’t have the patience for cooking at home, let alone taking the time to prepare traditional Hanoian cuisine. Nguyen Phuong Hai, chef and owner of VietWay Cooking Centre, is the exception to the rule; he is deeply passionate about cuisine from the capital.

Meeting Hai for the first time, and just watching his body language — the movement of his hands, the expression on his face — you cannot help but be impressed when he talks about Hanoian cuisine. In his mid-30s, Hai has spent 14 years learning about and cooking Vietnamese cuisine, especially that typical of Hanoi. Through research and dedication to his trade, he has restored the recipes of more than 100 traditional dishes to the capital, some of which are not well-known, some that are so old that he didn’t even have the chance to taste them when he was a child.

“I was born to a traditional Hanoian family and my love for cooking was inspired by my grandma and my mum,” he explains. “When I was small, my grandma cooked many delicious traditional dishes.

Every day, I helped her with doing small things in the kitchen. The love for cooking gradually grew in me.”

“But it was not my initial plan to become a chef,” he continues. “When I finished high school, I took the entrance exam to be a lawyer or a journalist as was expected by my parents. But it seemed that both professions were not meant for me. And I did not feel so upset when I received the news that I had to re-take the exam the following year.”

During that period, Hai asked his parents to let him take a short cooking course. After eight months of training he managed to get internships in the Hanoi Trade Hotel and the Sofitel Metropole.

However, the real milestone in his career

26 | Word January 2013

was when he moved to the Hoa Sua School for Disadvantaged Youth. Spending 10 years learning the trade and working as a trainer, he eventually left to set up his own school — the VietWay Cooking Centre.

“I’ve been lucky to have the opportunity to do the work I really love,” says Hai.

Bringing Back the Past Since his first days working as a cook, Hai has had the chance to collect recipes for a range of traditional dishes from both his grandma and his mother. Learning their origins and how they should taste, he has realised that the way many dishes were prepared in the past is much more

“Hai found himself sharing his grandma’s concern that Hanoian gastronomy could disappear. It was this that made him determined to cook many of Hanoi’s traditional dishes as they were prepared in the past” sophisticated than today. Reflecting the skillfulness and the artistic nature of the home-based cooks of the past, Hai found himself sharing his grandma’s concern that Hanoian gastronomy could disappear. It was this that made him determined to cook many of Hanoi’s traditional dishes as they were prepared in the past.

“Restoring traditional recipes is interesting but really hard work,” says Hai. “First, there are many ingredients that are not popular nowadays, such as some kinds of vegetables and herbs used in cooking that can now only be found in some mountainous areas, or even overseas.

I once had to fly to Hong Kong to find an ingredient after hearing of its existence by word of mouth.”

Born during the subsidy era, Hai did

not have the chance to taste many dishes, something he admits makes it harder to recreate dishes. But with the help of chef Vinh, headmistress at Hoa Sua, who has become his taster he has managed to recreate recipes lost in time. “She is such a demanding judge,” Hai says, “that sometimes I had to cook the same dish seven or eight times to get her approval.”

“Take banh ran luc lac, or the fried glutinous rice ball,” he adds. “The challenge was how to make its filling. It took me three years and I had to cook more than 1,000 versions before I finally came up with the perfect filling.”

Outside Influence During his path to restore lost dishes, Hai has discovered that Hanoi’s culinary tradition is not just homegrown, but has also been heavily influenced by China due to the proximity of northern Vietnam to China, as well as by France due to colonisation in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

“But it’s the artistry of old Hanoians that has really made the cuisine here special,” he adds. “When the cuisine was brought to Hanoi, they skillfully modified the taste to suit the taste of Vietnamese people.

And some Vietnamese-versions are even more famous than their original ones. For instance, thit kho tau, has its origin in China.

But when Hanoi people cook this, they use their traditional and typical seasoning, nuoc mam, which can create the brown-coloured for the meat and the irresistible smell of the dish. That’s why many people mistake Vietnam as the place of origin of thit kho tau.”

Not limiting his expertise to Vietnamese and Hanoian gastronomy, Hai also thirsts for knowledge and improving his skill at cooking western-style cuisine. Opening VietWay cooking center, Hai not only provides Vietnamese gastronomy classes for foreign people living in Hanoi, but also western-style cooking classes for Vietnamese students.

When asked, Hai said “VietWay Cooking Centre is the place where I and many others can experience the passion of cooking. But it also is the garden for me to nurture seeds for my future successor to continue the journey of restoring Hanoi's gastronomy.”

January 2013 Word | 27

“All this uncertainty, coupled with an underachieving national team, has left many fans turning their backs on the local football scene to follow the increasingly exciting dramas in England and Spain”

T

he atmosphere in the tiny bar is thrilling.

All eyes are glued to two adjacent plasma screens hanging loosely on the wall. They are showing two football matches, and two very different stories. On the left, Manchester City’s expensively acquired squad rejoice after a last minute goal has seen them claim the English Premier League title after a long and exhausting season. On the right, players from bitter rivals Manchester United trudge off the pitch, inconsolable as the news reaches them that they have lost out this time. In the poky bar the gathered masses are yelling and jumping, some in delight, some in despair.

But this is not a bar in England. This is in the outskirts of Hanoi.

It is often said that football is the game of the people. This is certainly true in Vietnam, where passion for the game is unbounded. Every street corner and spare inch can become an impromptu football pitch at a moment’s notice. Fans of all ages come together to watch televised games late into the evening. The throng of traffic in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City is dotted with people wearing tracksuits, shirts and even helmets branded with the logo of their favourite European football team.

Ask a local fan who their favourite team is and long conversations will often be had about Manchester United. Their favourite player?

Usually Lionel Messi.

But what of Vietnamese teams and players?

Do local people feel the same passion for the domestic leagues?

SPORT & LEISURE

Football or Die With the new V-League season set to kick off in March, despite the popularity of the ‘beautiful game’ in Vietnam, local football is in disarray. Kim Megson investigates the problems that afflict the country’s national sport. Photo by Aaron Joel Santos

28 | Word January 2013

Decline and Fall After months of disarray and arguments between the game’s top authorities, the start date of Vietnam’s first division, the V-League, has been set for Mar. 2. Prize money, at VND10 billion for the victor, has never been higher. Yet the economic crisis has hit hard and teams are struggling to prepare for the season ahead.

All this uncertainty, coupled with an underachieving national team, has left many fans turning their backs on the local football scene to follow the increasingly exciting dramas in England and Spain.

Nam Pham is a journalist living in Hanoi. He loves football, and dons his Real Madrid replica shirt to play games with his friends several times a week.

“I prefer the Premier League in England because many football stars play there, and I like their style of play,” he says. “Many Vietnamese wait for the weekends to watch games in foreign leagues instead of the V-League because the

quality is much better.”

Ten years ago things were very different.

Vietnamese football fans didn’t have the same opportunity to watch European leagues and tournaments, so instead they actively backed local teams.

Le Dinh Chung, who captained Hue for many years in different leagues, says in the early noughties fans were more passionate and local rivalries dominated the football calendar.

“I remember once we played Danang, our big rivals, away from home, the fervour [of the fans] made you so proud to be a player. That has gone now.”

So, what has changed? Minh Hai, a writer for the Football Daily newspaper, has a theory.

“Vietnamese people want to watch free games,” he says. “They can see world-class football at no cost at a bar on their street. It’s a big change. In the past, away fans at a V-League match could only get a seat in a packed stadium by standing in the home stand and disguising themselves.”

Hoang Tung, a reporter for Football TV, says that the local connection is now missing.

“There used to be some very popular teams in Hanoi. Now the teams don’t belong to the people anymore. However, there are foreign players here now, and I think they can help local players because they come from a better level.”

Grass Roots Many disagree with this view, however, and argue that imported players are preventing local talent from breaking through.

Duong Hong Son, the goalkeeper for the national team and a player for Hanoi T&T says things need to change. “The young Vietnamese players do not have enough world experience.

We should give them more chance to play by reducing the number of foreign footballers.”

Phan Thanh Hung, Son’s head coach at Hanoi T&T, resigned last month as manager of the national team following Vietnam’s disappointing performance at the 2012 AFF Suzuki Cup. He agrees that the upcoming generation of players are short on quality. “Our players are not good enough. Some are not even regular starters in their club teams and they need to play more.”

“I think we need to focus much more on grassroots football and children’s football in Vietnam,” argues Le Dinh Chung, who now works for an NGO called Football for all in Vietnam. “The Vietnam Football Federation should pay more attention to the foundation of football knowledge and skill rather than just working at the peak of the pyramid.”

January 2013 Word | 29

THE VILLAGE

Phu Lang Close to the border of Hai Duong, Phu Lang in Bac Ninh is one of the few traditional crafts villages still thriving with life.

Words by Hoa Le. Photos by Nick Ross

January 2013 Word | 31

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 would have been a decade ago. He has mastered a range of traditional techniques and has become a part of the local community. Every time you arrive in Phu Lang, the villagers will likely refer you to his workshop. Although they specialise in a range of ceramics and pottery, they are proud of the Buddha-themed art that Tuan has brought to the village.

No longer wild and undeveloped, the Phu Lang of today is full of charm, with narrow paved alleys connecting to the winding concrete roads. Houses with long brick walls and dark brown tiled roofs are at every turn, and located at the base of rolling hills it makes a tidy picture. A collection of clean and well-kept hamlets, the art is everywhere you look. Decorative ceramic bricks used for burial ceremonies, brown and yellowcoloured vases and jars, and other more unlikely ceramic products dot the village. It’s a mixture of good planning and design, with a touch of the spontaneous.

The wood that is used to fuel the kilns is cut and stacked like big square wooden frames in the middle of the green rice fields or in the alleys. In the courtyard of every household, jars, pots and other ceramic forms are placed in line after line waiting to dry. Next to them stand old and somewhat sloppy kilns, while the mess of pink clay used to construct the pottery is in the backyard.

Despite the industry, Phu Lang lacks the intense industrialisation of the better known Bat Trang, where trucks run back and forth transporting the ceramics all the while rolling up the dust and emitting fumes.

32 | Word January 2013

Yet it’s a lively place. Even on a Sunday the work continues — every family is still patiently sculpting their wares.

Impervious to Time, Wind and Water Ask local people when the ceramic industry first appeared and they’ll tell you a long, long time ago. No one quite knows. It’s the same when we ask an old lady who is steadily polishing ceramics on a banding wheel about when she first learned the trade — she can’t recall. The artisans here all started playing with clay when they were very young. So young that they can’t quite remember. And fashioning ceramics out of clay has been in their family for generations.

According to one online source, however, it started in the 13th century when Luu Phong Tu, a mandarin of the Ly Dynasty, was sent to China as an ambassador. It was there that he learnt to make ceramics. On his return he came back to the village and taught the techniques to the local people. “[Making ceramics] is our soul and breath, our blessing but also our curse,” says 80-year-old Hoan, a village elder who was once also head of the local ceramic cooperation. “The work has created a fortune for many, who have become rich and successful, and yet others do the same trade and remain poor. But in general, I’m very grateful because making ceramics has created jobs for the villagers. Everyone has been able to live on it.”

Traditionally the ceramic trade has focused on simple, commonly used products such as jars to store water or rice, pots and flower vases. More recently there has

been a demand for ceramics serving the spiritual ceremonies. With the booming of the economy, more families have shifted to making ceramic coffins — the receptacle used for the bones of decayed dead bodies, which following traditional funeral customs is then buried.

Another more recent direction has been the making of ceramic paintings and artwork. Galleries now dot the village, exhibiting such works. Despite this growing diversity, the traditional methods for moulding, drying and firing the clay remain.

The clay used in the village is bought annually from Bac Giang, a neighbouring province and home to large numbers of clay pits. When I asked one woman how many cubic metres her family buys each year, she laughs. “We don’t buy [the clay] in cubic metres. We buy it in boats — small boats and big boats.” An average-sized workshop like that owned by her family which only makes small pots and wine jars uses up to five boatloads a year. Bigger households, mostly those making the ceramic coffins, buy up to 30.

The traditional technique of using wood fire to burn the clay is also still in use.

Wood is collected from all over the country and stacked in organised piles to dry.

Before doi moi when the artisans worked in cooperatives, the brick kilns were placed all together in one spot — households fired their ceramics collectively. Nowadays, most families have built their own kilns.

Once the clay is shaped it is covered in a layer of glaze, which is made using

natural ingredients from local tree bark and alluvial soil from the nearby river. Then the clay is left to dry before being placed in the kilns and fired at temperatures reaching 1,000 degrees Celsius. The use of natural fire means that every product can turn out differently depending on where it is placed in the kiln.

A Promising Future There is a sense of contentment in this village — almost everyone we meet seems at ease. One old lady, probably in her 70s, still has a smile on her face when asked about her life as a ceramicist. “I was once the best sculptor in this village,” she recalls. “We worked day and night, and it was so much fun.”

A middle-aged woman whose house we visit tells us with a happy smile that she’s always busy with orders. “As soon as we take one set of pots out from the kilns, they are purchased. I don’t even know what part of the country those products will go to.”

As Tuan the young artist is preparing his next haul of statues for an international exhibition in Singapore, he can’t help but express how much he looks forward to receiving the final products. “It’s a great feeling the day when the ceramics are sent to the kilns. With hundreds of the statues going in at the same time, everyone is super busy.” He pauses. “And extremely excited, too.”

And with that, Phu Lang ceramics will continue crossing over the borders of the village and reaching out into the larger world.

Getting There To get to Phu Lang from Hanoi take Highway 5 towards Hai Phong, and then turn left onto Highway 1 towards Lang Son and Bac Ninh. At the milestone reading km136, turn off onto Highway 18 towards Pha Lai. Drive for 18km. Just past the 20km milestone turn left. You will see a sign for Phu Lang ceramics. Follow the road to the T-junction and turn left again. This takes you to Phu Lang.

January 2013 Word | 33

THE BODY COVER STORY

It is inevitable that holiday-fevered eating and drinking leads one to think about one’s body; in the cold light of morning what we do to ourselves in the name of celebration often feels like a punishment.

The festive period is also a time of year when illness abounds and the empirical tunes of western medicine are blended into the holistic harmonies of the east to explain what is happening in there.

The Body as our subject this month meant investigating the way we imagine our physical selves, in sobriety and drunkenness, through science and spirituality. It meant questioning just what constitutes that physical self, with a look at the multiple metaphysical bodies we inhabit. It also meant considering our changing ideals of beauty amid a societal progression towards obesity and exploring the possibilities of the body as a medium for expression through art and fashion.

Whether one holds multiple doctoral degrees or has never attended school for a day, the body is the one topic on which we are all experts in some capacity. Even if we know nothing else, we know our bodies, making it a difficult subject to write about in a new and interesting way. At the very least, we hope the following pages make you think a little more about the skin you are in.

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January 2013 Word | 35

DEFINING What is ideal beauty? Hoa Le takes a journey back in time to look at the beauty of the past and the pleasing looks of today.

Photo by Aaron Joel Santos

“If a few years ago, our hospital did 20 to 30 surgical cases a month, now the number has doubled and even tripled”

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“Which beauty icon do you like the most?”

I posed the question in a survey to over 200 university students aged 18 to 19.

“Korean celebrities,” half of the responses said. Next in line were European and American beauty icons and the rest scratch through Chinese, Japanese, Taiwanese, Indian, Vietnamese celebrities and about three respondees said they didn’t have an icon.

“Do you approve of plastic surgery?” asked another question from the survey.

This time, the trend was clearer. Only 10 out of 200 responses said no while the majority said yes and about 20 said they supported the saying that “fake beauty [beauty from cosmetic surgery] is better than being ugly [naturally not attractive].”

Those results don’t surprise Dr Nguyen Huu Tho, a plastic surgeon who has spent 37 years making people ‘more beautiful’ and is now the vice president of the Vietnam Plastic Surgery Association. If 10 years ago plastic surgery was only common among middle-aged women aiming to hold onto their youth, nowadays it’s young people, both men and women, who are his most frequent customers.

“One young patient came to me with photos of Korean celebrities.

They asked for Ms Lee’s straight nose, Ms Kim’s bright eyes and Ms Choe’s slim chin,” he recalls. “[Such requests] are very common.”

Generally Dr Tho would carry out the surgery of such requests after making sure that they also fit with the ‘golden ratio’, a

term which refers to the proportions of the length of the nose, the position of the eyes and the length of the chin. As long as the patients’ requests don’t go against those standards, they are accepted and the operation will be carried out.

“If a few years ago, our hospital did 20 to 30 surgical cases a month, now the number has doubled and even tripled,” says the 60-year-old Dr Tho, who recently retired as head of the Cosmetic Surgery Department of the Military Central Hospital. In bigger hospitals like Cho Ray in Ho Chi Minh City, last year the number of clients was reported to be over 100,000.

However, according to Doctor Tho, there are some similarities in the beauty concepts of his clients today and historic ideals of beauty. However, such overlaps are mostly beyond the awareness of his clients.

EYE, HAIR AND TEETH

Before beauty contests and mass media helped shape people’s concepts of attractive appearance, literature, folk songs, paintings and other forms of art were the most common way of spreading the concept of what is beautiful. According to author Le Thi Nguyet from the University of Thai Nguyen who has analysed over 11,000 verses of traditional folk songs (ca dao co truyen) about women’s beauty written before 1945, the features most commonly mentioned are eyes, teeth or smile, and hair. Only 25 lines mention the bust, with the face and overall female figure remaining dominant. But the most important focus was placed on the face.

The lines of one song run: “Your smile is as beautiful as the petal of a jasmine / As pretty as an osmanthus bud, as charming as a rose” The shape of the eyes could vary, long and thin like laksa leaves (mat la ram) or round and bright like the eyes of the pigeon (mat bo cau). Before 1945 teeth were often painted black, deemed as attractive, and beautiful hair was black, thick and very long so that women

BEAUTY could either tie it up in a bun on top of their head or leave it hanging loose down to the waist. As one male singer croons: “Your hair is waist-long so please tie it up. When you leave your long hair down, it’s so beautiful it makes me fall in love.”

Besides those three features, other female characteristics mentioned include the waist, eyebrows, cheeks and the shape of the face.

“Beautiful women have a waist the shape of a bee / Serving their husbands well and taking good care of their children” The literature and art of the past also reflects the ideal of attractive men. It’s often mixed up with power and heroism, with the image of the great war hero. The poet Nguyen Du in his epic verse The Tale of Kieu describes the attractiveness of Tu Hai, a hero in the story, as follows: “His moustache is like the tiger’s moustache, his jaws are as wide as the opening wings of a swallow, the eyebrows the a shape of a flying moth. His shoulders are five thuoc wide and he is ten thuoc tall.”

The thousand-year Chinese occupation of Vietnam had a big influence on the concept of beauty for the Vietnamese of the past.

Often square jaws, long and thick earlobes (as can be seen in Buddha statues) and straight noses were described as desired features for men because they apparently reflected a straightforward, courageous personality, prosperity and longevity.

A DEPARTURE FROM THE PAST

The inaugural national Vietnamese beauty contest was held in 1988. Considered as a milestone, it was the start of a period when beauty was measured by ideal bust, waist and hip dimensions. For the first time, female curves began being exposed more freely, and today Miss Vietnam and the country’s various supermodels are heading closer to the international standards of beauty. It’s not the face but the figure that is now most important in beauty contests — today ideal body measurements are prominant.

The images of pageant winners as well as the spread of Korean or western films play an important role in shaping people’s ideas of beauty. While young people seem to be more aware of their nutrition intake, diets and proper exercise to obtain the desired shape, many also search for other ways to achieve their goals. Although nose and eyelid surgery

are the most popular procedures, Cho Ray Hospital also carries out breast resizing operations for about 6,500 clients a year.

The departure from the beauty of the past has gone even further. People have started searching for the perfection of more ‘secret parts’ of their body.

“More and more female patients come to us to ask for the vaginal rejuvenation of their labiaplasty,” says Dr Tho. “More male clients come to get help with their parts too. Just a few years ago, we hardly received those requests. People now want to be perfect everywhere.”

A LESS HOMOGENOUS BEAUTY IDOL

Although many university students admire the beauty of Korean movie stars or European models, some are still nostalgic for the ‘traditional’ beauty of old.

“I want to be naturally attractive,” said one male student when asked about his icon. “My only role model is my father.”

Many of Dr Tho’s male clients still come to him to have their earlobes lengthened, in accordance with the classical beliefs of the past and a desire for prosperity and longevity.

Some come for work on their nose because they believe in the old value which considers a straight nose to give a person a straightforward and honest personality.

The question of what currently constitutes ideal beauty isn’t as easy to define as it was, through the poetry and folk songs in the past. It has become more diverse and is not reflected through just one image of Miss or Mister Vietnam. Instead it has become tied up with trends and with a mix of many different concepts — some from the past, some from Asia, and some from the west.

“I want to be naturally attractive,” said one male student when asked about his icon. “My only role model is my father”

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BEAUTY AND

OBESITY

A wealthier population, the arrival of fast food chains and a changing diet are having an effect on the obesity levels in Vietnam.

But will it also alter the traditional image of beauty?

Words by Hai Vu. Photo by Aaron Joel Santos

well-to-do families who are willing to pay a relatively handsome price to eat westernstyle food in modern surroundings with free Wi-Fi. The average monthly salary in Vietnam is now at VND3.84 million (US$185). Even so, the cost of a KFC combo, at VND79,000, is hardly minimal when feeding a family.

As the class divide is becoming ever more prevalent, Vietnam is facing a double burden with nutrition concerns for its children.

17.5 percent of children five and under in the urban countryside are considered malnourished. The same study found the opposite to be true in urban areas such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, where 2.8 percent of children are diagnosed as obese.

V

ietnamese culture has always held steadfast to a singular and very traditional notion of beauty. Contrary to the west, where different body shapes have been deemed to be beautiful at different times, in Vietnam the ‘thin is in’ philosophy has been the overwhelmingly popular model for what is beautiful.

Popularised in the 18th century by the provocative, body-hugging design of the ao dai, this centuries-long idolisation of a petite and slender body frame has never wavered. Indeed, there has been little reason for this ideology to change. After all, the people of Asia are genetically predisposed to have smaller body frames, and they have naturally maintained this look until recently through a diet that has contained minimal fat and little to no processed or packaged foods.

Globalisation is changing all this, bringing with it not just processed foods but the arrival of world-dominating fast food chains Burger King, Subway, KFC, Domino’s Pizza, and Pizza Hut, among others. And, as the western diet gains a stronger footing on these eastern shores, one must ask, in time, will the unforgiving ao dai still fit as it once did?

OVER THE LIMIT

Already the percentage of overweight Vietnamese children is on the rise. According to a seminar conducted in 2011 by Dr Le Doanh Tuyen, Vice Director of the National Institute for Nutrition, close to 6.5 percent

CHANGING SHAPES

of children, five and under and living in urban areas, are overweight. This represents a six-fold increase from 2000, when a similar study was conducted.

So can this sudden weight gain be blamed squarely on Vietnam’s introduction to fast food? Not necessarily. There are other factors. Along with the arrival of the big quick service chains, the average person in Vietnam has also increased their meat consumption by over 50 percent, bringing the average intake up to 84g of meat per day from just 51g ten years prior. These high-protein diets, combined with an overall lack of space for walking and exercise due to urban sprawl, are all contributors to the problem.

But the exponential rise in popularity

of the fast food industry and its rapid adoption in Vietnam are not helping the situation either. Burger King is set to open 12 restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Danang over the next few months. KFC and Korea’s Lotteria, which have both been in Vietnam for over fifteen years, have roughly 130 locations each countrywide. Pizza Hut is still making an imprint with close to 20 locations. The reigning Goliath of fast food, McDonald’s, is also preparing to join the fray.

Ba Tan, grandmother of two young boys Tu and Quan, shares her thoughts on the situation.

“When I was young, we had it very rough,” she explains. “We did not have as much as we do now — not like the children

“Now that high-calorie diets and the consumption of large doses of fat and protein are becoming more commonplace in this country, will Vietnam also see a paradigm shift in its ideas of beauty and body image?”

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of today. So when I take my grandsons out to dinner, I let them choose anything they want.” She points to the two pudgy adolescent boys sitting across the room.

“They always choose KFC!” The children hear her and laugh.

A CHANGING DIET

“Cheese has never been a part of the Vietnamese diet,” adds Toan, father of the two boys. “I don’t know when it came here, but it has never made it into any of our traditional Vietnamese dishes. The staple of a Vietnamese diet has always been rice, meat and vegetables.”

He says this matter-of-factly. However, even the basic Vietnamese diet is changing.

Rice consumption is diminishing — falling by nearly 20 percent to only 66.4 percent of the average diet in just a decade. The rice dishes that were eaten in the past are being replaced with more servings of meat, milk and eggs. Take the average serving of the beef noodle soup pho bo, which consists of

around 450 calories per bowl and contains 7g of fat. Compare this to popular fast food options. A two-piece fried chicken meal at KFC, including French fries and a soft drink, runs close to 980 calories, 45g of which is from trans fat, while a Burger King Whopper combo with the same side order is even higher on the scale, weighing in at 1200 calories and 54g of trans fat. The average suggested daily calorie intake is 2000 calories for a person of average body mass.

As fast food gets more popular in Vietnam, so calorie intake increases.

But what makes fast food so attractive to the Vietnamese palette? Surprisingly, it’s not the convenience factor. Whereas fast food was originally invented as a cheap and quick alternative to traditional sit-down restaurants in America, in Vietnam, it has the opposite appeal.

Due to most fast food chains’ American pricing standards and the Vietnamese love for all things imported, fast food restaurants are largely filled with privileged youth and

But it’s not all doom and gloom. The Vietnamese population is getting taller — the average height has increased by about 3cm in the last 30 years. However, this represents just half the growth spurt of neighbouring countries Thailand and China, which have averaged about 6cm in the same period.

Vietnam’s slower progression might be explained by the fact that the World Health Organisation has listed Vietnam among the top 19 countries in the world with the highest rate of vitamin A deficiency, a problem that affects 10 percent of Vietnamese children.

Lack of vitamin A has been known to stunt development in children and puts them at increased risk of blindness, as well as other diseases. This health concern is less likely to change now that foods that are rich in vitamin A, such as fruits and green leafy vegetables are being eaten less frequently.

If statistics are any indication, health-wise, things are not much better elsewhere in Asia. Hong Kong’s overweight population has now grown to 39.2 percent, Korea for all its skinny K-Pop idols is at 27 percent and Thailand is in the middle with 35 percent (44.9 percent of whom are women).

The shift in dietary trends is likely to continue as McDonald’s and Starbucks both make strong bids to come to these shores as early as next year. Now that high-calorie diets and the consumption of large doses of fat and protein are becoming more commonplace in this country, will Vietnam also see a paradigm shift in its ideas of beauty and body image? What effect will these changes have on the health and wellbeing of the Vietnamese population?

The only thing we know for certain is that as Vietnam’s prosperity continues to grow, so too will the waistlines of its citizens.

January 2013 Word | 39

CONCEPTION

Confused by concepts of ill-wind and hot livers appearing out of context, Douglas Pyper sets out to define what these terms actually mean and discovers that how we view the world philosophically also dictates how we view our bodies. Image by Claire Driscoll

S

cience says that illness is the result of infections. Malign foreign organisms enter the body and impede its ability to work.

The cure is the death of the invader. But Ba Oanh thinks differently. To her, your runny nose and blocked sinuses are the result of an ill-wind causing imbalanced chi, and your skin rash stems not from a dip in To Lich River, but from a hot liver.

When we say ‘body’, are we even talking about the same object?

In the east, the authority on the body isn’t biological science, but philosophy. The Yin-Yang universe of opposites applies to the human body. The body — your body included — is composed of five Yin organs and five matching and reciprocal Yang organs. These organs are related to the five elements of earth, wood, metal, fire and water, which compose the natural world.

You, therefore, are an integral part of that world. It is self evident to all nursery rhyme fans that the knee bone is connected to the leg bone, but what is less clear is that the Yin Heart is connected to the Yang Small Intestine. Despite having names like ‘liver’ and ‘heart’, these philosophical organs don’t actually correspond to the anatomical entities known to western medicine as the heart or liver. Instead they represent a bodily function and a relationship.

Within the body, balance is key. Flowing through you is an unquantifiable element known as chi. Closely aligned to blood, chi is best described as energy. Humans are born with a store of this substance and can gain more from food. Chi is constantly in motion throughout the body, its movement closely tied to the main pathways of the body known as the 12 meridians. Illness within this philosophical framework isn’t the effect of infection, but of a Yin-Yang imbalance or an impediment to the flow of chi.

The causes of these imbalances are a point of linguistic debate. Whether referred to as the six ‘evils’, ‘devils’, ‘excesses’ or quasi-scientific ‘pathogens’, this is where our old friend ‘wind’ steps in. Wind is one of the most nefarious causes of diseases, the others being cold, heat, dampness, dryness and summer heat. Wind is likely to cause imbalances in the head, throat, eyes and

40 | Word January 2013

lungs. When combined with cold, the result is fevers, nasal congestion and aches.

TAKING SOLACE IN HUMOR

Interestingly, these theoretical body concepts from the far east are extremely similar to the western body concept of humorism. Far from funny, humorism was the dominant concept of how the body worked in the west from around 400BC right up until 1858 when it was finally put to bed by Rudolf Virchow’s text Cellular Pathology. Humorism saw the body as being made up of four liquids which had equivalents in the four elements that made up everything in the world: blood — air;

“It is self evident to all nursery rhyme fans that the knee bone is connected to the leg bone, but what is less clear is that the Yin Heart is connected to the Yang Small Intestine.” yellow bile — fire; black bile — earth; and phlegm — water. Sickness was the result of imbalances in the four liquids, hence cures like blood-letting.

Yet, after only 150 years humorism is all but forgotten, while the eastern equivalent remains. Both systems can be seen as attempts to place the human body in an order within the wider world through natural elements. The difference being that the eastern variety also attempts to place the human body in the wider-still systems of philosophy and religion.

THE WHOLE YOU

Dr Brian McNaull has been practicing medicine in Vietnam for years and is very aware of the strong cultural presence that eastern body concepts have, noting that “religion and how we view ourselves is very intertwined.” The philosophy of Yin-Yang in

relation to the body cannot be separated from its connection with religions like Confucianism and Daoism. “In the east,” says Brian, “the values that people have, they’ve had for centuries.” The weight of history brings with it “a very large hierarchical structure which reinforces those values. Living, medicine and religion [are] all entangled, and you can’t really pull them apart.”

While the complex broth of culture, philosophy and religion that makes up eastern concepts of how the body works functions to explain its resilience in the face of medical science, it doesn’t quite explain the persistent attraction from the west. According to Brian, the appeal of eastern concepts is in their balance between mind and body.

“The idea of a mind-body detachment seems to be more prevalent in the west, [while] in the east the two are quite integrated,” he explains. This includes food therapy’s pervading idea of ‘you are what you eat,’ readily accepted in the east, yet less a fixture in the western body concept. The way the west imagines its physicality does not include a framework for such unquantifiable phenomena as chi.

“I think you can describe [chi] in other ways in the west,” Brian says. “What you’re trying to do is get both mind and body in some sort of balance. That’s a mixture of not only the medicine you take, [but also] what you’re eating, your frame of mind, all of that.”

In the west, the philosophical sticks of empiricism have beaten religion and spirituality out of the concept of the body. Christianity, with no theological tie to humorism, was willing to cede the workings of the body to science, while empiricism itself could find no integers for the spiritual. What that left was the concept of the body as a highly complex machine, with little understanding of how it relates to the mind. Many other concepts such as dualism and rationalism have fought over the right to define the mindbody relationship, but none have proved quite as didactic as empiricism. With our sense of self being so much more than the physical body we inhabit and its visible contents, broadening our philosophical or spiritual horizons certainly opens up more possibilities for understanding who we are.

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DETOX AND BACCHANAL In an attempt to assess the effect on their bodies, one of our staff went through a period of abstention while the other went hard on the booze. Here’s what happened.

ADVENTURES IN SOBRIETY

SPIRITED AWAY

Aaron Joel Santos

F

ive days ago I was an exposed nerve, with currents of sensitivity and displaced aggression surging through me like cars on the autobahn. I bristled with every brush and knock and cut and yell and clang. The sun was brighter and the days hotter (or colder, depending) and everything in general was kind of amplified. But I was also lighter, fresher, sleeping better, remembering more, prone to bursts of creativity at slightly odd times. I was sober as a pope. I was afraid.

There’s no denying that we drink way too much in Hanoi. I’m not a blackout drunk.

I’m not an angry drunk (though, apparently I’m an angry teetotaler at times). I’m not even close to being the biggest drinker in my friend set. In fact, I’d say I’m one of the lightest drinkers of the people I know. Except the sober guy. But he’s different. The point is: I would be considered a light drinker by most people in the city, yet I still find myself drinking pretty much every single night, in some capacity or another. And where I used to do things, now it just seems like I drink.

Period. Imbibing has become the thing. I don’t think I’m alone here. I’ve grown tired.

And I’m starting to notice that I’m getting the kind of belly fat that only skinny drinkers get. I recall things more slowly. I’ve aged.

Nick Ross

Some would say more than the five years I’ve lived here.

So the test was; would giving up drinking for two weeks lift the fog and apathy? What would it do to my mind and my body?

I gave up alcohol for two weeks. And in the end, I pretty much went through the same range of emotions that your sauced uncle goes through on his regular Wednesday night drunk. At first, I became stressed and introverted and kind of an asshole. After dinner one night with out of town guests, my wife yelled at me and told me I was rude and short and demeaning to pretty much everyone at the table, and that I wasn’t invited to lunch the next day. Then I became a bit depressed.

Sometime soon after I found myself seriously questioning the differences between extreme sobriety and extreme drunkenness.

At least in terms of emotional stability.

I was on an emotional roller coaster.

Sometime toward the end of the stint, I was in one of those epic YouTube spirals that brings one from old Iggy Pop footage in the 1970s, to compilation videos of people falling down to human reunions with lions in the wild through to the climactic and downright moving video of Susan Boyle trying out for Britain’s Got Talent and singing I Dreamed a

Dream from Les Miserables. I could physically feel my fragile state starting to unravel in one long ragged thread, fraying and pooling and falling out everywhere. Like your sauced uncle, when the inimitable Ms Boyle was hitting those crazy high warbling notes during the crescendo, I was standing up and tearing up and playing some kind of mix of air guitar and air drum with maybe an air triangle thrown in somewhere for good measure. In short, the volume was way up and I resembled the type of person you cross the street to avoid in public.

As I mentioned, while not drinking I felt lighter and brighter and more aware of myself and my surroundings. And for every weird glitch in the sensitivity matrix that is my life, there were many more moments of beautiful clarity, where the world seemed crisper and more in focus with brilliant ideas coming to me in my sleep. But I’ve also had many a great drunken idea (and OK a few not so great ones), and Susan Boyle sounds just as powerful five shots of horseradish vodka into the night.

As an experiment, sobriety was fun, but I’ll still take the option for a drink every now and then for the balance. I’m just trying not to rely on it as often. And I should probably start doing a few sit-ups every night to get rid of my skinny fat.

I

t was the day the world was supposed to end, the day when we would experience Armageddon, at least in its Mayan Calendar form. It was also the day when the wife of a close friend went into hospital to have her first baby. It was pure chance — one ending, one beginning.

For me it was also a day to get drunk. Blind drunk, but a moment to recount the experience and the effects. It’s not like I’ve never overdone it on alcohol. It’s not like anyone has never overdone it. But rarely have I tracked, at least (semi) consciously, the effects on my body and my mental state as drink after drink has been swallowed. Rarely have I watched both internally and from an unemotional distance the Law of Diminishing Returns work to its full effect. My night started with the enjoyment of the first drink, hit the ultimate satisfaction of the perfect quantity and then fell into an ungodly heap. I wasn’t driving.

I started with a cocktail during happy hour, a sour made of a spirit I’d never heard of. After a hard day on my feet and tired with work, it went down a veritable if not slightly worrying treat. I quickly hit a second, and then as my friend, the father-to-be walked in, we reverted to whiskey. He was stressed yet his demeanour was calm. His wife had gone into hospital in the morning but nothing had happened.

So almost 12 hours later he was sent home.

“They’re talking of doing a C-section,” he said.

“I have to wait.”

Full of vitality after my fourth, my mind drunkenly alert, my body ready for the kill, I recounted my own personal experience. My second child had been delivered the same way.

Overly verbose, and too energetic to even sit calmly on my stool, my friend received the full flow of my excitement. He was having a baby.

A baby for Christ’s sake! Today was the end of the world and I was on my fourth drink.

Then, as we moved outside and more friends appeared, reality set in. Yes, read the text, the operation was going to happen.

That very night at 10.30. And no, he couldn’t be there, he wasn’t allowed anywhere near the operating theatre (this was a Vietnamese hospital).

The conversation moved on. Now it was about education and schools. My drunken self became opinionated. Too opinionated. I knew everything about education and I struggled with all my might to make myself heard. I knew it was happening, knew I was getting drunkenly obnoxious — was this my real self talking? But I couldn’t stop myself. Then The End of the World as We Know It by R.E.M. hit the sound system and all changed. Our friend was having a baby on the last day of the world. It

was hysterical. Even the alcohol was laughing.

Body starting to drop, words slurring, thought processes beginning not to process, there was a moment of clarity. What were we doing sitting here drinking? What was HE doing sitting here drinking? He had to get back to the hospital.

“They won’t let me in at this time,” he said.

“It doesn’t matter,” we chorused. “You’ve got to be there. You’ve got to try. Even if you can’t get in, you need to be close.”

Now the argument started. It was getting later. 10. 10.15 and shortly 10.30. I was falling apart but trying to hold it together. Another friend would accompany him to the hospital.

We had to make sure it happened. Still he was reluctant, but we persuaded him to go.

The taxi came and left, and so did my body.

My mind seemed alert; enough to know that I had to find my bed. But I was a mess. Even the short walk home was a struggle.

Awake the next morning my first thought was the world, it had yet to end. And then there was the memory of the night before…

I like drinking — don’t let anyone tell me otherwise. But the physical and mental effects of the alcohol are alarming.

Yesterday was supposed to be the end of the world, though. And as I read the text on my phone I smiled. My friend was now a father.

“Sometime soon after I found myself seriously questioning the differences between extreme sobriety and extreme drunkenness. At least in terms of emotional stability”

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PERFORMANCE ART

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n 2010 over 8,000 people, a record number, attended the Marina Abramovic exhibition The Artist is Present held at MoMA in New York. And this year in London the Tate Modern opened a gallery dedicated to the discipline.

Quite an achievement for such an elusive art form, existing as it does outside of the moneymaking art market. With no end product as such, many performances happen without any permanent trace, except for the experience of the artists and their audience. This makes it almost the antithesis of today’s obsession with documenting our lives — photographs, video footage, status updates — where for some it seems that if it didn’t happen on Facebook, it might as well have not happened at all.

It can be difficult to pin down exactly what performance art is. Performances can be pared down and minimal, just the artist and their audience. Or everything thrown into the mix: sound, light, language, interpretive dance, costume, props, video, body paint… It is an art form that, in the west, has given meaning to the expression ‘suffering for your art’. Over the 50 years of its history, artists have inflicted injury upon

A relatively new concept on the Vietnamese art scene, performance art in the country has struggled to be given a voice. Words by Rose Arnold. Photo by Aaron Joel Santos their bodies, or invited audiences to. They have stripped down, bared all, pushed their bodies to the limits of endurance, pushed the audience to the limits of theirs.

For some it is the purest form of artistic expression possible. Others find it pretentious — they don’t ‘get it’. Some find elements embarrassing or offensive.

FROM SMALL BEGINNINGS

Here in Vietnam too, performance art, which didn’t appear until the 1990s, polarises opinion, particularly with regards to the questions it raises about art; what art is, what its role should be.

Because of the nature of performance

Performance artist Doan Minh Hoan poses by West Lake

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art, especially in Vietnam, talking about what happened, when and how it began is almost impossible — except maybe for the very few who lived it. One, Berlin-based artist, Veronika Radulovic, who lived here between 1993 and 2005 has talked and written about her personal experience of performance art in the city. For her, the first seeds were planted with students of the University of Arts in Hanoi, by Singaporean artist Amanda Heng and conceptual artist Truong Tan, at the time a lecturer. Although the performance itself was apparently very simple and only for the few students involved, Veronica has described the fact that it happened at all as breathtaking.

For many years performance art happened only in private; in people’s homes, or on beaches and in villages far from the city. These events live on as myths, or as memories of the few who were present.

Dao Anh Khanh is the artist many think of if they think of performance art. Early street performances attracted negative attention from the authorities but over the years Khanh has been able to gain greater acceptance. His brand of performance art has become well-known — relatively big production pieces, involving a number

of performers and mixing sound, lights, body painting, interpretative dance and sculpture. Khanh describes performance art as “the highest experience” and also important in bringing about changes. “It is the toughest thing for the artist and the public to have a strong, deep look at the effect that the artist brings out,” he says.

Khanh and his work have helped shift the cultural boundaries that artists in Vietnam operate in today but still, less ‘entertaining’ performance art is, to an extent, not understood nor accepted.

BLUE FEATHERS

Much of the current performance art scene in the more avant garde tradition has links to the hugely influential Tran Luong. As well as being a renowned artist himself he, along with Nguyen Manh Duc, founded Nha San Duc, a vital space for artists to be able to express themselves and where much of the performance art of today happens.

Luong also organised the first international performance art festival, Lim Dim, in 2004 which is credited for having been the spark for many other events in the country. But the path forward for performance art has not been smooth.

In 2010 the performance art festival IN:ACT was held. On the final day artist Lai Thi Dieu Ha performed a piece entitled Fly Up where she undressed, then stuck blue feathers to herself. There was a huge reaction to the photos once they reached the internet, about the nudity but also about the strangeness of the performance. Her act was said to be indecent, not Vietnamese

and not art. ‘Explanations’ for her act, from insanity to money making, were put forward.

The controversy meant that in 2011 organisers were refused permission to hold another public event. The festival went underground and had to be held privately outside of the city.

Part of the ‘problem’ with performance art is that it doesn’t necessarily aim to please, nor try to be beautiful. For many people, and certainly for many performance artists, art should challenge, create, be thought provoking. Art doesn’t necessarily need to be pretty, but it should matter. In the words of contemporary artist Bruce Nauman: “It is said that art is a matter of life and death. This may be melodramatic, but it is also true.”

Such views do not fit easily into the more structured art teaching in Vietnam. Recent Vietnamese art history includes classicism and impressionism, brought by French colonialism, and socialist realism following the revolution. The Confucian tradition also plays a part. Copying is not the negative phenomenon as viewed in the west, instead it shows respect for the old masters of art and to tradition, and is seen as an integral part of learning for students. Art students here must study the traditionally accepted techniques.

But new things happen all the time.

DEATH TO ART

This year Doan Minh Hoan, a student of Khanh’s, appeared on Vietnam’s Got Talent with an environmental piece that

included installation, video, experimental music, movement and costume. The judges — who had maintained bright smiles throughout a Little Miss Sunshine-esque performance of a little girl gyrating to You Got Me Working Day and Night — were not hugely impressed. They said Hoan’s performance wouldn’t be understood by Vietnamese audiences because it was too ‘new’. The audience themselves seemed more enthusiastic and applauded Hoan’s response that “art that isn’t new is death to art.”

Another recent step is the December exhibition Skylines with Flying People held at the Japan Foundation, curated by Nguyen Phuong Linh, one of the organisers of IN:ACT. As well as open studios, a new concept for Hanoi, the exhibition has included both live and video footage of performance art. Phu Luc (Appendix), a collective formed in 2010 are represented; with pieces lasting several hours they are not easy consumption for audiences. Their performances are mesmerising, repetitive and with a meditative quality. Lai Thi Dieu Ha was also part of this exhibition, with workshops plus a performance held at the Goethe Institut, an organisation that has provided great support to such arts in Hanoi.

“We keep widening the sky and freely fly.

We redefine and reform,” writes Linh in her introduction to the exhibition.

Who knows what the future holds for performance art in Vietnam. But the quest for new space — to explore, to create and to express different things — is sure to continue.

“For many years performance art happened only in private; in people’s homes, or on beaches and in villages far from the city.

These events live on as myths, or as memories of the few present”

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The Body and what it wears designs by

KILOMET 109 46 | Word January 2013

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Photographer: Aaron Joel Santos Designer: Vu Thao, Kilomet 109 Models: Gillian Sturtevant & Phuong Nguyen Make up and hair: Tu Ta To schedule an appointment to visit the Kilomet 109 studio please contact Thao at kilomet109@gmail.com.

K

ILOMET 109 represents the distance from Thai Binh to Hanoi, from fashion designer Vu Thao’s first home to her current one. It’s also the name of her new clothing line to be released this month. With meticulous attention to the smallest of details and regard for individual choice in how to wear a garment, Thao’s collection is a contemplation of form and function for both the body and what it carries.

Its structure and accuracy, as well as movement and flexibility, allow KILOMET 109 to open up a conversation with the designer about clothing’s relationship to the human figure.

“I believe that for a designer to effectively communicate their design aesthetic, they must first understand the unique way that a body and garments interact. You must not only understand form and proportion but also how the body moves. In fashion, the body plays the role of ambassador, and so it is measured and viewed from every angle and given careful consideration in designs” 48 | Word January 2013

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“Beauty and comfort are not only expressed on the outside of a garment — through shape, form, fabric, design details etc. — but also on the inside — how it looks and interacts with the body, like a soft lining or a hidden pocket for putting personal things. I strive to design my clothing to satisfy two equally fickle audiences, the outside world and the wearer of the clothes, each with their unique needs and expectations”

“In the modern world, clothes are not only a means of covering up your body but they also serve a highly symbolic function. They are a statement about the cultural background of the wearer, they express one’s personal attitudes towards society, they can also send a political, gender or sexual message to the world” 50 | Word January 2013

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“We don’t stop at our skin,” says Dolores Krieger, Professor of Nursing Science at New York University and co-creator of Therapeutic Touch, a contemporary healing approach that draws on ancient practices. Science now recognises that we are indeed much more than skin and bones; an electromagnetic energy field or ‘aura’ surrounds our bodies.

While most of us would need high-tech imaging equipment to see it, some people claim they can see aura extending from the body of each living thing.

BODY TALK

When the average person refers to the human body, they usually mean the physical body. After all, what other body is there? A lot of us have issues with our one physical body, so the idea of having as many as seven bodies may be too much to handle.

Historically, the western attitude to the human body was based on a purely scientific, biological perspective. The body was referred to as a machine — its individual parts identified as skin, blood, organs, nerves and bones. The eastern attitude to the body has traditionally taken a more holistic approach and today, eastern mysticism brushes with western esotericism in alternative approaches to medicine.

Metaphysics is a traditional branch of philosophy concerned with explaining the fundamental nature of being and the world. Aristotle, one of history’s greatest metaphysicians, tackled the philosophical question of being. In his work Metaphysics, he established that beings or things are defined by their ‘substance’ and that substance constitutes the reality of the individual thing. This leads us to ask certain questions. Are there substances that cannot be perceived? Must something be tangible in order to exist?

Aristotle’s philosophical theories have been transformed over time by the advancement of science and technology into what is known today as the metaphysical sciences. Throw in some quantum physics and you have a mind-spinning cocktail of evidence that the physical world may not be so physical after all.

In today’s era of advanced technology and scientific breakthroughs, there has paradoxically come a greater acceptance of phenomena that cannot be explained.

One of nature’s greatest complexities, for example, is the human body. We have made great progress with the Human Genome Project, yet the function of 98 percent of our DNA still has scientists perplexed.

Many believe that the physical human body is just one aspect of who we really are.

An inward reflection on our being in a search for our ‘essence’ or core can paradoxically reveal an expanded, multi-dimensional aspect of our selves.

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LARGER THAN LIFE

Conventional thought has us believe that we have only one body. However, in metaphysical and spiritual circles there is a belief that the human being has seven bodies in addition to the physical one. Words by Karen Gay. Photo by Aaron Joel Santos

“While these concepts may be new and strange to many of us, they may also encourage us to stop and ponder a while.

What are we truly made of?”

OUR SEVEN BODIES

There is a consensus in metaphysical and spiritual circles that a human being has seven bodies in addition to the physical one. The terminology used to describe these bodies varies slightly but the ‘fact’ that these bodies exist remains consistent.

While these concepts may be new and strange to many of us, they may also encourage us to stop and ponder a while.

What are we truly made of?

Our ‘other bodies’ lie in the layers of our aura, each layer connected to the other.

We’ll start with the inner layer and work our way outwards: 1) The Etheric Body is the closest energy body to the actual physical body. It can be seen with Kirlian photography, a technology which captures bio-electrical discharges. Sometimes referred to as the ‘body double’, the Etheric Body relates to the structural and mechanical aspects of the physical body as well as the person’s conscious emotions. It is the bridge that links all the other subtle bodies together.

2) The Emotional Body is associated with feelings. It is at this level that we experience and store both positive and negative emotions. Whether you feel happy, upset, depressed, elated, fearful or joyful, this is your emotional

body working. Emotions are the result of how the emotional body translates the messages it is receiving from the Etheric Body.

3) The Mental Body is more subtle than the previous levels. It holds our thoughts and mental processes and relates to our belief systems.

The Mental Body analyses, scrutinises and evaluates the sensory inputs it receives from the Etheric Body to create meaning. Working together, the goal of the emotional and mental bodies is to create a balance between our thoughts and feelings.

4) The Astral Body is the bridge to the spiritual plane and contains all aspects of the personality. The Astral Body is said to be capable of travelling in the ‘astral plane’ while the physical body sleeps.

things such as bliss and unconditional love. Composed almost exclusively of light, it is also known as the intuitive level where the physical mind connects with the spiritual mind.

7) The Causal Body or Ketheric Template is the mental aspect of the spiritual plane and is associated with the divine or universal consciousness. This layer protects all the other layers and holds them together. It is the strongest, most resilient level of our auric field and is said to contain the blueprint of our spiritual path. This layer of the aura is the link to ‘all that is’ and where you become one with the universe.

5) The Etheric Template Body, similar to a negative of a photograph, is the template for the physical body. It is said to exist before the physical body is formed, containing all the shapes and forms that exist on the physical plane.

Our seven bodies take us far beyond the skin of our physical body and connect us as one with the expansive universe. The metaphysicians and many of us would ask, what is that ‘one’, what is it like? Can the answers be gained through a meditative practice where the aim is to realise that there is only consciousness, and in fact no body at all?

Regardless of whether we are no body, one body or many, perhaps there is more to the expression ‘larger than life’ than we realise.

6) The Celestial Body is the spiritual emotional plane where a person feels

Karen Gay, A-Roaming Bodyworker is a holistic health practitioner practicing in Hanoi.

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DESTINATION

The Lion’s Roar Douglas Pyper peers behind the Las Vegas style MGM Corp makeover that represents the new Singapore, to see if the Lion City still has any cultural teeth.

Photos provided by the Singapore Tourism Board

I

f Singapore was a man, he’d walk on water. What was once waves on the Singapore Straight just 10 years ago is now the shiny new face that Singapore likes to show to the world. A combination of government spending and foreign investment has sat world class architecture, tourism spots and cultural centres on land reclaimed from the sea.

At the outdoor stage of the Esplanade Theatre, a skyscraper skyline sets the scene as an atmospheric soundtrack to dancing fountains wafts across Singapore’s answer to the Sydney Opera House. The Esplanade’s domed design is meant to represent microphones, but is more often likened to durians by the locals. Its acoustic structure however, is no joke. Sonically it is considered one of the top five concert venues in the world, and with all the other accoutrements of a modern multi-disciplinary arts venue in place, The Esplanade promises to satisfy all of Singapore’s cultural desires.

As this example suggests, at the high end of arts venues, Singapore isn’t short of options. International bands from America or the UK can play at The Esplanade, Star Vista or a host of outdoor venues; a jet setting DJ could play at a large scale club like Zouk, while the Cirque du Soleil would feel right at home in the Festive Grand Theatre at Resorts WorldTM Sentosa.

These are the places you go to perform once you’ve made it. Surrounded by such wealth, a journalist on a Singapore Tourism Board junket might be wondering “how did I get here?”, yet an aspiring Singaporean artist is more likely to be asking “how do I get here?”

Turn Left for Classical Concert, Turn Right for Christmas Comedy

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

One of the Singapore’s best exports of recent years has been Syndicate. A collective of DJs and VJs, the group started organising underground events for the same reason everybody else does; bored with the scene, they decided to make their own. In the back of a taxi on the way to see a friend perform at a Jay-Z tribute night, Safua

Captions: (From left to right) Incanto at Resorts WorldTM Sentosa; ZoukOut electronic music festival; performances by Singaporean artists at Substation; a dancer in Incanto

“While the Singapore art scene doesn’t screw with the police, or rage against the machine, it can still kick out the jams” 

Johari — known by his DJ monikor Max Lane — is explaining how the group went from organising their own parties around town, to playing festivals in Europe and later performing alongside their heroes from the Brainfeeder collective in LA. Far from having a master plan, the group “didn’t actually have much expectation” when they started out says Safua. By concentrating on “putting [our] sets together, producing and playing music that we wanted to hear; putting up visuals that we wanted to see”, the group soon caught the attention of both the party and the arty crowds around the city.

Surprisingly, Singapore actually has quite a few moderate-sized venues willing to support young local artists. Syndicate received most of their support from Home Club, a decent sized space on the river, while live bands are more likely to find a home on the top floor of BluJaz Cafe in the Arab Quarter of the city. Yet for all the opportunity, Safua is quick to note that it’s not easy.

“No-one gives you the breaks, you’ve got to make it for yourself,” he says. And while there is a generous smattering of small and medium venues for artists to play, there is

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of course the natural limitation of life on an island. “After a certain time it becomes a challenge to yourself,” he continues.

“In a certain space there are only certain permutations that you can work with. So now we are trying to surprise ourselves, too.”

Subculture In an effort to continue to evolve and stay fresh, Syndicate have taken on a more experimental aspect than they started out with in 2010. This requires a different kind of venue and audience, both of which Syndicate found in Substation. Housed in a beautiful old electricity substation, it has been the city’s leading independent arts venue for over 20 years. One of the venue’s founding principles is now spray painted on the building’s walls: ‘The Substation should be anything anyone wants it to be, open and flexible enough to do things his or her own way.’ By renting out their theatres, classrooms, exhibition spaces and live music areas to creative Singaporeans, the organisation has probably done more than any other to foster multi-disciplinary arts in Singapore.

Like most arts organisations in

Singapore, the Substation receives generous financial support from the government.

Yet that support comes at a price. General Manager Emily Hoe explains how the organisation has “had our fair share of trouble that comes from trying to push the boundaries. Art has always been the medium whereby you’re trying to ask uncomfortable questions.”

One such question that baffled many was a performance art show in which a man cut his pubic hair while facing a wall in a disused shopping mall. The fallout left two artists banned from performing in public, funding was slashed and all future performances had to be officially sanctioned. While the funding has returned to previous levels, licences still have to be applied for. In the case of live music, that means handing over the details of all performers along with submitting lyrics for approval; a process which takes from six to eight weeks. Understandably, ‘spontaneous’ isn’t an adjective often applied to Singaporean arts.

When Emily is talking about the National Arts Council (NAC), the group who provide most of the arts funding, it’s

hard not to start to see them as a sort of paternal figure. They provide much needed finance for independent arts, yet they also reprimand on occasions when art is deemed to have gone too far. Furthermore, they sometimes take a protective role, offering advanced warning and possible solutions when such an admonishing may be coming from another authority figure. Singapore is awash with arts policies, but perhaps not all have been so encouraging to the independent arts.

While Emily acknowledges that overall “the developmental policies have been hugely helpful for us,” particularly in terms of funding, she reserves the caveat that the price of this funding is often high.

Regulatory policies such as licensing stipulate “what we can and can’t do, and the conditions which come with the space.”

Why Innovate in Utopia?

Heavy handed regulation aside, Singapore’s art infrastructure and funding is, dare I say, utopian. With at least 10 art and design universities, venues, performance spaces and galleries of all shapes and sizes, and a plethora of capital, that would certainly seem to be the case.

Yet as Arthur Bloch, the man behind Murphy’s Law, so eloquently observed, “every solution breeds new problems.”

Singapore’s problems lie just under the

surface. What looks from the outside like a diverse, refined and dynamic art scene may not stand up to closer inspection. Joyce Toh, the Senior Curator of the Singapore Art Museum claims that Singaporean artists may even be over-trained. “They’re very knowledgeable about working in art-world systems” she observes, “so they are able to make and produce art for those kinds of networks and structures” with the result that their work “is missing that punch-to-the-gut kind of feel.”

In the world of music, the situation is similar. Timothy Chia, head of marketing and events at Singapore’s largest electronic music festival ZoukOut claims the scene is “not as dynamic as the west” because “in a sense, we are a bit more controlled, a bit more structured.”

But that’s a little unfair. For the criticisms above, the fertility of Singapore’s arts community is undoubtedly among the highest in the region. From running only a smattering of events at weekends during the 1990s, a casual glance at The Straits Times today sees the city awash with cultural events both foreign and homegrown. Innovative artists like Syndicate and independent promoters like Substation are proof that while the Singapore art scene doesn’t screw with the police, or rage against the machine, it can still kick out the jams.

Entertainment in the Lion City Planning a trip to Singapore? To find out what’s going on in the island state, both mainstream and underground, check out the following websites: The Substation Arts Centre www.substation.org Zouk Club www.zoukout.com Syndicate www.syndicate.sg Singapore Art Museum www.singaporeartmuseum.sg Home Club www.homeclub.com.sg BluJaz Cafe www.blujaz.net The Esplanade www.esplanade.com Your Singapore www.yoursingapore.com Time Out Singapore www.timeoutsingapore.com

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Singapore’s Culinary Masterpieces

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In town for a few days and don’t know what to chow on?

Samantha Lee susses out the best local eats and where to find them. Photos by Joey Lee

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sk any Singaporean, and he’ll bemoan the rising costs of living, the surge of mega-malls, the skyrocketing housing prices, the overcrowding, and even (especially) the heat. But mention one thing — food — and that grimace will morph into an earnest, forthcoming grin and a flurry of suggestions.

No other city invests so much of its soul and identity into its cuisine, which, like the city itself, is a kaleidoscopic mish mash of cultures, traditions and flavours.

Since its beginnings as a British port in the early 1800s, the city has welcomed countless visitors to its shores. Malaysian, Indian, Chinese and European immigrants brought with them cures for homesickness, not least of which were their palates and recipes.

Today, the enduring legacy of Singapore’s past can be seen in the profusion of dishes that fill local hawker centres and eateries.

True, the city prides itself on the abundance of world-class restaurants to rival New York’s or London’s. But the beating heart and soul of Singapore can still be found in a good, cheap bowl of steaming laksa or a plate of chicken rice. Food that — like the earnest, forthcoming grin — reveals most clearly what Singapore truly is.

1. Hainanese Chicken Rice A slapdash of local touches has made chicken rice, which originates from China’s Hainan province, one of Singapore’s unofficial national dishes. It comprises of an unalterable Holy Trinity of components.

Chicken, which is poached, sliced and drizzled liberally with sesame oil. Oily, fragrant rice steamed with chicken stock,

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ginger, garlic, and pandan leaf. And a transcendent garlicky, limey chilli sauce.

There are as many ways to enjoy this dish as there are stalls purveying it. Some add dark soy sauce to the chilli for a tinge of sweetness, or ginger paste for a kick of spice. Drizzling the soy sauce over the oily, fragrant rice is not uncommon. Some stalls offer roasted or soy sauce chicken instead of the usual poached variety. Go ahead and explore — the chicken rice world is your oyster.

Boon Tong Kee is a local chicken rice institution.

The branch at 399 / 401 / 403 Balestier Road opens daily till late. Lee Fun Nam Kee Chicken Rice at 94 Lorong 4 Toa Payoh serves legendary soya sauce chicken as well as the traditional variety.

2. Chilli Crab The amount of sucking, cracking, chomping, slurping and finger-licking involved in eating this dish is enough to make your grandmother blush, if she wasn’t already tucking into the crab herself. Another of Singapore’s national gems, chilli crab consists of a fresh crab (usually of the humongous Sri Lankan variety) swathed in a thick, eggy, spicy-sweet chilli sauce. There is no use for cutlery here; take full advantage of your opposable thumbs to dig out morsels of the fresh, sweet meat from every nook and crevice of the crustacean. An order of mantou, a sweetish fried bun, usually accompanies the dish and is best used to sop up every last drop of sauce.

No Signboard Seafood at Block 1202 East Coast Parkway, #01-02, East Coast Seafood Centre

serves some of the best chilli crab in town. So does Jumbo Seafood Restaurant, located at Block 1206 East Coast Parkway, #01-07, East Coast Seafood Centre.

3. Carrot Cake

One might be forgiven in expressing surprise that there isn’t a shred of carrot in this dish. The ‘carrot’ here refers to the main ingredient, white radish (also known as daikon or white carrot), which is grated and steamed with rice flour to result in a ‘cake’. This is then fried with liberal amounts of egg, preserved radish, soy sauce, garlic and spring onions. Cholesterol-laden though this is, Singaporeans are not deterred from enjoying carrot cake at any time of the day. Yes, even for breakfast. Two equally popular versions exist; ‘black’ means that dark soy sauce is added for a sweeter taste, while ‘white’ refers to the usual, more savoury type.

This dish can be found in most hawker centres.

For some of the best, go to Ah Heng Carrot Cake at #01-28 Newton Circus Food Centre, 500 Clemenceau Ave North. Or try Miow Sin Carrot Cake at #01-04, Lavender Food Square, 380 Jalan Besar.

4. Laksa This culinary treasure was introduced by the Peranakan (Straits-born Chinese) diaspora in Singapore. Thick rice vermicelli comes drenched in a spicy, coconut milkbased broth, redolent of the flavour of dried ground shrimp. The dish comes charged up with taupok (a local version

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of dried tofu), cockles, a dollop of fiery sambal and a liberal garnishing of laksa leaves (also known as daun kesom), which imparts its distinctive herbal sharpness to the soup. With the amount of slurping and splattering involved, white shirts are not recommended for a laksa binge. However, some joints offer noodles already cut into shorter lengths, easily scooped up with a spoon — a godsend for those who haven’t quite perfected the art of chopsticks.

Relinquish chopsticks at these popular ‘shortstrand’ laksa joints: 328 Katong Laksa at 53 East Coast Road, and Sungei Road Laksa at #01-100 Jin Shui Kopitiam, 27 Jalan Berseh.

5. Kaya Toast and Kopi Forget chi-chi brunches in ritzy locales. For an unbeatable and unbeatably economical start to the day, one can’t go wrong with the simple but magical duo of kaya toast and coffee (more affectionately known as kopi). Thin slices of bread are toasted to a delicate crisp and spread generously with slabs of butter and kaya, an unctuous, pandan-scented coconut and egg jam.

Wash it down with a cup of thick, dark kopi, made using coffee beans roasted in butter and sugar for that aromatic, caramelised flavour. Still peckish? Include a side order of half-boiled eggs, seasoned with pepper and dark soy sauce, for a complete breakfast.

The undisputed granddaddy of kopi joints is Ya Kun Kaya Toast (est. 1944), which has numerous branches in the city. The one at 18 China Street is particularly atmospheric.

6. Bak Kut Teh (Pork Rib Soup) Bak kut teh (which literally translates as ‘pork rib tea’) is a rather polarising subject.

In Singapore the light, peppery Teochewstyle broth is slightly more popular, though many still swear by the darker, herbier Hokkien-style version. No matter the allegiance, the underlying idea remains — pork ribs are boiled for hours in a broth resplendent with garlic, onions, pepper, and a secret smattering of herbs and spices.

The resulting ribs are intensely flavourful

A Local Fix Not able to get to Singapore? Two establishments in Vietnam do great versions of Singaporean and Peranakan cuisine.

In Ho Chi Minh City there’s only one place to head — Lion City. Now with a number of franchises around town, the original is still arguably the best. Check them out at 45 Le Anh Xuan, Q1.

Lion City also recently opened in Hanoi (92 Le Duan, Hoan Kiem). But for the real deal head to Rasa Singapura (63 Truc Bach, Ba Dinh). This is tasty, home-cooked, Peranakan-style fare served up by a SingaporeanVietnamese couple who have an obsession with cuisine from Singapore.

Their signature dish, nasi lemak, is to die for.

Another standout restaurant in Hanoi is Jade Restaurant (71 Kim Ma, inside Nha Hat Cheo, Ba Dinh). The Singapore hot chilli crab is sensational.

and fall-off-the-bone soft, best dipped in the accompanying chilli-infused dark soy sauce. Though the soup is usually served with steamed white rice, many opt to add you tiao (fried crullers), which are dunked in the soup before being eaten.

A good Hokkien-style version can be found at Leong Kee (Klang) Bak Kut Teh at 321 Beach Road. For the peppery Teochew broth, go to Song Fa Bak Kut Teh at 11 New Bridge Road or Old Tiong Bahru Bak Kut Teh at 58 Seng Poh Road.

7. Bak Chor Mee (Minced Pork Noodles) Originating from Singapore’s Teochew forefathers, this humble dish has reached unprecedented levels of local ubiquity.

It’s the perfect quick meal — fresh egg noodles are tossed with vinegar, chilli and oil then topped with a mound of minced pork. Slices of stewed black mushrooms, which impart a smoky umami kick, crumbs of sinful fried lard, and pungent slivers of crispy dried sole fish complete the dish.

(One can opt for no lard, but where’s the fun in that?) Each order comes with a bowl of soup on the side; you know it’s good when the broth is cloudy with the residue of minced meat.

There are virtually no bad bak chor mee stalls in Singapore, but here are some of the best: Joo Heng Mushroom Minced Pork Noodle at #01-86 Ang Mo Kio Market And Food Centre, 628 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 4, Street 61; and Seng Kee Mushroom Minced Pork Noodles at 316 Changi Road.

January 2013 Word | 59

LEISURE

Gym or Whim?

The explosion of top-end fitness centres in Hanoi has left many wondering what it’s all about. Image, status or the genuine desire to get fit? Words by David Nguyen. Illustration by Eddy Coubeaux.

L

ipstick on a pig. Pearls before swine. There’s been a long history of prejudice towards the unshapely hog when viewing them in terms of personal beauty. The sentient skeletons spotlighted on Fashion TV reinforce what we’ve already taken for granted by advertising images that surround us: thin, at least when draped in Cavalli or Cartier, is in.

From the Gucci boutique across the Opera House to the Versace-edition Piaggio Liberty vrooming past it and on up to the Apple logo-encrusted Chanel clutch adorning its rider, the average Hanoi resident is conspicuously conscious of high fashion.

Remaining fashionably relevant often entails keeping tabs on which brands are currently popular, buying them and putting them on display. Elitism, however, is another undeniable facet of fashion consciousness.

How does one transcend the labelobsessed masses when membership to this club can be purchased at the Old Quarter night market for the price of your average banh bao?

Clothing can be rapidly purchased and disposed of on a whim, yet the final frontier of personal style, what no amount of fabric and stitches can conceal is the look of our own bodies. You can put lipstick on a pig and it’ll still be a pig. Well, porky, get in shape!

Craze or Phase?

Or is it NShape? As the hip-hop derived spelling might hint at, the high-end gym and spa, along with California Fitness, are among a growing elite set of establishments offering American-style fitness facilities to the public. Expansive, pristine, and sparing no expense, these gyms possess all the latest equipment and services one would expect to find in any major cosmopolitan city. For a township whose citizens still flock in droves to public lakes and parks for a free workout,

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there is also no shortage of those who would rather break their sweat indoors, surrounded by mirrors. Hanoi Jane Fonda would undoubtedly be proud.

Average yearly memberships for the higher end gyms in town range between VND30 million and VND50 million per year — a whole lot of banh bao. And though the fees roughly equal the annual per capita earnings of the Vietnamese worker, the price isn’t prohibitive for established gym members.

“Economic inflation has affected everyone in Vietnam, for sure,” states Tia Nguyen, head of marketing communications for the recently opened Fitness World in Cau Giay.

“Everyone except them.”

A straight-talking veteran of the fitness industry both in Hanoi and abroad, Tia is privy to the motivations of the local gymgoer. “It’s as much about status as anything else. The young men and women here are very image conscious.”

Giap Nguyen, who works in the finance division of a large retail fashion company locally based in Hanoi, has also taken notice.

“Young people are crazy now,” he says.

He himself is only 28, yet he feels no kinship with those who have whole-heartedly embraced the new fitness trend. “They don’t earn their own money, they get it from their parents, so that’s not an issue for them. And they’re young, so their bodies are already quite good,” Giap says with thinly veiled disdain. “I don’t think they’re there just to exercise.”

Tia concurs. “People certainly like to flash their membership cards.”

Group Mentality What fashionista wouldn’t take the opportunity to show-off that red sole on her Louboutins whenever possible? Fashion is fundamentally about the status you want to project. But perhaps it is beyond mere vanity if one is actually using the gym for its

intended purpose.

“Expats are the most consistent with their workout routine,” says Tia. “And middleaged Vietnamese, aged 35 on upwards. By far, and it’s not even close, but by far the most dedicated demographic are the seniors.

There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t see the seniors in the exact same spot, doing their thing.”

Which is not to say Hanoi’s youth have been lollygagging around on their Lazy Boys while their grandparents put them to shame.

“I know young women who actually spend all day at the gym,” she adds. “All day. Women certainly attend far more regularly than men, but it’s mainly because they have nothing better to do.”

A common thread in both the parks and the fancy gyms are the peoples’ predilection for group classes. Yoga has risen as the most popular class in Hanoi’s fitness gyms, much preferred over the treadmills, elipticals, and stairmasters that are often left neglected.

‘Safety in numbers’ appears to be a universal sentiment, for Tia has noticed a quirk in the exercise ethic.

“I hate to paint with such a broad stroke, but the [Vietnamese] really dislike intense individual exercise,” she explains. “They take extra care to avoid sweating. I’ve even seen a grown man, a successful professional, who after being put through a difficult round by his hired trainer, the next day was literally hiding from that trainer.”

365 days of paid membership might yield a fraction’s worth of attendance, but for those who attend more frequently, what exactly is the target gain from all their pain?

“Muscles are not desirable for women, or men for that matter,” says Tia. “At most, they prefer the light weights to achieve that thin K-Pop look.”

Staying Beautiful With Fitness World soon opening outlets in smaller markets such as Hai Phong and

Vung Tau, there is evidence of a growing acceptance in Vietnam for commercial fitness.

Yet unlike the US, Vietnam isn’t even a blip on the radar when it comes to worldwide countries with high obesity rates.

Thin is always in fashion, and relative to the rest of the planet on this front, Vietnam is Barney’s and America is Wal-Mart.

So if enrollment in an extravagant gym is neither supposed to add bulging muscles, nor function as a corrective measure for a public health concern, what exactly is the

role of fitness centres in Vietnam?

Phuong Anh Do, a native of Hanoi in her early 20s, is a part-time fitness model who has had numerous photographic sessions in these very centres. As she puts it: “The expensive gyms are useful for learning good technique and for using the best equipment. If you feel better about yourself after working out, you probably look better, too. I would rather work out in gyms than the park, any day. If I could afford it.”

Jean Cocteau once said: “Fashion

produces beautiful things which always become ugly with time.” If that’s so, he may as well have been describing mortality itself. We all die. Maybe we should all do whatever makes us feel better before we do.

However, remaining ever skeptical is Giap. Asked if he’d ever change his mind on joining a formal gym, he gives a look as if someone had just offered to sell him the Long Bien Bridge. “Sure, I’ll join,” his eyes seem to say. “When pigs fly.”

January 2013 Word | 61

DAY TRIPPER

Tam Dao Less than two hours from Hanoi, the former French hill station offers a welcome, fresh air break from the stresses of the capital.

Words by Elisabeth Rosen. Photos by Nick Ross

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riving up the winding road, picnic baskets in tow, it’s hard to get used to the stillness. Barely two hours from Hanoi, Tam Dao National Park feels like a different world. A light breeze rustles through the trees; except for the occasional passing car or motorbike, the mountain route is refreshingly empty.

Nestled in a valley between sweeping green hills, the town of Tam Dao provides an ideal base for exploring the park. Built by the French in the early 1900s, the town still retains a few traces of colonial influence: luxurious villas, a stone church that reaches gracefully into the blue sky. But today’s Tam Dao is unmistakably Vietnamese. At the local market you can find vendors selling bananas and roasted corn, surrounded by stalls that offer quick bites of sticky rice and the ubiquitous pho.

Skip the hotel restaurants that offer pricey western-style meals overlooking the mountains. Instead, bring picnic fixings from Hanoi and follow the road back along the edge of the cliff, where buildings give way to lush mountains and chickens wander freely up and down the curving hills. The air feels clean and invigorating, and the view is far better than the panorama offered by any restaurant.

After lunch, make the climb to Tay Thien Quoc Mau. Dedicated to a local mountain deity, the Buddhist temple sits on a hill several minutes’ walk from the town centre. Light an incense stick for good luck at the small pagoda before continuing up the grandiose stone staircase. If you’re feeling ambitious, follow the stone steps – about 1000 – to the television tower at the mountain’s summit. On clear days, the reward is a sweeping view of the national park, which spans mountainous land in three provinces.

In the Foothills Before hitting the highway, make one last stop at the Vietnam Bear Rescue Centre, which provides a home to sun and moon bears saved from the illegal bear bile trade.

Admission is free, and Animals Asia’s staff members, who speak both English and Vietnamese, make enthusiastic guides.

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Starting in January, visitors will be able to check the organisation’s website (www. animalsasia.org) for open house days; for now you should call ahead to make an appointment.

Guided by an Animals Asia staff member, visitors can come excitingly close to observing bears in their natural habitat. Treelined paths loop through a pleasant stretch of woods to the spacious enclosures where the bears spend their daylight hours.

Although the bamboo platforms they’re playing on seem more like playground equipment than the logs bears might scramble up in the forest, they serve a valuable purpose, explains Annemarie Weegenaar, who heads the vet and bear team at the rescue centre.

The platforms mimic the trees the animals are used to climbing and enable the naturally solitary animals to get away from other bears.

Weegenaar takes pains to make clear that the bears aren’t just part of a display. Most of the animals at the rescue centre have spent most of their lives on bile farms, though the word ‘farm’, with its bucolic connotations, hardly does justice to the gruesome conditions the bears are forced to endure.

“When they get here, a lot of these bears are in such poor condition you can actually count their ribs,” Weegenaar says. She points to a large bear at the back of one enclosure.

“This is Zebedee. He was kept in someone’s kitchen with no natural light, and he was fed an awful diet.

When he came to us, his teeth were mostly missing.” She gestures proudly. “Now he’s integrated into a group of 19 other bears.”

Getting there Tam Dao is 85km from Hanoi. Driving is the most direct way to get there, as there is no public transportation to the park.

Buses from Hanoi’s My Dinh station stop in Vinh Yen, where you can find a taxi to bring you to Tam Dao (about 30km).

The Vietnam Bear Rescue Centre is located at the edge of the park, about 13km from town.

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TRENDSPOTTER

ECO TO GO Restaurants and resorts in Vietnam have latched onto the term ecotourism. But the meaning is badly defined, and the trend does nothing to prop up the country’s biodiversity. Words by Douglas Pyper.

Photos by Aaron Joel Santos

“While the term ecotourism is internationally ill-defined, its Vietnamese equivalent du lich sinh thai is all but meaningless”

L

ike fungi on your un-drying clothes, or acne on your unbeautiful face, a new phenomenon is breaking out all over Vietnam.

Signs for something called du lich sinh thai are popping up in all sorts of unexpected places. They vie for your attention among forests of Karaoke and Nha nghi neon, only with a more serene demeanor. If your Vietnamese language skills weren’t the best, you’d be forgiven for being a little confused about this mysterious new piece of vocabulary, sinh thai.

Sinh thai actually means ‘ecology’, making this new phenomenon ‘ecotourism’. Quite how you’d infer this

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from all the new ecotourism spots around Vietnam, however, is harder to explain. In an alley off Ngoc Thuy road in Gia Lam, one such newfangled sign directs you to Khu du lich sinh thai Bao Son, the Bao Son Ecotourism Area. In an area full of potted bonsai trees, you’ll find a restaurant, a couple of fishing ponds and a solitary alligator hiding in the muddy water of a concrete enclosure.

By now, those who know the meaning of the word ‘ecology’, are probably a little confused. So too are the staff in the Bao Son Ecotourism Area. “There are many trees and ponds here,” one waitress explains, “so we call it ecotourism.” On

the subject of raising environmental awareness, or whether that animal in the enclosure is an alligator or a crocodile, she’s quick to point out that they are in a restaurant. “We don’t teach anybody anything,” she says.

Words and Meanings Those who find this laughable, should try looking up the term ‘ecotourism’ in a number of English language dictionaries.

The unfortunate truth is that the term is ill-defined and varies from authority to authority. Josh Kempinski, who worked with Flora & Fauna International in Vietnam for over four years, describes

ecotourism as “one of those unfortunate terms. It just evolved and everyone jumped on it, and everyone slightly hijacked it.”

The most widely accepted description of ecotourism defines it in flexible, multifaceted terms. Ecotourism has come to cover three pillars: culture, environment and education. For a tourism facility to be considered eco in these terms, it should educate the traveller about a people or an environment, or help to protect that environment or ethnic group’s way of life. By this definition all kinds of unlikely tourism activities suddenly become ecotourism, including a trip to Mai Chau village, where visitors can experience the arts, customs, architecture and cuisine of the local Thai people, albeit in a very artificial setting. Bao Son Ecotourism Area, however, would still fail to qualify.

While the term ecotourism is internationally ill-defined, its Vietnamese equivalent du lich sinh thai is all but meaningless. Vu The Vinh, the founder of Hanoi-based tourism company Handspan, believes that what ecotourism means to Vietnamese people is “they have a chance to encounter a natural space. That’s about it. They don’t do anything apart from have a large space and a chance to have fun.”

To Vinh, ecotourism is both a reaction to rapid urbanisation, and the latest in a long string of trends to hit Vietnam. Vinh remembers being told 10 years ago that in the future, Vietnamese people would pay thousands of dollars for imported high quality bicycles. “I couldn’t imagine that. But suddenly, in the last year or two everybody has a bicycle. It’s typical

Vietnamese. If it happens, it happens very quickly and it has its own way.”

Internationally the dialogue and the lexicon on ecotourism is changing and expanding. As Josh points out “ecotourism is a bit of a misnomer if you’re doing a homestay somewhere like Mai Chau.”

While a regular flow of tourists coming to see a clean, farming environment that supports the livelihoods of an entire village is undoubtedly incentive enough for the local population to keep that area clean in terms of visible littering and water pollution, it isn’t protecting or preserving an ecologically fragile area. In reality, it is better described as being ecologically neutral. Today, a raft of other terms such as ‘nature tourism’ or ‘sustainable tourism’ are beginning to replace the much abused ecotourism. When applied to the Bao Son Ecotourism Area or Mai Chau respectively, these two terms make much more sense.

From Irony to Where?

The real irony in the false ecotourism trend in Vietnam is that the country has the potential to be one of the world’s premier ecotourism locations. From more than a half decade of conservation in the country, Josh knows that “Vietnam is one of the most important countries in the world for primate conservation.” Species like the Tonkin snub-nose, Delacour’s langur, the cao vit gibbon and the grey-shanked duoc langur can only be found in isolated locations within Vietnam, and nowhere else on earth. The potential for genuine, high-end, small-scale ecotourism to these locations, with much of the proceeds going to preserve the animals and their natural

habitats, is one of the country’s great untapped resources.

Yet for all the potential, Vietnam’s wildlife remains largely unknown.

“Vietnam as a brand,” says Josh, “doesn’t build on nature tourism at all.” This is in stark contrast to the advertising campaigns of Incredible India, or Malaysia Truly Asia whereby orangutans, elephants and other tropical wildlife feature prominently. “If you looked at any of the advertising for Vietnam,” he adds, “you’d think that there was no wildlife here.”

With much at stake, failing to tap into ecotourism or nature-based tourism, just doesn’t make economic sense.

Globally, tourism is one of the world’s most important industries, accounting for around nine percent of the world’s GDP. It continues to grow robustly, with the rate presently hovering around four percent per year. Within the sector, Asia is one of the fastest growing regions, with Vietnam one of the continent’s best performers. In the last decade, Vietnam’s tourism growth has been outstanding.

From hosting around 2.3 million visitors in 2001, the country managed to lift that number to around six million in 2011. Worldwide, ecotourism — as a term encompassing nature tourism and sustainable tourism — is the single fastest growing sub-sector. These heady statistics, promising very tangible financial incentives for those savvy enough, leave Josh and the conservation community with only one conclusion: “If we can’t tap into tourism for the benefit of biodiversity conservation in Vietnam, then we’re doing something wrong.”

January 2013 Word | 65

1

OUT & ABOUT

Cocktails and Fish Sauce Cuba’s got the Cuba Libre, the US has the Manhattan and Brazil lays claim to the Caipirinha. But what about Vietnam? We decided it was time to create some signature Vietnamese cocktails using one classic ingredient – fish sauce.

Yes, fish sauce. Words by Nick Ross “That sounds gross,” said one restaurant manager when we asked him to put together a cocktail made with fish sauce. And to the uninitiated, it’s true. Why ruin a cocktail with that pungent, fermented cooking condiment when there are other ingredients out there?

But that wasn’t the idea. Wasabi cocktails are all the rage. The recent pho cocktail concocted by Metropole's cocktail bar, Angelina, has made headlines. In Bloody Marys we use the chilli-based Tabasco sauce, Worcestershire sauce – also a fermented fish sauce-based cooking condiment – and more.

Angostura Bitters are made from vegetable extracts and then there are liquors made from star anise, an ingredient native to Vietnam and China, and the weird and wonderful botanical spices used to make gin.

So, with fish sauce the true amber nectar of Vietnam, and coming in almost as many varieties, vintages and concentration volumes as wine, why not see if this most wonderful of condiments could make the cut? It’s not as

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if this hasn’t been done before – Daluva, for example, already has two fish sauce-based cocktails on their menu. But it’s certainly an idea that few people have thought about.

So, to get our experiment working, we asked five bars to concoct their finest. After umming and aaghing they came up with the following ideas. Not one of the cocktails failed to hit the throat-warming spot. Perhaps to be expected from the versatile condiment, fish sauce works with more than just cuisine.

1. The Bloodyjito Le Paul Conti, 59 Nam Ngu, Hoan Kiem The Ingredients Skyy vodka, flat parsley, mushroom fish sauce, tomato juice, chilli powder. Muddled.

The Process Le Paul Conti’s front man, French-trained sommelier Hai Ha, loves experimentation.

So, for the fish sauce cocktail he played with

a number of spirits, flavourings and styles.

Jameson’s, orange rind and Campari was one successful variation, as was a Vodkatini concocted of Skyy Vodka, extra dry Vermouth with a touch of lime juice, fish sauce and rind.

But the real winner was the muddled Bloodyjito. Concocted in the same way as a mojito – with all the ingredients muddled before adding the juice – the flat parsley gave this drink a certain Middle Eastern tang, a factor that made it stand out from its tomato juice-based contemporaries. It looks good, too.

In a Word A hard-hitting yet smooth and spicy mother of a drink, the chilli and fish sauce are balanced nicely by the parsley.

2. Phu Quoc Twisted Tea Pots ‘n Pans, 57 Bui Thi Xuan, Hai Ba Trung Ingredients Lemongrass tea, Makers Mark bourbon

2 infused with mint, fish sauce caramelised with ginger and honey

3

of the stuff.”

Said to be a great remedy for hangovers, the Mexican-born Michelada comes in so many variations that even its origins are disputed.

Shahar’s twist is to add the mam tom, a tough ingredient on the palate for even the most hardened eaters of Vietnamese cuisine. Yet with this drink often being made with clamato juice, the squid fish sauce acts as a perfect replacement for the clam broth.

The Process The inspiration for this cocktail, says Peter Lawrence from Pots ‘n Pans, is Phu Quoc.

When you travel around you constantly smell the sea, the flowers, and a hint of fish sauce from the factories. The flavours of lemongrass, ginger and fish sauce are robust yet unique, and they fit well with a powerful liquor and a hint of mint.

“The overall flavour is similar to our cuisine,” he adds. “Strong yet balanced and powerfully Vietnamese. Fish sauce is a great ingredient for drinks as its saltiness is similar to brine. It also balances well with the sweetness of sugar and honey.”

4. Under the Bridge Angelina, 56 Ly Thai To, Hoan Kiem

In a Word The twisted tea is all about control – the lemongrass keeps the drink crisp, while the ginger and whiskey add warmth. A hearty, easy-to-drink winter tipple.

Ingredients Lemongrass, ginger, fish sauce, egg white, fresh lemon juice, sugar syrup, Tanqueray gin, tequila. Shake, triple strain and serve in a Martini glass

3. The Michelada Daluva, 33 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho Ingredients Tomato juice, lime juice, orange juice, Tabasco sauce, squid fish sauce (mam tom) and beer.

Serve over ice.

The Process Israeli-born, American-raised, Hanoi-based chef Shahar Lubin is a die-hard fan of Mexican, Vietnamese and Middle Eastern flavours, all merged into one. “I use fish sauce in almost everything,” he smiles. “I just can’t get enough

In a Word A veritable sex-in-a-glass pick me up. Tangy, rich, sweet, alcoholic and easy to drink, has so much punch it’s a knockout.

The Process “I grew up in a poor family,” says Angelina's head bartender Pham Tien Tiep. “One of my memories is eating snails in the cheap food stands under Chuong Duong Bridge. The dip was a concoction of fish sauce, lemongrass, lemon juice and sugar. I always have a memory of the taste and the aroma of the sauce. The idea was to create something that would represent not only a memory, but a flavour of Vietnam.”

“For the cocktail I’ve replaced the snails with egg white. I’ve also chilled the glass with water infused with lemongrass to create the

4 aroma. When I first tried out the drink I gave a taste of it to some of the in-house guests. They drank the whole glass. Then they asked me, ‘What did you put in it?’ When I told them, they were shocked.”

In a Word This is a lovely, smooth, slightly sweet sipper with delicate flavours. The ginger, lemon grass and fish sauce all compliment one another.

5. The Fish Sauce Bloody Caesar Don’s Tay Ho, 16 Lane 27 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Ingredients Horseradish, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, green and red Tabasco sauce, fish sauce, clamato juice, Viking vodka, black pepper, celery stick, chilli salt (for the glass rim).

The Process “A version of this cocktail is already on my menu,” says restaurateur Donald Berger. “I’m Canadian and my wife is Vietnamese. So I’m used to using fish sauce and it was easy to imagine it blending well with the clam flavour and tomatoes of clamato juice. By adding just a few drops I felt it would give a great pickme-up. It’s also good to give one of my betterselling cocktails a Vietnamese flavour to it.”

In a Word A hearty, Bloody Mary-style cocktail with a great bite. Something to get your tongue and even your teeth into.

All the cocktails featured in this article will be available for you to try. Prices vary according to the establishment.

January 2013 Word | 67

The Mathematician

Feminine Spirit

If you abide by a philosophy such as ‘the truth is there is no truth,’ mathematics can seem like a cold and calculated world. As a doctor of mathematics and lecturer at the Hanoi National University of Education, Mrs Nguyen Thi Thinh is one woman who has resided in this realm for most of her life. Yet for her it is anything but cold and calculated.

Thinh sits down to speak mathematically, and as it turns out, quite poetically, about her experiences as one of the few females in this field.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR EXPERIENCE AS A WOMAN IN THE FIELDS OF MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTER SCIENCE? IN MY TIME, in the early 1990s, there were not many female students of mathematics at my university; only 25 percent of my class was female. In the postgraduate courses, there were 22 students and I was the only female. In the PhD programme, we didn’t have many females either because it was quite an abstract field. But I still felt normal; it was even a little more interesting for me as the only woman.

I got a scholarship to go overseas for a Master’s degree when my daughter was nine years old and my son four. It was very difficult for me to leave them behind to go and study but I’m lucky to have a husband who helped me take care of our children.

Not very well, but acceptably.

WHAT MAKES MATHEMATICS A PASSION OF YOURS? I’M NOT SURE why, but maths has always come naturally to me and I’ve found a lot of success. From my experiences, though, I think that the most difficult problems can never be written down on paper like a maths problem. Problems in society, problems at work as a manager, they’re more difficult than maths, more complicated. But thinking mathematically helps me to work out other problems.

THINKING MATHEMATICALLY… IS VERY USEFUL in other subjects outside of maths. What is the input? What is the output? And then you work out what is in between. In an algorithm, you think about how many steps there are and which to do

first. Mathematical thinking is very helpful to work through how to get from input to output.

IS MATHS BEAUTIFUL? WHEN YOU REALLY like something you usually find something beautiful inside it. I find the relationship between the Bernoulli, Euler, and Legendre polynomials beautiful.

They are very classic formulas from the 17th or 18th century and no one is interested in them anymore, they are just used to prove other things. But when we study them closely, we find a close relationship between them and see how we can express this one through that one.

YOU ALSO READ AND WRITE POETRY, WHAT IS APPEALING TO YOU ABOUT THIS ART? THE CREATIVE THINKING balances my mind from the work in mathematics and as a director. I think writing a poem is like adding flavour to one’s life. Normally I write when I have strong emotions or impressions.

Sometimes after a challenging day, after everyone has gone home, I have time for myself and I start to write as one way to feel better. Sometimes it just comes automatically.

There has been much talk as of late about how the world is changing, what’s to come of civilisation, whether we are doomed or saved, and how much to worry about all of it. Part of that conversation among metaphysical thinkers and astrologic interpreters has involved the nature of femininity.

There is a definite buzz of Yin in the air, though it’s difficult to find a peer-reviewed journal to discuss that which cannot be known or seen, and though the astrological history is a bit out of the reach of this writer, it is said that the energies of the universe are shifting. It is said that a rise in feminine energy will now balance what, for the last thousands of years has been dominated by masculine energy. It is also said that for these last thousands of years the Mayan Calendar and Vedas of ancient India have foretold

2012 to be the beginning of another Golden Age. This writer, for what it’s worth, is ready to get her gold on.

The Golden Age, first documented in the late 6th century by Greek poet Hesiod, refers to a time of peace, harmony, stability and prosperity. It talks of a time when people were naturally good; competition, greed, domination and war did not exist.

The feminine based values of collaboration, co-creation, and connection to the natural world constituted this era, which exists in some form in ancient Greek and Hindu texts.

The calendar predictions have been coupled with the passing of symbolically female Venus in front of the symbolically male sun this past summer to provide further argument for a transition into feminine solar energy. A new paradigm is

on the horizon, the people who say things like this say, for how women and men will live together.

Though paradise sounds particularly distant from our present time, which does not cease to offer examples of greed, corruption and violence, the conversation nonetheless persists.

Maybe nothing at all is shifting. Maybe the feminine spirit is a myth. Maybe we’ll continue to live exactly as we have been, with whatever masculine bravado has characterised global events. But the fact remains that despite all earthly evidence to the contrary, there is still a strong, albeit marginalised faith in the potential of a feminine archetype. This at least should offer us all a few moments of quiet contemplation, or at least some good oldfashioned girl talk.

“Of course this was the first time I’ve joined an opening; it was the first time I was invited,” Hoang Thi Ta says a week later. “It was a warm experience and all of my friends felt the same. We shared in the idea of my son and started to see the imagination of what he created. We all said, okay, it’s art.”

The 31-year-old’s artwork consisted of covering the floor of the library at the Japan Foundation with seeds of rice set upon a moist blanket with a plate of glass on top.

The rice had been growing for a few days on the night of the opening and did in fact resemble a beautiful ceramic print. This physical material of the work was only a piece of it though: the foundation for the more dynamic element to stand, walk around, and chat with one another.

“This was also a performative work,” says Mami. “When the old ladies appeared, the artwork existed. They were the audience and the subjects of the art. The art existed in their being present for it, in the moments of them meeting the other people in the audience. I didn’t want to just build some kind of dead object that people watch, I wanted people to touch it, to share in something alive.”

But why mums? The artist explains: “I think that in the many years I’ve worked in art, it’s created a divide between me and my mother… It’s difficult to share with people who do not care or know about art.

So this time I wanted to go back and fill in the gap, to rebuild the relationship, try to bring my mother and I to the same life.”

SOCIETY

WOMAN An interview with a female mathematician, the Golden Age of women and mothers who like art. Words by Kaitlin Rees.

Photo by Francis Roux

68 | Word January 2013

Mums Who Like Art 90 old ladies shuffle up the steps of the Japan Foundation’s library to see a new installation of art. Regal in fur coats and glowing with a childlike marvel, they look at the walls for the pictures. No, look down. Ah the floor, it’s beautiful ceramic. Where can I buy something like this? No, no, it’s rice, the seeds are growing up under a sheet of glass.

Waaaa.

Among the 90 ladies strolling through the grounds of the Japan Foundation is the mother of one of the artists, Hoang Thi Ta, 68. It is the night of her son Tuan Mami’s opening and he has invited her to attend and lead as many of her friends as possible through his show and those of the other artists taking part in the month of open studios.

January 2013 Word | 69

MYSTERY DINER

Gingerly Done Our secret reviewer checks out the third restaurant in the chain that also includes Wild Rice and Wild Lotus. Photos by Francis Roux

I

t came as a bit of surprise to find that Ginger, the third in the holy trinity of hyper-design conscious Vietnamese restaurants that includes Wild Rice and Wild Lotus, had been open for three years.

Despite its age, its location is a surprisingly well-kept secret, and perhaps it’s a fact worth under-scoring for the owners, as at the moment the grand, uber-chic Ginger is more familiar to the bus-tour and corporate function world than to Hanoi’s food cognoscenti.

Located behind one of Hanoi’s best examples of art-deco architecture in a rather dingy and rutted lane just off Ly Thuong Kiet, rocking up to Ginger comes as something of a surprise. Its gleaming large pane-glass frontage, an uncompromising bow to modernity, seems incongruous with the surroundings and is perhaps better suited to central Kuala Lumpur or Bangkok than the gastronomic wilderlands of Hanoi.

Bold contemporary design, loving attention to detailing and artwork, and a heavy commitment to minimising the wear and tear have left Ginger probably looking as good as it did on the day it opened.

If the interior was sleek, the same couldn’t be said for the staff, who rather guiltily rose from a communal chit-chat, swathed in winter coats and listening to Viet House as we entered on a quiet start-of-the-week night.

But any impression we’d put them out was soon removed, as the kitchen fired itself into operation and the staff did their best to make us feel welcome.

70 | Word January 2013

Although we were the only table in the entire restaurant, it took a good fifteen minutes to get our drinks (perfectly adequate fruit cocktails), a breathing space that allowed us more time to soak in the gigantic scale of the place and imagine its high-ceiled white and red interior buzzing with a full house — by this time our Viet House soundtrack had been adjusted to more suitable coffee-table nu-jazz.

Sloppy Mistakes First up on an evenly east-west inspired menu was an upgrade on an old Viet favourite — ‘Ginger Signature’ spring rolls stuffed with Australian beef, noodles and the usual herb and lettuce concoction — though we thought the Cuban cigar-sized densely packed rolls could easily have done without the additional layer of slightly dry rice paper (VND100,000).

For the mains we went our separate ways, with me choosing the ‘Ginger Signature’ sea bass encrusted with herbs, spinach (spinach replaced by broccoli) and baby roasted potatoes (VND235,000) (which was oddly billed at the end as sea bass with tamarind sauce at VND215,000). While I enjoyed the dish, I found the fish a bit dry and slightly heavy on the seasoning for my taste. My dining partner went Vietnamese with an original order of caramelised fish with sugarcane, ginger and galangal (again a Ginger special), but ended up with prawns in a clay pot at VND215,000. While not what we had ordered, we felt a bit churlish changing the dish as we were the only diners. The

prawns seemed to have been done in a thin tamarind sauce of some kind, so at least half the flavours got to our plates.

As a filler we ordered steamed rice and a mustard leaf and minced pork broth (VND70,000), which seemed fine, albeit light on the minced pork.

For dessert I went for the sweet purple rice served with mango and coconut ice cream (VND55,000), which for me was the hit of the evening. Fresh orange mango slices served simply next to a generous portion of sticky, deeply hued rice and an innocent bobble of excellent real-deal coconut ice cream.

Ginger wows with its interior, and has obviously sewn up a good relationship with tour groups and corporate bookings, but with a bit more dedication in the kitchen, it could eventually rise to find similar acclaim as some of its supposed rivals. I’d just love to see such a well-designed restaurant really succeed.

Ginger, 87C Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem

Food, Decor and Service are each rated on a scale of 0 to 15.

13 — 15 extraordinary to perfection 10 — 12.5 very good to excellent 8 — 9.5 good to very good 5 — 7.5 fair to good 0 — 4.5 poor to fair The Word reviews anonymously and pays for all meals

THE VERDICT

8 8 14 FOOD

SERVICE

DÉCOR

G

rabbing a sheet of dried squid, the petite woman yanks the tentacles free and tosses the flesh onto the charcoal burner on the curb. Perched on a tiny plastic stool, she turns it quickly with her bare fingers, using her other hand to fan the flames.

“We don’t put anything on the squid. It gets all its flavour from how it dries in the sun,” says Nguyen Thi Phuong, 41, who runs the street-side eatery out of the front room of her house. From a folding chair beside the rack of dried muc, she watches the squid char to a papery white. When it emerges from the flames, it is pounded with a wooden mallet and torn into strips.

Tasting the papery shreds of warm squid, it’s hard to believe they haven’t been exposed to a single pinch of seasoning. Chewy and tender, edges charred from the flames, muc nuong strikes an unusual – and addictive – balance between salty and sweet.

It’s all in the timing, Phuong explains.

When the fishermen hang the squid from their boats to dry, they have to make sure they don’t spend too long in the sun, which would make the texture too leathery and destroy their subtle sweetness. These squid dried for two or three days, she says – just enough time to dry them out while preserving their flavour.

There’s no menu at Phuong Muc. Just

STREET SNACKER

Although she won’t specify exactly what goes into the secret recipe, a careful stir turns up hunks of garlic and flecks of bright chilli.

When Phuong decided to turn her front room into a restaurant, muc nuong was the logical food to offer.

Growing up in Hanoi, she loved eating the grilled dried squid, which her mother often made as a snack for the whole family.

“I could eat it every day!” she says.

Although the squid is prepared outside, diners eat in the wide, airy front room, where a broad carpet provides sitting room for dozens of people.

“I’ve been here about 10 times,” says one customer, who identifies himself as a businessman, as his children nosh happily on strips of squid. “It has a nicer atmosphere than other places on the street. In the winter, you can sit here and it’s warm. Plus, 36 is a lucky number!”

Most Hanoians know how to make muc nuong at home. But the restaurant offers a heated, convivial hangout. On winter nights, the carpet sprawls with boisterous groups, who wash down platters of the grilled squid with cold beer. Open until 2am, this snack might be the ideal way to start or end a night out on the town.

Phuong Muc is located at 36 Hang Bo, Hoan Kiem, and is plainly visible from the tables of dried squid outside. The restaurant is open from 3pm to 2am. Muc nuong prices range from VND150,000 to VND300,000.

Muc Nuong Torn off into strips and eaten with jicama, guava, cucumber and chilli sauce, muc nuong is the perfect winter warmer to add heat to a night out on the town. Words by Elisabeth Rosen.

Photos by Francis Roux indicate how many people are eating, and the server will decide how much squid to grill. Served alongside crisp slices of jicama, guava and cucumber, the dish falls midway between a hearty snack and a small meal.

The Sauce Hang Bo is covered in stalls and restaurants selling this traditional Hanoian food, but what sets Phuong Muc apart is the incendiary chilli sauce, which Phuong makes herself. Try to ask her what the ingredients are, and she develops a sudden coyness.

“It’s a secret,” she says, her giggle revealing crooked teeth.

Pressed, she reveals that the sauce contains “more than 10 different ingredients.”

January 2013 Word | 71

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INVESTMENT & FINANCE 075

BEVERLY INVESTMENT

Room 919, Suite 8, Song Da Building, Me Tri, Tu Liem Tel: 3794 9669 www.beverly.vn Professional investment company dealing with real estate resort, hotel and senior housing projects all over the country.

Working to promote sustainable development, Beverly provides good value for its partners, investors, customers and society.

TMF GROUP

Unit 06-023, 6th Floor, Prime Center Building, 53 Quang Trung, Ha Dong 8th Floor, 53 Quang Trung, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3944 9733 39A Ngo Quyen, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 2220 2660 Unit 501, 5th Floor, Saigon Trade Center 37 Ton Duc Thang, Q1, HCMC, Tel: 3910 2262 www.tmf-group.com TMF is headquartered in the Netherlands, with over 100 offices in 75 countries. Provides accounting, tax and payroll services.

Also specialises in helping international investors establish a presence in Vietnam.

This includes services such as incorporation of companies and representative offices, opening of bank accounts, licensing and tax stamps.

KPMG

16th Floor, Pacific Place, 83B Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3946 1600 www.kpmg.com.vn Worldwide firm specialising in auditing, accounting, tax and management consulting services. Also does executive search and selection.

A D D ITIONA L F E AT URE S

72 | Word January 2013

visit wordhanoi.com for a comprehensive OGILVY & MATHER Tien Phong Newspaper Building, 15 Ho list of our listings 8/F Xuan Huong, Hai Ba Trung, Tel: 3822 3914

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ACCOUNTING & AUDITING

Travel Promos 078 Wine Connoisseur 090 West Lake Maps 093 Book Buff 095 Cinema Buff 096 Medical Buff 104

business

PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS

7th Floor, Pacific Place, 83B Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem . Tel: 3946 2246 www.pwc.com Provides business services including auditing, business and technology solutions and tax and legal consulting. Has more than ten years experience in Vietnam and works in all major industry sectors throughout the country.

THANG LONG AUDITING COMPANY

Angelina's head bartender Tiep makes the pho cocktail

23 Tran Duy Hung, Trung Hoa, Cau Giay Tel: 4976 2055 A Vietnamese company with more than 30 representative branches outside of Hanoi, Thang Long provides a full range of services, including audit, accounting, tax, corporate secretarial and business consultancy.

premiums; marketing; public relations & events. Clients include multi-national brands and NGOs.

TMF VIETNAM COMPANY LIMITED

2811, Saigon Trade Center, 37 Ton Duc Thang, Q1, Ho Chi Minh City, Tel: 3910 922 www.tmf-group.com With over 3,300 professionals working out of 86 offices in 65 countries, TMF provides independent accounting and corporate secretarial services to companies worldwide. TMF is expanding rapidly throughout the world. Learn more about our unique network and our services by visiting our website.

ADVERTISING & MARKETING CRUNCHY FROG

www.ogilvy.com International marketing communications company that leverages the brands of multinational clients by combining local know-how with a worldwide network.

Works to create powerful campaigns that address local market needs while still reinforcing universal brand identity.

2nd floor, 63 Dinh Tien Hoang, Hoan Kiem Tel: 2246 0682 www.studiotada.com A small, young and elite designing and branding agency that has been working with well-known local and global brands like DMC, Hermes, Kenzo and Porsche.

The company offers services in branding, event, print and digital. With a youthful, energetic and experienced team, Tada has played an important part in international graphic design and advertising projects across Vietnam and France.

10 Ho Ham Long Alley, Lane 1 Au Co Street, Tay Ho Tel: 3719 1459 www.leonito.com Leonito develops marketing campaigns & behaviour change communications strategies for commercial brands and nongovernment organizations. Services: brand development; design & printing; gifts &

AMCHAM

M Floor, Business Center, Hilton Hanoi Opera, 1 Le Thanh Tong Tel: 3934 2790 www.amchamhanoi.com An independent association of American and international businesses, the objective of the American Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam is to promote trade and investment between the United States and Vietnam.

T&A OGILVY JVC LTD.

BRITISH BUSINESS GROUP OF VIETNAM

BOOZ ALLEN HAMILTON, INC.

LEONITO MARKETING CONSULTING

BUSINESS GROUPS

AUSCHAM

Level 8, 142 Le Duan, Dong Da www.red.tm Working from Vietnam to Australia, the Red team creates and shapes unique brand personalities to international and local brands. The team specialises in brand consultancy and marketing, regularly sharing industry trends, news and views at their blogsite, red.tm/blog.

GREY GROUP

10 Ho Ham Long Alley, Lane 1 Au Co, Tay Ho Tel: 3719 1459 www.leonito.com In addition to their own clients, Leonito works in partnership with the Grey Group, a major full-spectrum marketing and communications company with offices in nearly 100 countries. Services include research, branding, activations, events and public relations.

L3-14 Thuy Khue. Ba Dinh Tel: 3728 0776 www.t-cgroup.com A well-known Vietnamese conglomerate of companies operating since 1994, T&C’s focus is on providing internationalstandard consultation to engineering and infrastructure projects. They also provide market research consulting.

RED BRAND BUILDERS

3rd Floor, BIDV Tower,194 Tran Quang Khai, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 2220 6008 T&A is a marketing services company set up in Hanoi in 1995. Since then, they’ve offered their marketing services to several large overseas companies. They also work in co-operation with WPP, a world-wide brand communications firm.

LEONITO

T&C INVESTMENT HOLDING

STUDIO TADA

8 Xom Chua, Tay Ho Tel: 01283 443579 www.crunchyfrogdesign.com Crunchy Frog is a personable and experienced western design and branding agency. They offer high quality creative and strategic solutions to both local and global clients. Services include research, brand and marketing strategy, and design of communications materials, brand identity, packaging and websites.

10 Ho Ham Long Alley, Lane 1 Au Co, Tay Ho Tel: 3719 1459 www.grey.com/vietnam Founded in 1917 in New York, Grey is a full spectrum global communications company offering branding, advertising, marketing, digital, and PR, with offices in 100 countries. Grey is the only agency with a specialised HoReCa team. In Vietnam, the client roster includes Nike, Vinaphone, Levis, TNT, ESPN, Bayer, Samsung Mobile, BaoViet, P&G, BAT, and 35 other top local and international brands.

tunities for growth, improve financial performance and manage risk. Works with a range of firms including private, stateowned and foreign.

BUSINESS CONSULTING Room 703, 7th Floor, MOF Project Building, No. 4, Lane 1, Hang Chuoi, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3971 9662 www.boozallen.com A US-based private consulting firm, Booz Allen Hamilton is one of the most notable names in the business. This firm has a long track record of assisting governments and multi-nationals in risk assessment and mission development.

DELOITTE

8 Pham Ngoc Thach, Dong Da, Tel: 3852 4123 www.deloitte.com One of the Big Four, this firm offers a broad range of audit, tax, consulting, risk, and financial advice to businesses.

Over 182,000 employees in more than 150 countries, Deloitte serve more than 80 percent of the world's largest companies, Vietnam now being one of them.

DICKERSON KNIGHT GROUP

33A Pham Ngu Lao, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3933 2692 www.thinkdkg.com Established in 1991, this international firm has extensive experience in emerging markets. Their speciality is in providing advisory and training products to private sector enterprises and NGOs.

ERNST & YOUNG

Daeha Business Centre, 15th Floor, 360 Kim Ma Street, Ba Dinh, Tel: 4831 5100 www.ey.com Provides a broad spectrum of services to help businesses capitalize on oppor-

Room 2707, 1010 Lang Ha, Dong Da Tel: 3562 5786 ext. 107 www.auschamvn.org An organisation bringing together Australian companies and individuals doing business in Vietnam, the Australian Chamber of Commerce offers advice on doing business. Also offers networking opportunities and social events.

193B Ba Trieu, Hai Ba Trung. Tel: 0906 240159 www.bbgv.org The first foreign business group to set up in Vietnam, BBGV’s goal is to both promote the interests of its members as well as the more general interests of British business. Organises business luncheons and seminars as well as regular social and networking events.

ICHAM

Sofitel Plaza, Ground floor, 1 Thanh nien, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3715 2393 www.icham.org The Chamber has the main purpose of undertaking activities to support commercial exchanges with Italy and to assist economic agents, as well as to foster the development of economic relations and cooperation among entrepreneurs of the various countries. The Chamber will not engage in commercial activities with the aim of producing profits.

LAC VIET COMPUTING CORP

Hanico Building 110 Thai Thinh, Dong Da Tel: 3512 1846 www.lacviet.com.vn Since its founding in 1994, professional services and innovative solutions has led LAC VIET to a recognized position of leadership in Vietnam. LAC VIET employs more than 400 professionals in IT services and product development. LAC VIET is a certified MicrosoftTM Gold Partner; CiscoTM Premier Reseller; Dell Distributor and Authorised Service Provider(DASP).

CCIFV

Sofitel Plaza, No 1 Thanh Nien, Ba Dinh Tel: 3715 2229 www.ccifv.org A business group with over 240 members that supports the French business community in Vietnam by listening to their members’ needs and expectations. Also promotes Vietnam to French companies and helps them in developing their businesses here.

January 2013 Word | 73

business EUROCHAM

G/F, Sofitel Plaza Hanoi, 1 Thanh Nien, Ba Dinh Tel: 3715 2228. www.eurochamvn.org A confederate organisation with strong ties to national business associations in its member countries, Eurocham looks after and provides advice and support for the business interests of European Union members in Vietnam.

NORDCHAM

Suite 504, Thanh Ha Building, Linh Dam Tel: 3641 6864 www.nordchamhn.org.vn Provides support to Nordic companies and individuals operating in Vietnam. A business and social network, members have the opportunity to meet, discuss, interact and share expertise and experience.

SINGAPORE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION VIETNAM

Business Center, Ground Floor, Fortuna Hotel, 6B Lang Ha, Dong Da, Tel: 4772 0833 www.sbav-hanoi.org An association that actively fosters business relations with other business communities while promoting social, cultural, recreational, educational and charitable activities.

COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHY NOI PICTURES

25/158 Ngoc Ha, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3747 8611 noipictures@noipictures.com www.noipictures.com Photography and film agency specialising in commercial assignments, stock photography and production services in Vietnam.

Has a number of mainly overseas photog-

HANOI WEBSITES HANOIGRAPEVINE.COM

The place to go for all things related to the arts in a city that is developing its own, vibrant contemporary arts scene. Has event calendars, event postings, blogs, addresses and contact details, and covers anything from classical music through to installations, rock concerts and more.

INFOSHAREHANOI.COM

Provides the expat community with essential information for living and working in Hanoi including comprehensive and up-to-date events listings as well as address lists of galleries, cinemas, theatres, hotels, housing agencies, embassies and much more.

Subscribe to receive their weekly newsletter.

LINKHANOI.COM

Event photos, a what’s on calendar, restaurant and bar listings and in fact, pretty much everything you want to know about nightlife in Hanoi can be found on this popular website. Also organize regular events and parties.

NEWHANOIAN.COM

The city’s best known website, The New Hanoian provides user-generated listings, reviews and event information on pretty much anything and everything in the capital.

Register, create your profile, write a review and receive frequent newsletters.

WORDHANOI.COM

The online extension of The Word, contains both content from the print edition as well as blogs, events, news, a what’s on calendar, party photos and much more. Also has downloadable PDF versions of the whole publication.

74 | Word January 2013

raphers in their books both in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

CORPORATE GIFTS REGAL PREMIUMS

33 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho, Tel: 0685 7167 www.regalvietnam.com Regal Premiums produces trendy corporate gifts, premiums gifts, promotional gifts and branded mass giveaway items.

Professional team helps with design to fit your brand and production and logistics to fit your budget.

HOUSING & REAL ESTATE CB RICHARD ELLIS (VIETNAM) CO., LTD

6 Floor, BIDV Tower,194 Tran Quang Khai, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 2220 0220 www.cbrevietnam.com Finding the perfect accommodation to meet your various demands in Hanoi is made simple thanks to CBRE’s residential leasing team. Our services are inclusive of site finding, travelling fees, contract negotiation and resolving any other issues which arise during the term of the lease, all of which are free of charge for the tenant.

COLLIERS INTERNATIONAL VIETNAM 9th floor, Vinaplast, Tai Tam Building, 39A Ngo Quyen, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 2220 5888 www.colliersmn.com/vietnam Represent property investors, developers and occupiers in all matters related to commercial and residential property.

Services include leasing and sales, valuation and research, property management and support services.

Attempt to accelerate the success of their clients by making their knowledge your property.

CREATION

Room 802, Building 101, 101 Lang Ha, Dong Da Tel: 2246 2232 A real estate company that provides both private and commercial properties for sale, lease and rent. Also offers free brokerage and many other support services.

DALUVA HOME

33 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho www.daluva.com/apartment Thoughtfully appointed and decorated, Daluva Home features a cosy bedroom for true rest, plus open living, dining, and work areas. Extras include two LCD TVs, iPod dock, and outdoor patio.

Housekeeping, and daily breakfast from the Daluva Breakfast Menu are also included. Private car and tour booking service available.

HANOI HOUSE HUNTER

Quang Trung Building, Room 203, 39 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 0983 336336 www.hanoihousehunter.com This company can assist you in finding an apartment that meets your living and budget requirements. Though they specialise in high-end, high-rise apartments, they do have a range of options. The website contains most listings.

KNIGHT FRANK

40 Phan Boi Chau, Hoan Kiem www.knightfrank.com UK real estate agent providing a wide range of services including property sale, lease, management, price appraisal, counselling and market research.

MEGALAND

2nd Floor, 43 Ngo Quyen, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3936 5556 Specialising in meeting housing needs

of expatriates and overseas Vietnamese, Megaland offers a wide range of serviced apartments, villas and commercial spaces.

SAVILLS VIETNAM

6th floor, Sentinel Place, 41A Ly Thai To, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3946 1300 www.savills.com.vn A leading global real estate service provider listed on the London Stock Exchange with over 200 offices worldwide.

Provides consultancy services, property management, space planning, facilities management, corporate real estate services, leasing, valuation and sales to the key segments of commercial, industrial, retail, residential and investment property.

TAN LONG HOUSING

Moongate Building, 5th & 6th Floor, 107 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3719 9864 www.tanlonghousing.com Tan Long has been concentrating on assisting individuals in the process of buying, selling and renting property in Hanoi since 1999. They also have several branch offices, and a useful website that can help to fill residential or commercial needs.

THREE TEMPLES

73B Ly Nam De, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3747 3366 www.threetemples.com Three Temples is a full-service, design-led property development and marketing company that specialises in creating residential addresses by providing high quality architecture, residential design, interior design, commercial consultancy, marketing and branding solutions. A onestop-shop to finance, design, brand and build for the finest residential products.

VIETNAM LAND

38 Phan Boi Chau Street, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3787 0188 Vietnam Land was incorporated in Vietnam in 2002 as a commercial and residential real estate services, real estate property management and real estate development company. Since that time Vietnam Land has successfully developed two residential towers at the Chelsea Park project in Hanoi and a residential land sales project in Hung Yen province called Villa Park.

INSURANCE AIG

Suite 5-01, Hanoi Towers, 49 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3936 1455 www.aig.com Offers a range of insurance products and services including property, casualty and marine exposure insurance. Also has comprehensive travel and accident coverage, as well as healthcare packages for expats residing in Vietnam.

IF CONSULTING

CCIFV/Eurocham, Sofitel Plaza, 1 Thanh Nien, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3936 5370 Emergency: 0903 732365 www.insuranceinvietnam.com Specialises in medical, employee benefits and personal lines insurance advice to expatriates. The company has been operational in Vietnam since 1994 and offers free advice and comparative quotes.

LIBERTY INSURANCE

16th Floor, Hoa Binh International Towers, 106 Hoang Quoc Viet, Cau Giay Tel: 3755 7111 www.libertyinsurance.com.vn Provides a quality range of insurance services to both commercial enterprises

and individuals. Coverage includes property, liability, business interruption, marine cargo, automobile, home and travel, as well as expat healthcare packages. Toll free hotline in Vietnam: 1 800 599 998.

PRUDENTIAL

24 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3934 5999 www.prudential.com.vn Operating in Vietnam since 1995, has over 70 customer care centers throughout the country.

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS CONCORDIA INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL HANOI

INVESTMENT & FINANCE DRAGON CAPITAL

11th Floor, Hanoi Lake View Bldg, 28 Thanh Nien, Tay Ho Tel: 3936 0203 www.dragoncapital.com An integrated financial services provider with an exclusive focus on Vietnam’s capital markets. Established in 1994, the group is one of the largest and most experienced asset managers in Vietnam with total group assets in excess of US$2 billion. Has offices in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and the UK.

INDOCHINA CAPITAL

CMC Tower, Duy Tan, Cau Giay Tel: 3795 8878 www.concordiahanoi.org International brand, Concordia, has highly performing schools in both Hong Kong and Shanghai at the top tier of the educational system. All instructors and teachers are native English speakers and admission applications are accepted throughout the year.

Floors 9-9A, 60 Ly Thai To, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3930 6399 www.indochinacapital.com A leading investment firm operating in the ASEAN region with a particular focus on Vietnam. Assists partners, co-investors and clients to achieve financial objectives while focusing on four core areas: corporate finance and advisory services, investment management and real estate development.

HANOI INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

MEKONG CAPITAL

48 Lieu Giai Boulevard, Ba Dinh www.hisvietnam.com With schooling available for students studying at the elementary through to secondary levels of education, HIS is one of the few private, international education options in the capital. The institution offers Cambridge IGCSE and IB Diploma for students at the secondary level. Located near the Japanese Embassy.

KINDERWORLD INTERNATIONAL KINDERGARTEN

Unit 9 – 10, Shophouse CT17, Ciputra Tel: 3743 0306 3rd Floor, 49 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3934 7243 Classes are kept small with a foreign teacher leading the class with the assistance of a Vietnamese teacher according to the teacher-student ratio. KinderWorld provides pre school education for children from 18 months to below 6 years.

QSI INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF HANOI

#17 Lane, 67 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho Tel: 3718 6418 www.hanoi.qsi.org With nearly four decades of experience in international education, QSI International School of Hanoi is next in the long line of ‘quality schools’ that have been established by the Quality Schools International. The institution specialises in instructing pre-school and lower elementary age students.

SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

2D Van Phuc Diplomatic Compound, 46 Van Bao, 726 1601, Block C3, Ciputra, Tel: 3758 2664 An international school with an excellent record in a host of countries around the world, now available to those in Hanoi within its salubrious surrounds in Ciputra.

UNITED NATIONS INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL (UNIS)

Ciputra International Village, Tay Ho Tel: 3758 1551 www.unishanoi.org With more than 800 students from 50 different countries, UNIS is a non-profit IB World School that instructs students from as young as three years old through to grade 12. Established in 1988 by agencies representing the United Nations, the pristine campus has a broad range of facilities and is located in the gated community of Ciputra.

12th Floor, HAREC Building, 4A Lang Ha, Ba Dinh Tel: 3772 4888 www.mekongcapital.com A private equity firm which focuses on the growth equity of companies in the developing Vietnamese economy.

SG VIETFRANCE

VIT Tower, 18th Floor, 519 Kim Ma, Ba Dinh Tel: 2220 8979 The Vietnamese subsidiary of France’s Societe Generale, the company recently opened a Hanoi branch. This was the first financial company in Vietnam to focus entirely on consumer credit.

TOTAL WEALTH MANAGEMENT

BRITISH COUNCIL

20 Thuy Khue, Tay Ho Tel: 3728 1922 www.britishcouncil.org The cultural arm of the British government’s presence in Vietnam, the BC offers a variety of English language courses – business writing, corporate training and general English – in a large learning centre close to West Lake.

CLEVERLEARN

Building 3, 2C Diplomatic Compound, Van Bao, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3726 1698 www.cleverlearnvietnam.vn With two main schools in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, Cleverlearn offers mainly conversational and business English courses. An authorised in iBT test site by the ETS. 62 Yen Phu, Tay Ho Tel: 3733 8402 www.languagelink.edu.vn With four schools around Hanoi, Language Link runs international English language courses endorsed by Cambridge University. One of the top language centres in the capital.

LEGAL SERVICES ALLENS

Suite 401, Hanoi Towers, 49 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3936 0990 Australian law firm working in Asia for over 30 years. Besides providing the standard legal services to corporate clients, has an excellent website containing the Vietnam Laws Online Database English translations of over 3,000 Vietnamese laws. Also publishes a monthly Vietnam Legal Update.

BAKER & MCKENZIE

13th Floor, Vietcombank Tower, 198 Tran Quang Khai, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3825 1428 www.bakernet.com One of the first international law firms to establish representative offices in Vietnam, Baker & McKenzie provide onthe-ground liaison and support services to clients interested in investigating, negotiating and implementing projects in the country.

VIET TIN FINANCIAL CO.

FRASERS LAW COMPANY

VINACAPITAL

5th Floor, Sun City Building, 13 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3936 4630 www.vinacapital.com A leading investment fund management company with extensive experience in the emerging Vietnam market. Manages the Vietnam Opportunity Fund (VOF), which is an investment fund currently listed on the London Stock Exchange.

LANGUAGE SCHOOLS APOLLO

67 Le Van Huu, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3943 2051 www.apolloedutrain.com Established in 1994, Apollo offers highquality and cost-effective English language classes including general English, English for teens, English for business communication and a pronunciation clinic.

One of the country’s leading language centres.

BUFF

LANGUAGE LINK VIETNAM

66/11 Pham Ngoc Thach, Q3, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: 3820 0623. www.t-wm.com TWM provides information related to inter-country personal financial planning.

They will walk you through the solutions and products available and will constantly monitor and manage your portfolio through opportunity and instability in global financial markets.

1st & 2nd Floor, 40 Pho Boi Chau, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3941 1566 www.viet-tin.com A locally based securities and stock brokerage firm whose stated mission is to provide valued returns to partners and shareholders.

BUSINESS

business

Unit 1205, Pacific Place, 83B Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3946 1203 www.frasersvn.com As the first legal firm licensed as a foreign law company in Vietnam, Frasers provides legal advice on all areas of business and commerce within the country. They provide international legal advice in a Vietnamese context, and are ranked in the top tier of international law firms practising in this jurisdiction.

FRESHFIELDS BRUCKHAUS DERINGER

#05-01 International Centre, 17 Ngo Quyen, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3824 7422 This law firm works in 19 countries and is one of the world’s largest. They regularly advise large clients on international investment, banking and finance.

GIDE LOYRETTE NOUEL A.A.R.P.I.

Pacific Place, Suite 505 – 507, 83B Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3946 2350 www.gide.com A leading international law firm with 24 offices worldwide including Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. The Vietnam offices offer their clients (companies and international institutions) high quality services which combine legal expertise and a highly commercial approach to clients’ needs, across all sectors of business law.

HIGH FREQUENCY TRADING HIGH FREQUENCY TRADING OR HFT has been the most influential change to hit Wall Street over the last decade.

Some economists, including the chief at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Andrei Kirilenko, have concluded that the high-speed trading firms that have come to dominate the USA’s financial markets are taking significant profits from traditional investors. HFT has been described as “much like Maroon 5 computer traders making money by churning out the same formulae over and over again.”

So what is HFT and how does it work?

First, some perspective on time. One microsecond is the time of one flash of a strobe light which happens 1,000,000 times a second. In this time an HFT trader can do one trade or around 5,000 trades in the average time it takes to blink. These fractions of time put a whole new meaning on the phrase “time is money”.

WIRED IN This is achieved through crucial cables.

A cable which was completed in 2010 between New York and Chicago at a cost of US$300 million saved 3 microseconds for traders with access.

A new trans-Atlantic cable between New York and London is expected to be completed this year at a cost of US$400 million will save 5

microseconds, and a trans-Arctic cable between London and Japan at a cost of US$1.5 billion is expected to save 62 microseconds and be finished in 2014.

These cables are combined with huge broadband speeds. The average broadband speed in the UK is 9Mbps, or 7 seconds to download a song. The average HFT connection is 10Gbps or 0.0064 seconds a song. The location of your server is also crucial with the average cost of a 1.75” server spot close to the exchange costing around US$5,000 per month. The guys that write the codes can get paid a base salary of anywhere from US$400,000 to US$1.2 million a year.

As all of this is relatively new, regulators are on the back foot. HFT firms make up only 2 percent of the trading community yet their trading represents over 70 percent of all equity orders on exchanges in the US. This was the cause of the flash crash in 2010, a.k.a The Crash of 2:45, which occurred on May 6, 2010 when the Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged about 1,000 points (about 9 percent) only to recover those losses within minutes.

Let’s just hope these IT traders are more self-regulating than the old school traders were meant to be.

Shane works in financial services, he welcomes your questions or comments at shane@t-wm.com

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business J&P LAW LLC

Room 1204B, Floor 12, Tower B, Handi Resco Tower, 521 Kim Ma, Ba Dinh Tel: 3724 5201 www.jnplaw.com This Korean law firm offers international legal services and has additional branches in Ho Chi Minh City, Beijing and Ulaanbaatar. The Vietnam offices provide high-quality legal services in English, Korean, and Vietnamese across all sectors of business law.

LAWYERS ASSOCIATION OF THE CITY OF HANOI

35 Nguyen Chi Thanh, Dong Da Tel: 3835 3548 The Lawyer’s Association is a collective of Vietnamese lawyers speicialising in many fields. They can provide legal and representation services.

ROUSE LEGAL (HANOI BRANCH)

7th Floor, VIT Building, 519 Kim Ma, Dong Da Tel: 3577 0479 www.iprights.com Rouse is an international intellectual property law firm. From HCMC and Hanoi we advise on protection and enforcement of trade marks, patents, copyright and domain names; commercial IP, IP management/strategy.

RUSSIN & VECCHI

11/F, Hanoi Central Office Bldg., Suite 1104, 44B Ly Thuong Kiet Tel: 3825 1700 A financial law firm which focuses on commercial and investment matters for corporate clients. In some cases they can provide assistance to individual clients.

MANAGEMENT TRAINING BRITISH UNIVERSITY VIETNAM

193 Ba Trieu, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3974 7596 www.britishuniversity.edu.vn The first university offering prestigious UK degrees in Vietnam. Courses offered in 2010 include International Business Administration, Banking & Finance, Accounting & Finance, Marketing Management, Accounting & Business. Pre-university courses are also available.

G&H MANAGEMENT SERVICES

HKC Building, Suite 701, 285 Doi Can, Ba Dinh Tel: 3762 3805 www.ghmsglobal.com A 100% foreign-invested company focusing on management services and consulting with in-house programs to meet the particular requirements of its clients.

Offers teambuilding and academic-based business and management programmes.

RMIT

Hanoi Resco Building, 521 Kim Ma, Ba Dinh Tel: 3726 1460. www.rmit.edu.vn A leading international provider of skills training and professional staff development, RMIT offers both short and longterm courses, customised courses, and can provide for either on or off-campus clients. Known for its Business MBA which is open to both Vietnamese and overseas students.

MARKET RESEARCH CIMIGO

142 Le Duan, Dong Da Tel: 3518 6696 vietnam@cimigo.com www.cimigo.com Independent marketing and brand research specialist operating in Hanoi and the Asia Pacific region in general.

Services include auditing and optimising

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research programs, knowledge management, developing marketing plans and business models, and assessing market opportunities.

things, Aon now concentrates on human capital consulting, assisting their clients with compensation, benefit analyses and outsourcing.

JVK is currently a leader in the field. Has offices in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

INDOCHINA RESEARCH

HR2B

3A Alley, 49 Huynh Thuc Khang Tel: 3773 7191 www.residentvietnam.com Established in 2000, Resident Vietnam was the first dedicated Expatriate Service Provider in Vietnam. Resident Vietnam provides full relocation and immigration management services to several multinational companies in Vietnam and ser vices the Global Mobility industry.

7th Floor, 73 Ly Nam De, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3747 4661 www.indochinaresearch.com Provides a regional perspective on consumer, retail and social research to a range of multinational organisations operating in Indochina. Focus is on developing partnerships that leverage their market knowledge and on enhancing their client’s competitive position in the region.

THE NIELSEN COMPANY

3rd floor, 85 Nguyen Du, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3933 1161 www.nielsen.com Media company offering integrated marketing and media measurement information and analytics. Offers full service capability across qualitative, quantitative, media and retail measurement for FMCGs, consumer products, finance, telecoms and more.

VINALINK

11th Floor, Lang Ha Building, 14 Lang Ha, Dong Da, Tel: 3772 4234 www.vinalink.com Specialising in online survey-based market research, Vinalink is a subcontractor for a few global market research firms, including CALEB Global and Pulse Group.

PUBLIC RELATIONS MEDIA ONE

Rm 207, 40A Hang Bai, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3939 3966 www.media-one.vn PR company with offices both in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Focuses mainly on the Telecom and IT industries, providing a range of services including events, product activation, consulting, marketing and advertising.

PIONEER COMMUNICATIONS

Floor 6, 58 Trieu Viet Vuong, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3945 4398. www.pioneervn.com Pioneer Communications is one of the leading agencies in providing integrated marketing and public relations solutions for businesses and organiastions in Vietnam.

TQPR

Room 109, House K, 7, 2ha, Vinh Phuc Ward, Ba Dinh., Tel: 32474 028 www.tqpr.com One in a group of companies from Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia, the company offers international standard consultancy services and value-added results to local, regional and global clients.

VENUS COMMUNICATIONS

4 Da Tuong, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3944 7066 Well-known PR and communications company with offices in both Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. Offers the full range of PR, advertising and consultancy services.

RECRUITMENT & HR AON VIETNAM LIMITED

14th Floor, Vietcombank Tower, 198 Tran Quang Khai, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3826 0832 www.aon.com/vietnam Founded in Vietnam in 1994, among other

Suite A6, 3rd Floor, Horison Office Center, 40 Cat Linh, Dong Da Tel: 3736 6843 www.hr2b.com The forte of this company is placing highly talented Vietnamese and expat candidates into executive positions at medium to large companies. Rapidly growing, in the past years they’ve added Coca Cola, DHL and Prudential to their client list.

MANPOWER VIETNAM

12th Floor, Vincom City Tower B, 191 Ba Trieu, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3974 4574 www.manpower.com.vn Established in Vietnam at the beginning of 2008, Manpower is the first global recruitment company to set up locally.

Offers a range of services for the entire employment and business cycle.

NAVIGOS GROUP

Suite 1401, Vincom City Tower B, 191 Ba Trieu, Hai Ba Trung , Tel: 3974 3033 www.navigosgroup.com Adept at solving human resource challenges through excellence in matching and management talent. Has offices in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

RELOCATION & TRACKING AGENTS ALLIED PICKFORDS

8 Cat Linh, Dong Da Tel: 6275 2824 vn.alliedpickfords.com The international home moving company helps make the burden of moving a lot easier. As the largest home moving company in the world, Allied Pickfords moves over 1,000 families in over 175 countries every day. Available with a full range of services — domestic moves, office moves and storage — whether you are moving within Vietnam or across the world.

ASIAN TIGERS TRANSPO

Inland Customs Depot Area (ICD), Pham Hung, My Dinh, Tu Liem Tel: 3768 5882 www.asiantigersgroup.com Asian Tigers Group is committed to its mission of moving households without disruption to family life. They also offer pre-move advice regarding customs and shipping.

CROWN RELOCATION SERVICES

RESIDENT VIETNAM

SANTA FE RELOCATION SERVICES

Suite 821, Vietnam Trade Union Hotel, 14 Tran Binh Trong, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 0908 096222 sales@santaferelo.com.vn www.santaferelo.com Santa Fe Relocation Services offers moving, home search, pet transport, orientation and immigration services. We are proud to be the only moving company with both ISO 9001 – 14001 certification in Vietnam.

49 Hang Chuoi, Hai Ba Trung, Tel: 0912 239085 www.atlanta.com.vn Atlanta Residences fully serviced apartments have been created to provide a space where you can ‘feel at home’.

Within walking distance from Hanoi’s Opera House and Hoan Kiem Lake, this building offers a panel of 51 spacious apartments for you to choose from. The serviced apartments here offer the luxury of a hotel mixed with the peaceful comfort and privacy of your home, under one roof of course.

DALUVA HOME

33 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho Tel: 3718 5831 Whether traveling or on a temporary stay, Daluva can provide space & comfort.

Thoughtfully appointed Daluva Homes feature a cozy bedroom for true rest, and an open living area that opens up to a terrace with plants.

FRASER SUITES

51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3719 8877 http://hanoi.frasershospitality.com Great location in Syrena Tower on West Lake, Fraser Suites offer a tranquil repose from the busy city. Has several apartments with excellent views and provides gold-standard service.

MAYFAIR

95E Ly Nam De, Ba Dinh , Tel: 3936 6741 www.crownrelo.com Offering both family and corporate relocation services locally and internationally, Crown prides themselves on being a kidfriendly company.

34B Tran Phu, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3733 0030 www.mayfair-hanoi.com A building with a great location, and some of the largest apartments you’ll find. The Mayfair is popular among the diplomatic and international business communities.

IMAGE GROUP HOUSING

SEDONA SUITES

No 17 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho. Tel: 3719 4375 www.hanoihousing.vn A one-stop housing service that specialises in relocation, trained professionals can take care of housing rentals, short and long term as well as car rentals. They also have an extension showroom for furniture rental and custom furniture, making your transition as easy as possible.

JVK INDOCHINA MOVERS

6 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho Tel: 3826 0334 www.jvkasia.com Focused primarily on the international and local movement of household goods,

DESTINATION

LISTINGS

DALAT 077 DANANG 077 HALONG & CAT BA 077 HAI PHONG 077 HANOI — INTERNATIONAL 077 HANOI — MID — RANGE 078 HANOI — BUDGET 078 HO CHI MINH CITY 078 HOI AN & DANANG 078 HUE 079 MAI CHAU & HOA BINH 080 NAM DINH & NINH BINH 080

No. 96 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho Tel: 3718 0888 www.sedonahotels.com.sg 175 well-designed, furnished apartments and villas combining the comforts of home with the conveniences of a fine hotel.

SOMERSET GRAND HANOI

49, Hai Ba Trung, Ba Dinh Tel: 3934 2342 www.somerset.com Internationally-managed accommodation with personalised services and extensive facilities. 185 fully furnished apartments, car park, 24-hour reception and central location.

visit wordhanoi.com for a HALONG DREAM HOTEL comprehensive list of our listings $$$ 10 Halong Road, Halong , Tel: 0333 849 009 CREDIT

www.halongdreamhotel.com Close to the pier and the new bridge, what this hotel lacks in character is made up for in cleanliness and comfort. There are 184 rooms priced between VND2 million and VND6 million. Other facilities include indoor pool, health club and sauna.

NHA TRANG 080 NORTH-EAST 081 NORTH-WEST 081 PHAN THIET / MUI NE 081 PHU QUOC 083 SAPA 083 TAM DAO 083 TRAVEL SERVICES 083

HALONG PLAZA

CREDIT

$$$ 8 Halong Road, Bai Chay, Halong Tel: 0333 845810, www.halongplaza.com One of the many large tower-type hotels in Halong City, Halong Plaza has pretty much everything you’d expect from a 4-star hotel. 200 rooms, a bar and a restaurant that touts its seafood and barbecue.

COLUMN DESTINATION ZERO 082

NOVOTEL HA LONG BAY CREDIT

DALAT

SERVICED APARTMENTS ATLANTA RESIDENCES

destination 25-48 passengers each for day trippers, providing cruise services for travelers with a mid-range budget.

BLUE MOON HOTEL RESORT AND SPA

$$$ 4 Phan Boi Chau, Tel: 063 357 8888 www.bluemoonhotel.com.vn Ideally situated in the centre of Dalat, this hotel has 71 rooms, all with good views, and modern amenities, including flatscreen TVs and DSL connections. Also has a heated swimming pool, gym, spa, and prices to match.

CREDIT

DREAMS HOTEL

$ 151 Phan Dinh Phung, Dalat, Tel: 063 383 3748 The excellent value at this small private place has made it justifiably popular. You get a large room with cable TV, free breakfast and Internet access, starting from $10 per night. The staff are friendly, too. Just round the corner are bike rentals (watch those hills) and other tour facilities.

TRUNG CANG HOTEL

CREDIT

$ 4A Bui Thi Xuan, Dalat , Tel: 063 382 2663 You get door-to-door service from Saigon at this budget hotel – it has links with the

PRICE RANGE

Sinh Cafe people and this is where their bus stops. Apart from that convenience, it is a fairly basic hotel, but it’s right in the middle of town.

DANANG DANANG BEACH RESORT

$$$ Son Tra, Dien Ngoc Coastal Street Hoa Hai Ward, Ngu Hanh Son, Tel: 0511 396 1800 With six different styles of villa units that offer views of the ocean, the mountains and a green of a golf course, the Danang Beach Resort is one of the most luxurious places to stay in this much overlooked city. The property also offers 33-storey twin towers housing a five-star hotel and golf courses adding up to 36 holes.

CREDIT

HALONG & CAT BA BAI TU LONG ECOTOURISM RESORT $ Halong Commune, Van Don , Tel: 0333 793156 Stay in a beachside bungalow or a traditional resort-style hotel on the shores of Van Don Island. Bai Tu Long Bay is situated just up the coast from Halong City.

The staff here can help you arrange tours that will offer scenery a bit different than the standard tours of Halong Bay.

BHAYA CRUISES, HALONG BAY

$$$ 47 Phan Chu Trinh Street, Hoan Kiem Tel: 04 3944 6777 (Sales Office) www.bhayacruises.com Bhaya combines oriental style with contemporary luxury, offering tours of beautiful Halong Bay aboard reproduction wooden junks. Two or three-night tours are available and customers have a wide range of cabin styles to choose from: standard, deluxe or royal.

CREDIT

$

BELOW VND630,000

$$

VND651,000 TO VND1,680,000

$$$

VND1,701,000 TO VND3,171,000

$$$$ ABOVE VND3,171,000

ICONS 101

EMERAUDE CLASSIC CRUISES

$$$$ Tel: 04 3934 0888 www.emeraude-cruises.com This reproduction of a 19th-century paddle steamer trawls around Halong Bay in colonial style, with onboard overnight accommodation in impeccably maintained cabins. The great food and service adds to the already beautiful setting. They also offer transfers directly from Hanoi.

CREDIT

CREDIT

ACCEPTS CREDIT CARDS RESTAURANT & BAR SERVICES SMOKE-FREE ROOMS GYM SWIMMING POOL BUSINESS FACILITIES

HAI LONG JUNKS, HALONG BAY

32 Anh Dao, Bai Chay, Quang Ninh Tel: 0333 846099 Hai Long Junks is one of the three largest cruise operators in Halong Bay. The company boasts 11 overnight cruise vessels with a total of 160 cabins and 15 traditional junks with capacities from

$$$ Ha Long Road, Bai Chay Ward, Ha Long City, Quang Ninh. Tel: 0333 848108 www.novotelhalongbay.com Located three hours from Hanoi, the beachfront Novotel Ha Long Bay is in close proximity to major attractions such as bay cruises and local markets. Featuring 214 rooms, one restaurant, two bars and one professional spa with seven treatment rooms, Novotel Ha Long Bay enjoys impressive panoramic vistas, including a pool with swim-up bar overlooking the limestone bay. Ideal for business travel or family holidays.

OCEAN BEACH RESORT

CREDIT

$$$ www.oceanbeachresort.com.vn This resort is on a private island just off of Cat Ba Island. Around VND600,000 will get you a comfortable room in a bungalow close to the beach. Fee also includes the boat ride from Cat Ba. For more information check on the web.

PEACE HOTEL

$ 39 Vuon Dao, Bai Chay, Quang Ninh Tel: 0333 846009 Found just outside Halong City on Bai Chay beach, this is clean, honest accommodation for a reasonable price. Located on “Hotel Alley”, there are a lot of options here. The rooms are fairly well looked after and clean. You can usually get one for under VND400,000, but prices vary depending on the season.

PRINCES HOTEL

$ Nui Ngoc, Cat Ba Island, Tel: 0313 888899 This is one of the better hotels on Cat Ba Island. Large, clean rooms with all the modern conveniences, as well as a restaurant and a popular bar. The front desk can also arrange tailor-made tours around the bay.

ROYAL HOTEL

CREDIT

$$$$ 66 Pho Ha Long, Bai Chay, Quang Ninh Tel: 0333 848999. www.royalhalong.com The four-star Royal Hotel boasts villas, well-landscaped gardens and a pool, all overlooking Halong Bay. Just two minutes walk from Bai Chay, the property has a resort feel and the rooms are housed in several buildings. If you’re feeling lucky, there’s also a ‘Gaming Club’.

HAI PHONG BACH DANG HOTEL

$$ 42 Dien Bien Phu, Hai Phong, Tel: 031 384 2444 bachdanghotelhp@hn.vnn.vn One of the best of the town’s best budget

hotels, the aircon old but clean rooms come in all shapes and sizes and have satellite TV, a fridge and a mini bar. The front-desk staff speaks English and can help sort out any travel arrangements.

Rates from around VND250,000 per night.

BEST WESTERN PEARL RIVER HOTEL CREDIT

$$$ KM 8 Pham Van Dong, Duong Kinh, Hai Phong Tel: 0313 880 888 www.pearlriverhotel.vn Located 100km east of Hanoi, the fourstar Best Western Pearl River Hotel is the only internationally branded hotel in Hai Phong. All 101 suites and rooms offer bathrobe and slippers, digital safety box, free internet access, satellite TV and 24-hour room service. Facilities include the Jade restaurant, offering western and Asian fare, several bars, a deluxe spa and fitness center with separate hot and cold Jacuzzis, sauna, steam room, relax lounge and VIP massage room.

HARBOUR VIEW HOTEL

CREDIT

$$$ 4 Tran Phu, Hai Phong Tel: 031 382 7827 www.harbourviewvietnam.com Hai Phong’s most prestigious address, this cool, retro French-colonial style property is the only international standard hotel in town. Designed with panache without being pretentious, room rates at this 122-unit property start at around VND2.5 million.

HUU NGHI HOTEL

CREDIT

$$$ 60A Pho Dien Bien Phu, Hai Phong Tel: 031 384 2706 www.huunghihotel.vn One of the larger hotels in town, Huu Nghi offers some of the comforts you might miss at the other places. In addition to the clean up-to-standard rooms, the hotel also has a swimming pool and tennis courts.

MAXIM HOTEL

$$ 3K Ly Tu Trong, Hai Phong, Tel: 031 374 6540 New and tidy, with cable TV and airconditioning, Maxim is one of the best mini hotels in town. Rooms are small but have good modern conveniences like satellite TV and new, clean bathrooms done in designer tiles. Room rates around VND250,000 to VND300,000 a night.

MONACO HOTEL

103 Pho Dien Bien Phu, Hai Phong Tel: 031 374 6468 One of the more modern hotels on Dien Bien Phu Street, the prices here are competitive and it’s possible to request a room with a kitchen. Standards with aircon and a TV start at VND350,000 per night.

HANOI – INTERNATIONAL CROWNE PLAZA WEST HANOI

$$$ Lot X7, Le Duc Tho, My Dinh, Tu Liem Tel: 6270 6688. www.crowneplaza.com My Dinh’s first five-star property. This 24-storey mixed-use complex lies next to My Dinh National Stadium and close to the National Convention Centre. Boasting 393 guest rooms (including 40 suites), two swimming pools and a spa and fitness centre, Crowne Plaza also has some of the best meetings and conference facilities in town.

CREDIT

DAEWOO HOTEL

CREDIT

$$$ 360 Kim Ma, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3831 5555 www.hanoi-daewoohotel.com This enormous structure offers the most modern of amenities, and with four restaurants and two bars, the events staff is well equipped to handle any occasion. Close to the National Convention Center, and a

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travel Promos destination

EDEN RESORT PHU QUOC Eden Resort’s sumptuous Phu Quoc location offers the ideal Honeymoon experience, for the newly wed or those who want to feel like that again. The three-day, twonight Honeymoon package includes complimentary buffet breakfasts, a sunset champagne dinner, a half-day island tour and all the extravagances you’d expect of a world class resort — VND5,800,000++ per package. www.edenresort.com.vn MERCURE DANANG To celebrate its newly-opened Karma Spa, Mercure Danang is offering two spa promotions through the month of January.

VND850,000 net gets you a 90-minute spa treatment, with herbal compress massage and face saver, and the buy-twoget-one-free gift certificate promotion lasts until Feb. 8. www.mercure-danang.com ANA MA MANDA NDARA NDA RA VIL VILLAS LAS DA DAL LAT LAT MANDARA DALAT Withh its Wit its loc llocation ocati ation tion in in the

highlands of Dalat, overlooking a 100-year pine forest from 17 colonial French villas, each originally constructed between the 1920s and 1930s, there’s not too much more Ana Mandara needs to do to sell itself. However, the resort is rolling out classic offers this month and the next that should make it seem even more appealing.

In January, a two-night stay in a villa room with daily breakfast for two, a set menu dinner at elegant Le Petit Dalat restaurant and a credit of VND840,000 at Spa La Cochinchine is on offer — from VND7,875,000 per package.

In February, Tet is celebrated with an overnight villa room special, including a complimentary breakfast and VND1 million to spend at the nearby outlets — from VND3,045,000 per package. www.anamandara-resort.com EMERALDA RESORT NINH BINH This winter, Emeralda resort’s Execut Exe cutive cut ive Ch Chef ef Can Ca is cooking Executive

destination favourite of the business traveller, Daewoo even boasts an outdoor driving range.

Shortly to become a Marriot property.

FORTUNA HOTEL HANOI

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up a BBQ every Saturday night, to be enjoyed in the redolence of the sunset-tipped mountains overlooking the property. Either that, or after a swift game on the new 9-hole mini golf course in one of the most stunningly attractive areas of Vietnam. www.emeraldaresort.com BANYAN TREE LANG CO To mark the opening of Banyan Tree’s first foray into the Vietnamese market, the 280-hectare integrated resort is offering some introductory rates for local residents, to go along with a three-kilometer beach and 18 hole, par 71 championship golf course designed by former British and US Open winner Sir Nick Faldo. This jumping-off point to some of the most remarkable splendors of central Vietnam also features an award-winning spa and panoramic views of the East Sea — VND5,145,000++ for Lagoon Pool Villa, VND6,615,000++ for Beach Pool Villa. www .banya banyantr ntree ntr ee.com ee. com www.banyantree.com

$$$ 6B Lang Ha, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3831 3333 www.fortuna.vn This 350-room four-star set up in the heart of Hanoi’s financial district has a variety of rooms on offer, a “capital lounge” and three restaurants that serve Japanese, Chinese and international cuisine. And like you’d expect, there’s a fitness centre, night club and swimming pool, too, and even a separate spa and treatment facility for men and women. Set to the west of town, Fortuna often offers business deals on rooms and spaces to hold meetings, presentations and celebrations.

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GOLDEN SILK BOUTIQUE HOTEL

$$$ 109-111 Hang Gai, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi Tel: 3928 6969, www.goldensilkhotel.com With 55 rooms and suites, the four-star Golden Silk Boutique Hotel, which is located in the centre of the Old Quarter, is the only hotel offering a complimentary (free!) and daily replenished minibar and snacks service in every room. Facilities include a spa with Jacuzzi, sauna and steam rooms, a comprehensive range of business amenities, the Orient restaurant, serving international and Vietnamese fare, and the Rendezvous Piano Bar with wines and cocktails.

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HANOI HILTON

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$$$$ 1 Le Thanh Tong, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3933 0500, www.hilton.com Located next to the Opera House, this fivestar is not to be confused with the famed “Hanoi Hilton” that housed American POWs. Reproduction colonial architecture is matched by an elegant and spacious inside area. Has all the standard facilities of a top-end hotel as well as an attractive, courtyard pool area.

PULLMAN HOTEL

$$$$ 40 Cat Linh, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3733 0808, www.pullman-hanoi.com A recent refit and a change of management — this property is now run by the Accor group — have given this 250-room hotel the sparkle that it had once lost.

Good quality deluxe rooms and suites, a cavernous but contemporary looking lobby, an excellent buffet and a la carte restaurant, and a sleek image that would be at home anywhere in the world, this business traveller-orientated property is also close enough to the Old Quarter to make it a great stopping off point for anyone wanting to explore Hanoi.

HOTEL DE L’OPERA

together with the resort’s three in-house restaurants and the Sunset Bar, a watering hole located on a thoroughfare over the lake. Great gym and health club.

MARIGOLD HOTEL

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$$$ 17A Phan Dinh Phung, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3734 9988 www.marigoldhotelhanoi.com A contemporary boutique hotel a stone’s throw from Hang Cot in the Old Quarter.

Colonial era accents throughout and an oriental themes lobby. 32 upmarket rooms and an intimate top class restaurant make this a strong contender in an area with plenty of competition.

MELIA HANOI

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$$$$ 44B Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3934 3343, www.meliahanoi.com Excellently located in central Hanoi, Melia Hanoi draws plenty of business travellers and is also a popular venue for conferences and wedding receptions. State-of-the-art rooms, elegant restaurants, stylish bars, fully equipped fitness centre with sophisticated service always make in-house guests satisfied.

MERCURE HANOI LA GARE

$$$ 94 Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3944 7766 When your train arrives from Sapa at 5am, you will be overjoyed if your bed is just across the street from the station in one of the 102 spacious rooms at this smart hotel. A stone’s throw from both the Old Quarter and the Temple of Literature, Mercure Hanoi boasts a French brasserie, an internal courtyard, a fitness centre and a retail outlet of wine importer and distributor Da Loc.

minutes from downtown. In addition to the luxurious rooms, the hotel offers an outdoor swimming pool and great relaxation and fitness facilities, including a tennis court and spa. There are well equipped conference rooms and a newly refurbished Executive Club Lounge.

SOFITEL LEGEND METROPOLE HANOI

$$$$ 15 Ngo Quyen, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3826 6919 ww.sofitel.com The finest hotel of the French colonial period is probably still the finest in today’s Hanoi. Anyone who is (or was) anyone has stayed at this elegant oasis of charm, where the service is impeccable and the luxurious facilities complement the ambiance of a bygone era. Definitely the place to put the Comtessa up for a night.

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SOFITEL PLAZA HANOI

$$$$ 1 Thanh Nien Road, Ba Dinh Tel: 3823 8888 Boasting Hanoi’s best views of West Lake, Truc Bach Lake and the Red River, Sofitel Plaza Hanoi soars 20 storeys above the city skyline. The 5-star hotel features 317 luxurious, comfortable guestrooms with spectacular lake view or river view ranking in 7 types from Classic Room to Imperial Suite.

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MÖVENPICK HOTEL HANOI

$$$$ 83A Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3822 2800, www.moevenpick-hanoi.com With its distinctive French architecture and top end service, Mövenpick Hotel Hanoi is aimed squarely at corporate travellers. An all-day restaurant and a lounge bar are available to satiate their clientele while the kinetic gym and wellness studio offer an excellent range of equipment. Massage and sauna facilities are available for guests seeking to rejuvenate. Of the 154 well-appointed rooms and suites, 93 are non-smoking.

HANOI – MID-RANGE 6 ON SIXTEEN

16 Bao Khanh, Hoan Kiem www.sixonsixteen.com Another boutique hotel to grace Hanoi’s Old Quarter, the six rooms here mix contemporary and fresh with handicrafts and antique. Breakfast is included and in the long, lounge restaurant on the second floor, home-style Vietnamese fare is served up with fresh fruit juices and Lavazza coffee.

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SHERATON

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$$$$ K5 Nghi Tam, 11 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3719 9000, www.sheraton.com/hanoi Surrounded by lush gardens, sweeping lawns and tranquil courtyards, this peaceful property features picturesque views of West Lake and is less than 10

GIABAO HANOI & GIABAO GRAND

$$$ 38 & 23 Lo Su, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3926 2222 Two mid-range hotels situated in the heart of Hanoi,just 150 meters from Hoan Kiem Lake. Built using a blend of western and oriental architecture, the properties have 28 and 35 rooms respectively, all with mod-cons. For a bit more luxury stay at the Giabao Grand.

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GOLDEN LOTUS HOTEL

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$$ 32 Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3928 8583 www.goldenlotushotel.com.vn The interesting arty decor of this place is a bonus, as is its value for money – it’s not often you pay under VND1 million for a modern hotel room slap bang in the middle of town. Try to get a front room (with balcony) to look out over the bustling Old Quarter. They’ve also opened a second

Golden Lotus just down the street at number 39.

HANOI SPRING HOTEL II

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$$ 38 Au Trieu, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3826 8500 www.hanoispringhotel.com One of the only hotels in the Old Quarter to have a balcony with each room, this new boutique is middle of the range but feels higher. Run by Australian expats and partners with a wealth of experience in the hotel industry, expect great service.

Awesome western breakfasts and Vietnamese lunch and dinners. The top floor honeymoon suite has perfect views of St Josephs Cathedral.

JOSEPH’S HOTEL

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$$ 5 Au Trieu, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3938 1048 info@josephshotel.com, www.josephshotel.com Just to the side of St. Joseph’s Cathedral, this is a well-appointed, comfortable boutique hotel. Brightly decorated, the property’s 10 rooms have Wi-Fi, flatscreen TV and a mini bar. Prices start at VND650,000 a night. No smoking except for on the upstairs balconies.

MAISON D’HANOI HANOVA HOTEL

$$$$ 35-37 Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 04 3938 0999 www.hanovahotel.com Just a short walk from Hoan Kiem Lake, this boutique hotel is fitted with 33 comfortable guest rooms, 18 deluxe, and four luxurious suites. All rooms have wi-fi access, and the cozy lobby has both a gallery and a piano bar. Prices range from VND2.5 million for a guest room to VND4.5 million for a suite.

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MAY DE VILLE

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$$$ 24 Han Thuyen, Hai Ba Trung, Tel: 2222 9988 Set in the old French Quarter a short walk from the Opera House, May de Ville City Centre is a welcome new addition to the capital. Combining contemporary architecture with traditional Vietnamese style and materials, this elegant property has 81 well-appointed rooms including four suites.

THANG LONG OPERA HOTEL

$$$ 1C Tong Dan Street, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3824 4775 www.thanglongopera.com This hotel houses 71 spacious, comfortable rooms all equipped with high speed internet, bath tub and room service. They have a meeting room, which can accommodate up to 60 people, as well as a restaurant and bar downstairs.

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ZEPHYR

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$$$ 4 Ba Trieu, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3934 1256 www.zephyrhotel.com.vn A mid-size boutique hotel with a prime lo-

cation, Zephyr offers a range of packages and special offers on rooms that are clean and stylish. The lobby boasts a coffee house and restaurant with both Asian and Western Cuisine.

HANOI – BUDGET CAMELLIA HOTEL

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$$ 44 Hang Giay, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3824 3667 www.camellia-hotels.com Basic rooms and friendly service at this well-known hotel. One of six properties of the same name in Hanoi, internet terminals are located in the lobby, and the property also offers a host of tour itineraries. Rooms vary in price from VND500,000 to VND700,000. Some of their other locations are more budget-friendly.

HANOI BACKBACKER’S HOSTEL

$ 48 Ngo Huyen, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3828 5372 www.hanoibackpackershostel.com Probably the cheapest, European-style hostel in town, with bunk-style beds mixed or single-sex dorms starting at VND150,000, plus a couple of double suites from VND250,000. A place to meet like-minded fold in the Old Quarter.

HONG NGOC HOTEL

$$$ 34 Hang Manh, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3828 5053 With four locations right in the Old Quarter, this is a good option close to Hoan Kiem Lake. Friendly staff can help you with any detail like renting a car, motorbike, or bicycle. Rooms are compact, with small but clean bathrooms, and all have the quality amenities of a proper hotel.

Either ADSL or Wi-Fi connections available.

Some of the locations include sauna, steam bath and fitness facilities

LITTLE HANOI HOTEL

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$ 58 Au Trieu, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3928 8648 www.littlehanoihotel.com Spacious rooms with ADSL broadband connections starting at around VND600,000 a night. The rooms at the front are more expensive, and breakfast is included. The staff speak good English and are very helpful. Has a number of sister hotels in town, two of which are located next to the cathedral. The third is on Tue Tinh, close to Lenin Park. Check the website for details.

HO CHI MINH CITY CARAVELLE HOTEL

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$$$$ 19 Lam Son Square, Q1 , Tel: 3823 4999 www.caravellehotel.com The only hotel in Vietnam to make the Robb Report’s 2006 list of the world’s top

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$$$$ 29 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem Tel: 6282 5555, contact@hoteldelopera.com Resting just a step away from the Opera House, the hotel mixes colonial architectural accents and theatrical interior design to create a contemporary space. The first boutique five star in the heart of Hanoi, the lavish, uniquely designed 107 rooms and suites contain all the mod cons and are complimented by two restaurants, a bar and complimentary Wi-Fi.

INTERCONTINENTAL HANOI WESTLAKE

$$$$ 1A Nghi Tam, Tay Ho, Tel: 6270 8888 www.hanoi.intercontinental.com This stunning property built over West Lake falls in between a hotel and a resort.

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destination

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100 luxury hotels. Facilities include the popular ninth-floor Saigon Saigon bar, Nineteen and Reflections restaurants, Club Vegas for a flutter, a swimming pool seven floors up and Qi salon and spa.

CONTINENTAL

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$$$ 132-134 Dong Khoi, Q1 Tel: 3829 9201 www.continental-saigon.com Fêted in literature and film, this huge old hotel with huge old rooms stands at the absolute centre of town and is the best of the Saigon Tourist chain. Hard to beat on charm, and a favourite with tour groups, this would be one of your first choices if you wanted to impress a newcomer to the city.

EQUATORIAL

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$$$ 242 Tran Binh Trong, Q5 Tel: 3839 7777 www.equatorial.com/hcm Big and businesslike, with seven dining and entertainment outlets, a business centre, meeting and function rooms and a comprehensive fitness centre and spa.

Also boasts the biggest banquet facilities in the city.

GUEST HOUSE CALIFORNIA

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$ 171A Co Bac, Q1 Tel: 3837 8885 A place for exchanging views as well as sleeping, with its communal kitchen and TV room, this venue ticks all the right boxes when it comes to comfort, cleanliness and amenities. A stay here will make you appreciate the pleasure of being a guest rather than just a customer.

BIKE RENTALS

INTERCONTINENTAL ASIANA SAIGON

$$$$ 39 Le Duan, Q1. Tel: 3520 9999 www.intercontinental.com/saigon Luxury accommodation with a stylish club Lounge boasting panoramic views, as well as the finest meeting and banquet facilities in town – all designed with the savvy traveller in mind. The 21-floor tower includes 305 elegantly appointed rooms, including 18 suites and a Presidential Suite.

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LAN LAN HOTEL 2

$$$ 46 Thu Khoa Huan, Q1. Tel: 3822 7926 www.lanlanhotel.com.vn You can’t get much more central than Ben Thanh Market and this modern hotel (one of many in the area) offers every amenity you would expect from a mid-range hotel while keeping its prices close to budget level. The staff are friendly and helpful.

NEW WORLD

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$$$$ 76 Le Lai, Q1. Tel: 3822 8888 www.newworldsaigon.com Its list of former guests ranges from U.S. presidents – two Bushes, one Clinton – to Korean teeny bop sensation Rain. If Knut the polar bear came to town, he’d probably stay here. It’s an ongoing event as well as a hotel. Fends off newer, glitzier competitors to hold its place as one of the best luxury stops in town

PARK HYATT

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$$$$ 2 Lam Son Square, Q1. Tel: 3824 1234 www.saigon.park.hyatt.com Fabulous-looking hotel in a prime location, with an attractive lobby bar and all the attention to detail you would expect from the Hyatt. But wait, there’s more. The Square One restaurant has garnered an excellent reputation and the Xuan Spa by the landscaped pool is unbeatable.

BIKE RENTALS

RAMANA HOTEL

MR CAO MOTORBIKE RENTAL 106 Hang Bac, Hoan Kiem Tel: 0912 094464

PHUNG MOTORBIKE RENTAL & SALES 4 Luong Ngoc Quyen, Hoan Kiem Tel: 0904 253491 phungmoto@ovi.com Well-maintained motorbikes for hire at reasonable rates, plus servicing and repairs for modern and vintage bikes.

QUAN’S MOTORBIKE & BICYCLE RENTALS 70 Hang Bac, Hoan Kiem Tel: 0904 244941 Standard rental shop doing hire by the day and by the month.

VIETNAM MOTORCYCLE ADVENTURES 36 Nguyen Huu Huan, Hoan Kiem (down alley in between No. 34 & No. 36) Tel: 3904 5049 Bespoke motorbike tours, rental of automatic and manual bikes plus repairs.

VIP BIKE RENTALS 64, Alley 71 Tan Ap, Tay Ho (off Tan Ap Street, close to Sofitel Plaza) Tel: 0914 931390 Bike rentals and repairs. Good reputation.

Formerly part of the Blue Dragon Foundation.

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RENAISSANCE RIVERSIDE

$$$$ 8-15 Ton Duc Thang, Q1, Tel: 3822 0033 www.renaissancehotels.com If you’ve never swum in a pool 21 floors up, you could rectify that at this luxury hotel by the Saigon River. As you would expect from a Marriott property, there’s plenty more here to appreciate – the full range of fitness, spa and business facilities plus one of the best-regarded Chinese restaurants in the city.

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$$$$ 88 Dong Khoi, Q1, Tel: 3827 2828 www.sheraton.com/saigon Sheraton has bagged one of the best locations in town and made the most of it, with its usual mix of luxurious rooms and first-class facilities topped by an open-air restaurant 23 floors above the city. The conference and business facilities are unmatched – the enormous ballroom is just one of 17 meeting venues.

SOFITEL SAIGON PLAZA

$$$$ 17 Le Duan, Q1, Tel: 3824 1555 www.sofitel.com True class on an attractive (and historic) CREDIT

this unique and charming resort, which has been laid out to replicate a traditional fishing village with small streets, ponds and village houses. The Annam Asia n restaurant overlooks the sea, there’s also a spa, Thai or Swedish massage, and fitness centre.

HOI AN & DANANG CUA DAI

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$ 18A Cua Dai, Hoi An. Tel: 0510 386 2231 Pleasant, small, family-run hotel with a spacious and faintly colonial air located between the town and the beach, with comfortable air-conditioned rooms and pleasant staff.

FURAMA RESORT & SPA

$$$$ 68 Ho Xuan Huong, Danang Tel: 3821 1888 (HCMC office) www.furamavietnam.com Among the first resorts to open in the country, this venue still scores highly because of its stunning beachside location allied to some indulgent touches – the smallest room measures 40 square metres – and a general air of refined luxury, as typified by the Cafe Indochine restaurant and the Lagoon poolside bar.

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INTERCONTINENTAL DANANG SUN PENINSULA RESORT

$$$$ Bai Bac, Son Tra Peninsula, Danang Tel: 0511 393 8888, info@icdanang.com www.intercontinental.com/danang With its own private bay on the Son Tra Peninsula, the Bill Bensley-designed InterContinental Danang is nestled within one of the region’s most exquisite locations. All 197 of the resort’s rooms, suites and beachfront villas are designed to take full advantage of their location and panoramic South China Sea views.

Large terraces and shuttered windows elevate private living spaces that draw in the surrounding jungle and crystal bay, and add depth to the already large rooms that start from 70sqm.

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$$$ 323 Le Van Sy, Q3. Tel: 3843 9999 reservation@ramanasaigon.com www.ramanasaigon.com A 4-star business class hotel, The Ramana Hotel boasts 293 guestrooms and suites and offers a complete range of service facilities including a Business Centre, a well-equipped Fitness Room, an outdoor swimming pool and the Sawasdee Health Club, The hotel is situated in District 3 – an area of Ho Chi Minh City only 2 km from the city centre and 3 km from the airport.

SHERATON

street, offering a mix of rooms and suites, top-notch facilities, and restaurant cuisine which can match anything in the city.

Without a doubt one of the nicest places to stay in the city.

HUY HOANG 1

$ 73 Phan Boi Chau, Hoi An, Tel: 0510 386 1453 Boasts that it is just 0.025km from the city centre, which translates into being an excellent base for exploring the old town.

Added to that, you get simple and comfortable rooms for around VND400,000.

LIFE RESORT HOI AN

ANA MANDARA HUE

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$$$$ Thuan An Town, Phu Vang District, Thua Thien Hue, Vietnam, Tel: 08 6291 3030 sales1@anamandarahue-resort.com www.hotelcollectionindochine.com Located on Thuan An Beach, a 20-minute drive from central Hue, the five-star Ana Mandara is the only beach resort with pool villas in the area. The property has a total of 78 rooms and villas, including beach pool villas, beach villas, duplex rooms and deluxe rooms in a wide range of styles and decor designed with modern facilities. Offers private rice paddy dinners, beach BBQs and cruises through the local fish farms.

GUESTHOUSE VAN XUAN

$ 10 Pham Ngu Lao, Hue, Tel: 054 382 6561 An excellent option for those on a tight budget, with a comfortable room plus balcony and satellite TV coming in at around VND200,000. An additional bonus is the pleasantness of the staff.

IMPERIAL HUE

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$$$ 10 Hung Vuong, Hue, Tel: 054 388 2222 www.imperial-hotel.com.vn One of the best hotels in the city, and certainly in the most convenient downtown location, this high-rise hotel has luxurious rooms with great city views, a selection of restaurants, a piano bar and the sumptuous Royal Spa. You can even hire your own butler. Internet rates start at VND2.4 million ++ for a deluxe city view room.

LA RESIDENCE

SUN SPA RESORT

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$$ My Canh, Bao Ninh, Dong Hoi, Quang Binh Tel: 052 384 2999 www.sunsparesortvietnam.com This top-end resort offers elegant, comfortable pool villas and bungalows, and is the only luxury accommodation in Quang Binh, about 150 miles from Hue. An ideal base for trips to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Phong Nha caves.

MAI CHAU & HOA BINH COMMUNAL GUEST HOUSE 1

$$$ Poom Village, Mai Chau, Tel: 0912 320990 One of the larger stilt houses in Poom Village, the bamboo floor you can expect to sleep on is more comfortable than you might expect, and this house has a pleasant view of a lotus pond. Like at all the other stilt houses here, drink and dance can be arranged.

LA FERME DU COLVERT

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$$ Cu Yen, Luong Son, Hoa Binh, Tel: 018 382 5662 www.vietnam-aventure.com This eco-village in Hoa Binh caters to visitors in search of nature. 30 rooms of varying design in ten houses are surrounded by rice fields, lakes and hills. Has its own spa and restaurant.

MAI CHAU GUESTHOUSE

At the farthest end of town, Mai Chau Tel: 0218 386 7262 This hotel seems to offer bare-bones amenities, but if you don’t fancy sleeping on the rattan floor of a stilt house, this is a couple good steps above, and the rooms are quite inexpensive. Be prepared for the noise from the karaoke bars which surround the place.

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$$$ Tel: 0218 386 8959, www.maichaulodge.com If real comfort is what you want, this is surely the best bet in Mai Chau. The rooms are modern and classy, with room service, sauna and internet connections.

The newly built Water Lily Cottage offers a luxury version of the house on stilts.

Give a call for exact directions, or you can check their website.

MAI CHAU NATURE PLACE

House 38, Ban Lac Village, Tel: 3938 1443 www.maichaunatureplace.com A perfect mix between a home-stay experience and comfortable hotel. The private rooms are beautifully quaint while the communal sleeping option is more typical of rural lodges. Both options come with modern and clean bathrooms, traditional home-cooked meals, free bicycles and friendly, in-the-know, staff.

NGOC BACH

$$$$ House 100, Quarter 2, Mai Chau, Tel: 0218 386 7340 If a sturdy bed is what you crave, this might be your answer. The rooms are large and clean, with a working television and shower with hot water. Might not be the Hilton, but for an aching back it’s a step above a bamboo floor and a mat.

NAM DINH & NINH BINH CUC PHUONG GUEST HOUSE

$$$$ 396 Quoc Lo 14, Dong Xoai, Binh Phuoc Tel: 0651 387 9764 Accommodation here is quite basic, but this place offers a good deal in relation to the other places around, if you want a place to sleep before a long day of park touring.

CUC PHUONG NATIONAL PARK

$ Cuc Phuong, Nho Quan, Ninh Binh Tel: 030 384 8006 www.cucphuongtourism.com Park accommodation, in modern rooms,

stilt houses and detached bungalows, includes basic amenities and comforts in proportion to prices, which range from VND100,000 to VND500,000 per night.

Rooms available at park hq, the park centre, and on the road linking the two.

THANH THUY GUEST HOUSE

$ 128 Le Hong Phong, Ninh Binh, Tel: 030 387 1811 Refurbished in 2004, this has big, clean rooms that are great value for the money.

There is an in-house restaurant that will make it redundant to eat elsewhere. Prices range from VND100,000 to VND400,000 for a double deluxe room. The staff speak very good English.

THUY ANH HOTEL

$$ 55A Truong Han Sieu, Ninh Binh. Tel: 030 387 1602 This hotel is slightly more expensive than its neighbors, but the reason is apparent once you walk in. The rooms in the newer building are especially nice and, together with the better than decent restaurant downstairs, this one can make for a good stop over.

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$$$$ Beachside, Tran Phu, Nha Trang, Tel: 058 352 2222 www.sixsenses.com/evason-anamandaranhatrang There’s a generous 2.6 hectares of private beachside garden to get lost in here, and much to marvel at, with villa-style accommodation furnished in traditional native woods, verandah dining, pool bar and the signature Six Senses Spa.

JUNGLE BEACH RESORT

$ Ninh Phuoc, Ninh Hoa, Khanh Hoa (40km north of Nha Trang). Tel: 058 362 2384 On a secluded – almost deserted –

promontory north of Nha Trang, with accommodation ranging from comfortable guest rooms to basic outdoor bamboo shelters, this budget place is all about hammocks, the sea, the jungle and nature – certainly a change from mainstream tourism.

The owners arrange pick-up from Nha Trang and the down-to-earth resort maintains a deliberate, family atmosphere. A real gem.

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$$$$ Van Dang Ninh Hoa, Khanh Hoa. Tel: 058 372 8222 www.sixsenses.com/Six-Senses-HideawayNinh-Van-Bay The upmarket Tatler magazine voted this its top hotel of 2006, and it’s not hard to see why. The location is stunning, on a bay which can only be reached by boat, and all the accommodation, amenities and facilities are top-drawer. So, naturally, is the price. Internet rates start at VND15 million++ for a beach pool villa.

NOVOTEL NHA TRANG

$$$ 50 Tran Phu, Nha Trang, Tel: 058 625 6900 www.novotel-nhatrang.com This stylish four-star hotel is centrally located on the main street of the resort city of Nha Trang. Along with 154 modern rooms, each with terrace and a stunning sea view, Novotel Nha Trang offers a pool, spa, restaurant, bar and meeting room catering for up to 200 delegates.

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SAO MAI HOTEL

99 Nguyen Thien Thuat, Nha Trang Tel: 058 382 7412 Try to get a seaview room with private balcony at this friendly and very cheap hotel, which also has a rooftop terrace.

Rooms have basic but adequate facilities and it is well located.

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$$$$ 5 Le Loi, Hue, Tel: 054 383 7475 www.la-residence-hue.com Built around a core of the former colonial governor’s mansion, and maintained in nautical modern style, this is one of Hue’s unique experiences. With ceiling fans and dark-stained wood furnishings, this is traditional Indochine at its best. Throw in an excellent restaurant with river views and you have a heady mix.

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$$$ 1 Pham Hong Thai, Hoi An Tel: 0510 391 4555 www.life-resorts.com Recently refurbished after a recent flood, this award-winning resort is located close to the charm and bustle of the Old Town and maintains an emphasis on wellness and pampering. Its spa combines the benefits of traditional Chinese medicine, tai chi, touch and hot stone therapies.

THE NAM HAI

HUE

MAI CHAU LODGE

has an on-site spa.

LE DOMAINE DE TAM HAI

$$$ Tel: 0510 354 5105 www.domainedetamhai.com If you’re looking for something a bit different, the secluded sand island of Tam Hai, with just a dozen traditional-looking (but modern) villas with private gardens and true tropical ambience may be the answer.

There is endless beach, a swimming pool, and a restaurant to take advantage of the fresh seafood.

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$$$$ Hamlet 1, Dien Duong Village, Quang Nam Tel: 0510 394 0000, www.ghmhotels.com Setting the standard for luxury resorts in Vietnam, the Nam Hai is the ultimate relaxation space. Includes three massive swimming pools, a gourmet restaurant and elegant spa on a lotus pond. This is just the tip of the iceberg. Each massive room comes with its own espresso machine, preprogrammed iPod and both indoor and outdoor showers. Entire villas, spa villas and pool villas complexes are also available for rent and each villa has a view of the sea. A great place to forget about the city.

VICTORIA HOI AN BEACH RESORT & SPA CUA DAI BEACH CREDIT

Tel: 0510 392 7040 www.victoriahotels-asia.com Pull up some (private) beach and relax, at

PHUONG HOANG HOTEL

$ 48/3 Le Loi, Hue, Tel: 054 382 6736 A budget option which offers a reliable and acceptable level of comfort for the sub-VND400,000 price with the additional benefit of being near the Perfume River and having attentive service.

PILGRIMAGE VILLAGE — BOUTIQUE RESORT & SPA CREDIT

$$$$ 130 Minh Mang, Hue, Tel: 054 388 5461 www.pilgrimagevillage.com A collection of rustic villas located in the countryside close to Hue and its historical landmarks. Villas range from the traditional Vietnamese pool house to the family bungalow. The boutique, imperial-era Vietnam styled resort also holds cooking classes, makes tour arrangements and

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SUNRISE BEACH RESORT

$$$ 12-14 Tran Phu, Nha Trang, Tel: 058 382 0999 www.sunrisehotelvietnam.com Luxury boutique hotel in the city centre and right across from the beach is well geared up for the family and business trade, with kids’ room, beach recreation, restaurants offering Japanese, Vietnamese and European cuisine, pool bar, beach bar, sky bar and a Qi spa.

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WHALE ISLAND RESORT

KHACH SAN DIEN BIEN PHU

$$ 849 Duong 7-5, Muong Thanh, Dien Bien Phu Tel: 0230 382 5103 Pretty much what it sounds like: a Dien Bien Phu guest house. Rooms are made for sleeping and not much else, but at good prices. Cleanliness and comfort are acceptable and about average for this type of establishment.

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MUONG THANH HOTEL

$$ 25 Pho 1, Muong Thanh, Dien Bien Phu Tel: 0230 381 0043 This Soviet-era hotel has a unique style that makes it one of the most visited. So, despite its size, it may be a good idea to book in advance. There’s a charge for the swimming pool, even if you’re staying there. But, hey, there’s a pool. The rooms are better than average and have satellite TV. CREDIT

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$$ Tel: 058 384 0501 www.whaleislandresort.com This remote and unspoiled island some 60km north of Nha Trang has been made into a stylish getaway, with traditional bamboo bungalows on the beach and plenty of opportunity for serious nature watching, with abundant marine life and an array of birds. Onsite seafood restaurant and bar.

SON LA TRADE UNION HOTEL

$$ 4 Duong, 26-8 Rd, Son La, Tel: 022 385 5313 The explanation of the name is a mystery, but with 100 rooms it could probably house a mid-size union. Not the cheapest place in town, but the rooms are extra large and fairly well-kept. If you want to spend some time with satellite television, this is your place. Price range is VND500,000 to VND600,000, breakfast included.

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NORTH-EAST BANG GIANG HOTEL

$ 1 Kim Dong, Cao Bang. Tel: 026 385 3431 A large, government-run hotel popular with tour groups. Rooms are super-sized, with big windows and some even have views. They also take credit cards, which might not be expected here. Room rates are around VND400,000.

HOANG NGUYEN HOTEL

$ 84 Pho Tran Dang Ninh, Lang Son, Tel: 025 387 0349 This place offers basic accommodation at a good price. Don’t expect too much, but as an en route stop-over, Hoang Nguyen will definitely do.

$ 53 Duong 26 – 8, Son La, Tel: 022 385 8798 Sunrise makes for a decent stay for those travelling between Hanoi and Dien Bien Phu. In relation to the other hotels on the road, the rooms are very clean and the staff helpful. A night here will run around VND400,000.

PHAN THIET / MUI NE

HOANG SON HAI

57D Thanh Tam, Lang Son. Tel: 025 371 0479 Although it may be a bit hard to communicate with the staff if you’re Vietnamese isn’t up to snuff, they are eager to help. The rooms are exceptionally nice for the area.

HUY HOAN HOTEL

SUNRISE HOTEL

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$ 14 Nguyen Trai, Ha Giang, Tel: 0219 386 1288 The large, comfortable sleeping quarters here may come as a surprise in these parts. But these are the things that have made Huy Hoan so popular. Several tour groups use the place as a stopover, and the staff is adept at fulfilling their needs.

SAO MAI HOTEL

$ Nguyen Trai, Ha Giang. Tel: 0219 386 3019 One of the first guesthouses you see as you arrive in town, location has made this guesthouse a popular stop off point.

The sleeping accommodations are clean and comfortable, enough to enjoy a good night’s sleep and shower.

THANH LOAN HOTEL

$ V159 Vuon Cam, Cao Bang, Tel: 026 385 7026 Thanh Loan is a smaller hotel with more attention paid to the details. Still, expect basic accommodation, but, all said, a good bargain.

THAI NGUYEN HOTEL

2 Hoang Van Thu, Thai Nguyen, Tel: 0280 385 2803 Your standard two-star establishment, Thai Nguyen is one of the best (and one of the only) choices in the vicinity. It’s quite a large hotel considering its location, so booking shouldn’t be a problem.

NORTH-WEST HUYEN TRAN GUEST HOUSE

$$$ 2 Hoang Van Thu, Lai Chau. Tel: 0231 387 5829 Offers reasonable guesthouse-style rooms with air conditioning, some of them with balconies. Take a look at the rooms before you rent as the quality may vary.

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BLUE OCEAN RESORT

$$$$ 54 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Mui Ne, Phan Thiet Tel: 062 384 7322 www.blueoceanresort.com After renovation in 2007, Blue Ocean Resort is now under the management of Life Resorts. Its luxury makeover includes a large swimming pool and swim-up pool bar as well as a children’s activity playground. Another new addition is an Irish bar. One of the better appointed resorts in the area.

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PRINCESS D’ANNAM RESORT & SPA $$$$ Khu Hon Lan, Xa Tan Thanh, Ham Thuan Nam, Binh Thuan, Tel: 062 368 2222 www.princessannam.com The first all-villa luxury boutique resort in Vietnam, the Princess d’Annam is set on Ke Ga Bay, about a four-hour drive from Ho Chi Minh Ciry and 35km south of Phan Thiet. With a sumptuous spa, original architecture, eight swimming pools and a 24-hour butler service, this is one of the most luxurious resorts in the country.

Definitely one of the most exclusive.

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SHADES APARTMENTS

refurbishment. Offers quad-biking, kitesurfing, paragliding and, of course, sailing.

$$$$ Bai Xep, Ong Lang, Cua Duong, Phu Quoc, Kien Giang, Tel: 0773 995895 reservation@chenla-resort.com Open since Nov. 2008, this 37-bungalow resort provides a serene atmosphere along with first-class spa treatment and a mediterranean-themed restaurant.

LA VERANDA

TOPAS ECOLODGE

CHEN LA RESORT AND SPA CREDIT

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$$$$ Ward 1, Duong Dong Beach, Phu Quoc Tel: 0773 982888 / 3823 7645 (Sales office) www.laverandaresort.com Boutique luxury among exotic greenery and a white sand beach, La Veranda has beautifully-designed rooms with cool tiles in traditional designs and dark woods, a stunning swimming pool, an all-natural spa, a beach grill and a fine fusion restaurant overlooking the beach.

MANGO BAY

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$$ Ong Lang Beach, Phu Quoc. Tel: 090 338 2207 www.mangobayphuquoc.com A getaway in the true sense, combining an eco-friendly approach with a gorgeous beachside location. Wildlife abounds on land and in the sea, the bungalows are made of rammed earth, and there are no TVs and telephones around. Excellent sunsets from the beach bar, which also serves up excellent food in the restaurant on the edge of the sea.

PHU QUOC RESORT THANG LOI

$$ Ong Lang Beach, Phu Quoc Tel: 0918 073 494 / 0773 985002 Secluded budget bungalow-style resort, which lies in a beachside coconut palm plantation with small basic bungalows adding to the castaway effect. The restaurant serves fresh seafood. It’s laid-back and simple. And cheap.

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$$$ Tel: 020 387 1522, www.victoriahotels-asia.com Topping the list of Sapa resorts, the Victoria is not priced for the backpacker (rooms range from $135 to $250 per night).

The many amenities include satellite TV, in-room coffeemakers and safes, and a hilltop health club, tennis court and pool.

The entire resort is tastefully decorated with panoramic views of the town below.

TAM DAO GREEN WORLD HOTEL

$ Khu Nhi Mat, Tam Dao. Tel: 0211 382 4315 A big new hotel, Green World has 100

BICYCLE RENTAL

$ 7 Muong Hoa, Sapa. Tel: 020 387 1243 Despite being in the centre of town, some of the back rooms offer nice views. There is also a good French-style restaurant downstairs, which is what you might expect considering the décor and name.

Prices vary, but a room should generally cost around VND400,000.

BAMBOO HOTEL

$$ 18 Muong Hoa, Sapa. Tel: 020 387 1075 One of the best things about the Bamboo Hotel is the view, so make sure you check out the room first – some are better than others. There is aircon if needed, but you might want to ask for extra blankets in winter, in spite of electric heaters. Rooms here are between VND700,000 and VND1 million a night. The premium here is on the views.

HMONG MOUNTAIN RETREAT

$$ Cat Cat Road. Tel: 020 387 1218 Notable for having probably the best view in town from its bar restaurant, Cat Cat Guesthouse has plain rooms at very reasonable rates. A fairly steep set of steps leads to the block of rooms, most of which have big windows and balconies, and, for the cold winter, log fireplaces. $ Km 6 Sapa, Ban Ho Road Sapa, Lao Cai Tel: 020 3872 130 www.hmongmountainretreat.com A large stilt house, five clay-clad bungalows and one 70-year-old Hmong House is what waits for you amid the rolling hills of Lao Cai, 6km outside of Sapa. The eco-resort’s team are all local and will help you enjoy

HANG KHONG HOTEL

$ Khu 1 Thi, Tam Dao, Tel: 0211 382 4208 Another one of the newer hotels in Tam Dao, Hang Khong caters mainly to Vietnamese tourists. But the price is right, hovering around VND500,000. Many of the rooms have balconies, but all have comfortable beds and hot showers.

HUONG LIEN HOTEL

$ Khu I Thi, Tam Dao, Tel: 0211 382 4282 Just your basic hotel, but if what you want is a bed and satellite television, this is your place. Can’t beat the price at around VND200,000. Beware, though, prices are subject to change.

MELA HOTEL

$$ Thi Tran, Tam Dao. Tel: 0211 382 4321 Probably the prime place to stay in Tam Dao, the Mela has a swimming pool that might come in handy if you’re in the mountains to escape the heat of Hanoi summer. Rooms are comfortable and clean, with two double beds and balcony.

The staff can assist if you want to explore the natural surroundings. Prices between VND800,000 and VND1.6 million.

TRAVEL SERVICES AIR MEKONG

51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho. Tel: 37186 399 www.airmekong.com.vn With presence in eight different cities including Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Con Dao, Phu Quoc and Pleiku, Air Mekong is the ideal way to see more of Vietnam. It offers 30 daily flights and is a realistic alternative to the time-consuming train and bus combo.

ASIA WINGS TRAVEL COMPANY

Ground Floor, Hanoi Towers 49 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 9343 0888 Founded in 1998, the travel company caters to both corporate and international travel.

Services include ticketing, hotel reservation, travel insurance, transfer and visa arrangement. Outbound tours and packages throughout the world are also available.

AUBERGE HOTEL

THE SAILING CLUB

$$$ 24 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Mui Ne, Phan Thiet Tel: 062 384 7440 Much more than its name suggests, with beautiful landscaped tropical gardens leading onto a stretch of pristine beach and an outdoor bar, well-positioned to make the best of the scenery. Has a mix of comfortable rooms and bungalows, and has recently done some

VICTORIA SAPA

rooms ranging in price from VND400,000 to VND600,000 a night. Because of its height, the top rooms have nice views of the town and surroundings. There is a restaurant and bar with billiards, and internet in the lobby.

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$$ 24 Muong Hoa, Sapa. Tel: 020 387 2404 www.topas-eco-lodge.com For the environmentally conscientious, the only place to stay in Sapa is the Topas Ecolodge. 25 individual lodges are located on the hills overlooking the valleys. Employing solar technology and a wastewater facility give it eco-cred. Topas also organises treks and bicycle tours. It takes over an hour to get from Sapa to the lodge; transportation is provided.

SAPA

CAT CAT GUESTHOUSE

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SAPA ROOMS

$$ 18 Phang Xi Pan, Sapa. Tel: 020 6505 228 www.saparooms.com Located in the heart of Sapa town this simple but comfortable boutique hotel occupies an unprecedented corner location overlooking the terraced valleys of Sapa and not far from the energy of the local market. Rooms are decorated with antique hardwood furniture and contemporary artwork from local artists with touches of ethnic minority culture.

PHU QUOC

$$$ Tel: 062 743 237, www.shadesmuine.com Top quality resort offering a small selection of luxury and attractively designed apartments and studios right on the beach, with fully equipped and modern units. Entertainment options include windsurfing, kitesurfing, antique sidecars, bike tours and dune buggy rides. Has a decent pool and dining options.

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the surroundings of the Muong Hoa Valley.

ASIAN TRAVEL MATE DON’S RESTAURANT 16/27 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3719 2828 Have two Vietnamese bicycles for rent and well as a tandem. Great lake-side location.

Pricey.

MR. TRUNG No. 10, Ngo 175 Hong Ha, Ba Dinh Tel: 0903 232888 A large number of old mountain bikes for rent. Located close to Long Bien Bridge. Good repair service.

QUAN'S MOTORBIKE & BICYCLE RENTALS 70 Hang Bac, Hoan Kiem Tel: 0904 244941 Well-maintained bicycles and motorbikes for rent. Located in the Old Quarter close to Hoan Kiem Lake.

THE HANOI BICYCLE COLLECTIVE 44, Ngo 31, Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3718 8246 Well-maintained selection of bicycles for hire at the best prices in town, plus guided tours and all services you might need went to rent a bicycle. Rental available by day, week or month.

7 Dinh Tien Hoang, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3825 0615; 21 Luong Ngoc Quyen, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3926 3449; Crowne Plaza, 36 Le Duc Tho, Tu Liem Tel: 6265 4558 www.asianatravelmate.com An active supporter of the Loreto Program, AsianaTravel is a tourist information company that offers a wide range of customised itineraries, and reservations throughout Indochina. Have daily departure tours available in Saigon, Hue and Hanoi.

BUFFALO TOURS AGENCY (BTA)

94 Ma May, Hoan Kiem Dist., Ha Noi Tel: (84-4) 3 828 0702 travelagency.hn@buffalotours.com www.buffalotours.com.vn A boutique Travel Agency at the service of all Vietnamese and expatriate residents in Vietnam offering easy, hassle-free travel around the world and in Vietnam, with the highest standards of customer care. This premium Travel Agency has been created to help travelers select their destinations and organize their trips, take care of the time-consuming procedures and ensure that all journeys are enjoyable and successful. BTA customizes leisure and corporate travel plans while offering a selected range of small group tours.

EXOTISSIMO

26, Tran Nhat Duat, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3828 2150 9 XuanDieu, Tay Ho. Tel: 3718 5555 www.exotissimo.com A one-stop, all-in-one travel agency with an

extensive operational track record in the Indochina region and beyond. Providing up-market services, Exotissimo brings their clients close to culture through personalised tours. Also find travel desks at the Hilton, Sofitel Plaza and Intercontinental hotels, which are open on weekends and holidays.

FREEWHEELIN TOURS

2nd floor, 2A Ta Hien, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3926 2743 www.freewheelin-tours.com Responsible travel tourism company offering intimate, bespoke tours that give customers a more “authentic” taste of Vietnam. Motorbike journeys, homestays, visits to ethnic minority villages, national parks, waterfalls and spectacular scenery are all part of the mix, with part of the proceeds going to a number of responsible tourism initiatives.

OUT & ABOUT LISTINGS

BAR & NIGHTCLUBS 084 CAFES 085 RESTAURANTS — FRENCH 086 RESTAURANTS — INDIAN 088 RESTAURANTS — INTERNATIONAL 088 RESTAURANTS — ITALIAN 091 RESTAURANTS — JAPANESE & KOREAN 091

visit wordhanoi.com for a comprehensive list of our listings

RESTAURANTS — SINGAPOREAN 092 RESTAURANTS — SE ASIAN 092 RESTAURANTS — VIETNAMESE 092 RESTOBARS 093 COLUMNS MUSIC BUFF 087 WINE CONNOISSEUR 090

HANDSPAN TRAVEL

80 Ma May, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3926 2828 www.handspan.com Established in 1997, Handspan provides customers with safe, high quality, diverse, small-group adventure tours to both popular and isolated locations in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. Has a focus on off-thebeaten-track sustainable and responsible tourism initiatives. Also provides to excursions to more well-worn destinations.

HG TRAVEL

47 Phan Chu Trinh, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3944 8844 www.hgtravel.com Travel company specialising in small-group tours around Vietnam and further afield in Indochina. Is also the sole representative agent for Kenya Airways (for 40 cities in Africa — www.kenya-airways.com), American Airlines (www.aa.com) and Turkish Airlines (www.thy.com).

INDOCHINA LAND

61 Cua Bac, Ba Dinh. Tel: 3715 2852 www.indochina-land.com Indochina Land is a French local travel agency for expatriates and tourists who want to see northern Vietnam in a personal and tailored way. Think small knowledgeable teams of Vietnamese and French who share their passion for discovery during varied itineraries, usually focused on freedom, family, health trips and classic home stays. They will show you around Ha Giang, too.

INTREPID TRAVEL VIETNAM

57A Nguyen Khac Hieu, Ba Dinh Tel: 0904 193308 www.intrepidtravel.com/vietnamsales Intrepid Travel Vietnam is an international travel company operating in Vietnam since 1992, offering innovative day tours, short breaks and small group adventures.

With expert guides and guaranteed departures, Intrepid focuses on real life experiences in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Mekong Delta, Halong Bay, Sapa and beyond to get you up close to Vietnam's people, cuisine, history and culture.

SYRENA CRUISES

BARS & NIGHTCLUBS 17 COWBOYS

MUSIC HALL/LONG BAR 98B Tran Hung Dao, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3942 6822 www.seventeencowboys.com 5pm to 12am Cowgirls, lasers, belly dancing and Filipino bands who never shy away from a good Guns N' Roses cover. Drinks are a little pricey, but part of the money is going to the show. Expect a lively atmosphere and the band will take requests, but 1980s rock tunes are favoured.

Tel: 01282 273717 www.sapasisters.webs.com The best trekking guides in Sapa showing you the key spots with the guarantee of an unforgettable experience. Sapa Sisters aims to empower young H’Mong women and give them fair pay for their skilled services. Read their reviews on Trip Advisor..

RETRO CAFÉ BAR 34C Cao Ba Quat, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3734 9134 haimtc@gmail.com 8am to midnight This bar is every bit as quirky as the Czech moped it’s named after. Inside every surface is festooned with a medley of objects ranging from gramaphones to retro TVs. The rooftop terrace is an awesome place for a sundowner or a morning coffee.

Eclectic and like nothing else in Hanoi.

CAFÉ BLUE NOTE

TOURIST BAR/CLUB 32 Luong Ngoc Quyen, Hoan Kiem This newcomer to Ta Hien’s Bia Hoi Junction is an Aztec-themed three story drinking hole and dance space. Balcony on the second floor, which provides a great view over the beer drinkers below, and dance space on the third floor. CDJs and a promise of dubstep and drink specials on the board outside are bound to go down well among the area’s party massive.

LOUNGE BAR 61A Luong Ngoc Quyen, Hoan Kiem Located on the upstairs portion of Mix III lounge and café, Blue Note features dimly lit, blue lighting and a balcony area that overlooks the streets of the Old Quarter.

The interior is decorated with elegant red, velvet chairs and photographs of vintage jazz artists along the walls—giving the place a vintage, musical feel to accompany your conversations. The bar is a promising small venue, equipped with a small stage and piano.

BAMBOO BAR

CAMA ATK

AMAZON BAR

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CLASSIC FRENCH Sofitel Metopole Legend Hotel, 15 Ngo Quyen, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3826 6919 7am to 10pm Set up like a traditional colonial-era bar space with dark wooden plank flooring, bamboo roofing, wicker chairs and handheld fan crafted ceiling fans, both during the day and at night there is a relaxed, timeless ambience here. The drinks focus here is on Martini-based and classic cocktails with a huge wine list and aged spirits also making an appearance. Also a great place for a morning or afternoon coffee.

ICONS 101

51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho. Tel: 3719 7214 www.syrenacruises.com If you’re thirsty for a Halong Bay experience while enjoying luxury comfort, Syrena Cruises could be the quencher you’re looking for. Forget drinking games and backpackers by relaxing on one of the two wooden boats from the fleet. Alone, as a couple or with a group, 34 luxurious cabins and suites are all ready for action.

All you have to do is decide on how long you want to holiday for.

THE SAPA SISTERS

BAR BETTA

AIRCONDITIONING WI-FI NON-SMOKING AREA DELIVERY

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MUSIC & ARTS BAR 73A Mai Hac De, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 01262 054970 Wednesday to Saturday, 6pm to midnight With well-poured drinks, a foosball table, no smoking and a midnight closing time, CAMA ATK knows exactly what it wants to be — and that’s refreshing. The space is a part time venue for smaller acts and DJs. The venue is hip, comfortable and will likely provide the serious drinker with a reliable place to pull up a stool and take pulls in a relaxed haven.

CHEEKY QUARTER

LATE NIGHT LOCAL 1 Ta Hien, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 0904 032829 8pm to late Last building on the right before Hang Buom, this popular with the French (and everyone else) watering hole is a classic.

Has the same Old Quarter vibe; small, cosy and personal with funky twists – and an awesome logo. Spread over two floors with good tunes, drinks specials and a foosball table, Cheeky is open till late.

Also does tasty paninis into the early hours.

DRAGONFLY HAPPY HOUR LIVE MUSIC DJ

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DANCEHALL LOUNGE 15 Hang Buom, Hoan Kiem 93 Phung Hung, Hoan Kiem Tel: 4926 2177 11am — late One of the better venues in the Old Quarter for dancing on the weekends. Although crammed into a small space, cheap drinks and a mix of chart chits makes Dragonfly

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the regular go-to for younger Vietnamese crowds, tourists and the foreign resident looking to get up on the dance floor. If you don’t feel like dancing, relax upstairs with shisha and friends with one of the two lounges on the second floor. The sister venue on Phung Hung has a bigger menu and an earlier opening hour (11am instead of 6pm) but still keeps with the shisha, pool table and dance floor combo so popular on Hang Buom.

EZ RIDER

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POOL HALL / LIVE MUSIC / CLUB 55 Ma May, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3935 1788 8am to midnight A potential gem in the heart of the Old Quarter. While it’s themed to the Easy Rider vibe out front, this huge two-storey venue is a jack of all trades – it has a bar, live music stage, pool tables, hookahs, a VIP room and a night club with a decent sound set up. Ideal for private functions and party promoters. Club stays open till late.

FATCAT BAR

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“The Noodle” is still a hit with long term residents. With its all-hour eating options — ranging from cheese toasties and pizzas to grilled cod and bun cha — and its popular happy hour, this Old Quarter old-timer is still up there with the options. Between 11pm and 12.30am, local beers go for VND15,000 and mixers go for VND30,000. Friendly staff and talkative patrons included.

HANOI ROCK CITY

LIVE MUSIC VENUE 27/52 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho Tel: 01887 487 426 www.hanoirockcity.com 5pm to midnight With a downstairs, English-style pub garden area and an upstairs space dedicated to live music and live production, Hanoi Rock City is the only venue in the capital of its kind. Has weekly live events featuring bands both from Vietnam and overseas — established and up and coming. Email jimihendrix@hanoirockcity.com for more information or check out their page on Facebook.

DJ / LATE NIGHT JOINT 25 Ta Hien, Hoan Kiem Tel: 5333 6087 www.linkhanoi.com 4pm to late Straddling Bia Hoi Corner and the cobblestoned end of Ta Hien, FatCat Bar is a small establishment from the minds behind the party and event organisers, LinkHanoi. The bar has tables filling the first floor and spilling onto the sidewalk as well as a small loft area for lounging.

Nightly cocktail specials, reasonable bottles deals starting at VND500,000 and a DJ on the decks make up the mix.

HO GUOM XANH CLUB

FLOW BAR

HOUSE OF SON TINH

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DANCEHALL/BAR 61 Luong Ngoc Quyen, Hoan Kiem 5pm to late Previously known as Dracula Bar, this watering hole tucked upstairs behind a hotel is around the corner from Ta Hien.

A double-sided bar splits up a pool table space, lounge area and dance floor. The smoke machine can be a bit much, but the music is a decent mix of pop and house. Never crowded and open late, free shots are given out every hour on the hour.

FUNKY BUDDHA

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ELECTRO LOUNGE 2 Ta Hien, Hoan Kiem 8pm to late Owned by the people behind Face Club, the low, LED-lit venue has the feel of a VIP room situated in a larger club, only it's not. While techno and trance are the genre's of choice spun in the establishment by live DJs, patrons treat the space more like a lounge than a dancehall and typically order bottle service and cocktails.

One of the Ta Hien mainstays.

HAIR OF THE DOG

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LATE NIGHT LOCAL / LOUNGE 32 Ma May, Hoan Kiem 10am to late In the same building as the old Bucket Bar, Hair of the Dog, the first floor offers a large drinking space, graphic artwork, sidewalk seating and a dance floor. Up the spiral staircase, there’s the late-night bar and shisha lounge complete with beanbags. Drawing in a mix of expats, backpackers and locals, when the bars across the street shut down, the mayhem continues in ‘The Dog’.

HALF MAN HALF NOODLE

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LATE DIVE BAR 62 Dao Duy Tu, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3926 1943 3pm to late Often a bit dark and somewhat gloomy,

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STAGE AND TABLE CLUB 32 Le Thai To Tel: 3828 8806 8pm to 11.45pm Just a few yards from the banks of Hoan Kiem Lake, this giant pantheon of a nightclub seems more at home in Bangkok than in the capital. With DJs, go-go dancers and an ear splitting sound system, Ho Guom Xanh is a great place to ‘dance’ around a table, if you’re willing, while enjoying expensive top shelf bottle service in the heart of the city.

LIQUOR LOUNGE 31 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3718 6377 www.sontinh.com 8am to 11.30pm As part of the Highway 4 group, which now has its offices in the establishment’s upstairs areas, this bar-cum-restaurant outfitted with comfortable, stylish furnishings is famed for its luxurious rice wine liquors and newly created cocktail class.

Does regular events on the first floor and also has a creative Vietnamese food menu based on cuisine sold at other restaurants in the chain.

IRISH WOLFHOUND

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IRISH PUB 4 Luong Ngoc Quyen, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 2212 6821 www.irishwolfhoundpub.com 8am to 2am The open-air watering hole with seating on the pavement is a great spot to enjoy a tall dark stout or light pilsner at anytime, day or night. What it lacks in gaudy decorations, it makes up for with a constant stream of regulars, occasional live Irish music and billiards on the third floor. Has a decent food menu and even better pizzas.

LA FÉE VERTE

FRENCH-STYLE CONTEMPORARY Hotel de l’Opera, 29 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem Tel: 6282 5555 lafeeverte@hoteldelopera.com 7am to 2am Meaning the green fairy — an allusion to the hallucinatory effects of absinthe which was drunk extensively in colonial Vietnam — understated lighting, a laid-back lounge atmosphere, a good music selection and ultra-contemporary interior design make up the mix at this downstairs bar in Hotel de l’Opera. Expect a good selection of creative cocktails and an extensive wine list.

Opens late with a DJ taking to the decks on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

LONG PLAY CAFÉ

LATE NIGHT LOCAL 9B Bao Khanh, Kiem Tel: 0914 339439 lpcafe@yahoo.com.vn 9am to late This quirky bar and living room gets busiest in the later hours. Down in the bar, plasma screens and an iPod station mix with a dance floor and comically named cocktails. Upstairs, there’s a cushioned living room — a pleasant space with a low ceiling and shisha. Throw in a dartboard, “sell and swap” book shelves, Jenga and some tasty toasted sandwiches, and it can be hours of fun. The dried buffalo “nosh” from Tay Bac in the north is a must.

MAO’S RED LOUNGE

LOUNGE AND BAR 7 Ta Hien, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3926 3104 5am to 2am One of the few staple bars in the city that hosts an equal number of ex-pats, locals and tourists. With cheap drinks, funky, slightly ethnic decor and one of the most amiable owners in town, Mao's is always a great place to start off or finish the night. Sing-a-longs and dancing welcome at one of the most popular drinking spots on Ta Hien.

MAY PUB

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LAID-BACK FIX 2 Nam Ngu, Hoan Kiem Tel: 0917 897630 nemoover@gmail.com A curving neon sign marks the small entrance to May Pub, which stands on the corner of Nam Ngu and Phan Boi Chau.

The pub hosts a laid-back bar atmosphere with old Hollywood photographs, free billiards and darts and low-key live music.

The menu combines traditional cocktails with offerings like Russian string cheese — a late-night brew and dairy fix. Wednesday and Friday nights are Buy One Get One Free for ladies.

MINT BAR

HOTEL BAR Lobby Level, Pullman Hanoi, 40 Cat Linh, Dong Da Tel: 3733 0808 www.pullmanhotels.com 7am to midnight Situated in the heart of the lobby, Mint Bar is perfect for a relaxing, convivial experience any time of the day. A tapasinspired menu along with fresh fruit juice, local and imported beers are available at all times while wines by the glass or by the bottle are available from the Vinoteca

by Pullman. Relax with a coffee or tea from the property’s extensive selection.

MODEL CLUB

CATWALK BAR 45 Hang Bai, Hoan Kiem 8pm to late Lasers, pulsating trance, bottle service and nightly model shows. This venue is largely filled with flashy Vietnamese youngsters or older business types flashing their wads. Bottle service is a must, which is a little pricey, so if you ain't got enough money then you probably won't be sticking around to see the honeys.

PHUC TAN

ELECTRO GRUNGE CLUB 51 / 4A Phuc Tan, Hoan Kiem 6pm to late Hanoi's favourite after hours dancehall/ trance den. Throw shapes on either of the two floors that have regular DJs while dancing to rapacious electronic beats or enjoy the Red River's breeze and snack on

a kebab as you catch up with all of the city's regular night owls. The terrace out back has great views of Long Bien Bridge at night.

PLAY BAR

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GAMING LOUNGE 104 Bach Dang, Hoan Kiem Tel: 0621 0212 huongnmd@gmail.com 9am to midnight If you’re looking for a more active night out, this gaming lounge has it all. White leather sofas, and plasma screens hooked up to Xbox 360 Kinect, Playstation 3 Move etc and more. Challenge your friends to games while enjoying a western-style food menu and a decent selection of beverages. When you get a little too competitive, you can cool down in the lounge area and gear up for your next big win.

PILSNER URQUELL

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EUROPEAN BREW HALL 10 Nguyen Bieu, Ba Dinh. Tel: 3734 2288 Modeled after a brewery, bar and bowling alley in the Czech Republic, Pilsner Urquell has an old Europe feel — particularly in the private rooms lined with glass beer mugs, thick cuts of dark wood furniture and semi-circular booths. With the UNmeeting-of-a-menu, customers can choose from goose dishes, noodles, fried apples, an assortment of cheeses and several other options. Perfect location for big gatherings.

POLITE PUB

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LONG BAR 5 Bao Khanh, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3825 0959 5pm to 2am A bit musty and jaded, despite being one of the oldest pubs in the city, this staple watering hole on Bao Khanh continues to be a hit. Probably the closest thing Hanoi has to an authentic English-style pub, Polite is frequented by a steady mix of locals and expats who find solace in the nightly conversations at the long bar, billiards and live football matches.

Q PUB

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BOTTLE BASED DANCE CLUB 61 Luong Ngoc Quyen, Hoan Kiem Tel: 0915 381180. qbuphanoi@gmail.com A glitzy, spacious basement club tucked away in the corner where Luong Ngoc Quyen meets Hang Giay. It’s a laser, mirrors and disco ball affair with high tables, hostesses, bottles of whiskey and a DJ — usually playing a mixture of trance and house. Runs a number of spirits offers on different days of the week. Ask for details.

RED RIVER TEA ROOM

LAKESIDE WATERING HOLE 25 Duong Ven Ho Tay, Tay Ho Monday to Friday, 2pm to 11.30pm. Weekends open from 11am Located on the lakeside road just below Xuan Dieu and close to the entrance to The Sheraton, this quiet, casual pub offers up a variety of beer, wine and mixed drinks, juice, tea, Nespresso coffee and espresso and milkshakes, all with a nice view of West Lake. Non-smoking indoors, Red River Tea Room is a welcome addition to the area.

ROOTS

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REGGAE CHILLOUT BAR 2 Luong Ngoc Quyen, Hoan Kiem www.rootsbar-hanoi.blogspot.com 5pm to late With a reggae theme, the French-run Roots stays open late playing African and Caribbean music with some salsa thrown in for good measure. Laid back vibes. A good, late-night, Old Quarter option set on a first floor. The entrance is next to the Irish Wolfhound.

SPY BAR

HOLE IN THE WALL / IRISH 12A Nguyen Huu Huan, Hoan Kiem Tel: 2269 1107 Fronted by the affable Sean, and with Guinness, Jameson’s and a surprising amount of draught beer flowing from the taps, since its inauguration the tiny Spy Bar has managed to create a dedicated following despite its tiny size. With pictures of spies dotting the wall (both Vietnamese and international) and food delivery available from three restaurants, this is a great place to chill and shoot some well-deserved, Chuong Duong Bridge breeze.

SUMMIT LOUNGE

TRACY’S PUB AND GRILL

SPORTS BAR/GRILL 40 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 6675 9838 www.tracyspub.com 11am to 12am This Canadian-run, miniscule sports bar on the main drag of Xuan Dieu is perpetually crowded with regulars drinking out front on plastic stools. Notorious for its mouth-watering burgers, cooked fresh to order, Tracy’s is most famous for their draft beers, claiming to serve the coldest draft beer in Hanoi, and always in a frosted mug. For those missing their dose of North American sports, they play all day via satellite on two plasmas.

ROOFTOP LOUNGE BAR 20th Floor, Sofitel Plaza, 1 Thanh Nien, Ba Dinh Tel: 3823 8888 ext. 5314 4pm to Midnight Sunday to Wednesday, 4pm to 2am Thursday to Saturday While there are a few ‘rooftop bars’ in the capital, few hold a candle to the view on offer at the Summit Lounge.

With a chilled but lively ambience, top shelf cocktails, and a Southeast Asian fusion bar menu, the Summit Lounge is a great place to pitch yourself above the madness and peer down at the chaos below in peace. Sunsets are particularly special.

TUNNEL BAR

TADIOTO

WINE AND CIGAR LOUNGE 2 Le Phung Hieu, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3939 3477 9am to 1am The ambience at the relaxed wine bar near the Metropole screams red wine — the walls are painted a warm yellow, the exposed brick adds a touch of cool and the wine barrels-turned-tables are tasteful. Too bad it’s often awkwardly empty.

Features fine wines, cigars and Vietnamese and international snacks.

12 Truong Han Sieu, Ba Trieu Leftfield, Indochine, contemporary and artsy, all thrown into one, the latest incarnation of Tadioto rolls together café, bar and gallery. Always with an attractive ambience and friendly service, a garden out back adds a nice touch to the space inside.

TAY TAP

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MEET-UP SPOT 100 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3718 6917 www.taytap.com 4pm to late Filled with wooden furnishings and a downstairs bar with two beers on tap — as well as wine, cocktails and spirits on the shelves — this newcomer venue has a grill menu catering to the tastes of both East and West. For those in search of a good old-fashioned Sloppy Joe or grilled cheese, you’ll be glad to know the kitchen is stocked to the ceiling with comfort foods.

TET BAR

LATE NIGHT LOCAL 2A Ta Hien, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3926 3050 6pm to 5am This small and personal one-and-a-half floor bar starts to get busy at around 11pm and is popular with expats of all nationalities, despite having a French flavour. Run by the indomitable Thanh and once called Le Maquis, the Tet Bar these days has a slightly cluttered feel to it, but nonetheless continues to pull in the punters. Open very, very late.

THE SPOT

LOUNGE BAR / TERRACE 47 Hang Be, Hoan Kiem.

Tel: 3935 1874 8am to midnight A stone's throw from Ta Hien, this barcum-lounge-cum-restaurant has all of the atmosphere present in bars scattered throughout the Old Quarter without being a dive. Enjoy a mixed drink, tacos or a Vietnamese staple starter with the occasional live DJ breaking out classic funk, soul and hip hop in the comfortable furnishings or on the back patio.

INTERNATIONAL / FRENCH 11B Bao Khanh, Hoan Kiem Tel: 0936 063303 www.tunnel-bar-hanoi.com 4pm to late Slim but stylish two-storey bar located just at the bend on Bao Khanh. The friendly staff can make a range of well-made and colourful cocktails. Frequent DJ nights and parties are commonplace at this watering hole that caters to both foreign and Vietnamese. Does an excellent happy hour with specials on Ricard.

WINE’S CORNER

CAFES ALIGN 3D

POPULAR VIETNAMESE 1 Ma May, Hoan Kiem; 10A Khuc Hao, Ba Dinh 7am to 11pm Popular with young Vietnamese, the Align cafes are always busy. The younger venue on Khuc Hao is hidden down a bamboo alley and has three outdoor seating areas, one of which makes you feel like you’re sat under a waterfall. The other two are on the roof, and from the middle of this embassy-type street, the sound of motorbikes is replaced with tweeting birds. 3D pictures on the walls of each floor take you back to the old city, before KFC and Parkson. Even to times before the French.

AVALON CAFÉ

LAKE VIEW LOUNGE 73 Cau Go; 9 Dinh Tien Hoang, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3926 0801 www.avaloncafelounge.com 7am to 11.30pm Popular for its views of Hoan Kiem Lake, this lounge and bar is always busy. With comfy seating and balconies, the lounge and sky garden offer a pleasant escape from city-centre chaos. The smoothies are creamy and renditions of popular street dishes are spot on. Elsewhere in the eclectic menu, pizzas and pastas cost around VND100,000 and steak in red wine sauce goes for VND179,000. Classic pop instrumentals play by day, and come night, the chilled vibe is tainted slightly with electro pop.

CAFÉ LAM

91 Nguyen Huu Huan Tel: 3824 5940 Always busy, the café has traditional

charm in old quarter. Lining the walls, old world drawings line the walls floor to ceiling. They serve a variety of teas and coffee, as well as many jars of pickled looking vegetables and less identifiable things. Grab a seat on the low wooden tables and take advantage of their strong Wi-fi.

CHILL OUT CAFE

TEEN SCENE CAFÉ 89A Ly Nam De, Ba Dinh Tel: 3223 3246 9am to 10pm This hangout spot is styled for locals in their teeny-bop years and early twenties.

The décor is kitschy and cozy, there is even a piano, used occasionally in live music shows. They serve sweet drinks at a reasonable price along with lots of treats like brownies in a variety of newwave flavors.

CIAO CAFÉ

RESTO LOUNGE 2 Hang Bai, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3934 1494 7am to 11pm A stone’s throw from the shores of Hoan Kiem Lake, this Saigonese franchise tries it’s hand with a variety of different western dishes at reasonable prices, especially considering the location. Loaded with booths and a steady, young Vietnamese crowd, the establishment is a great place to squash a sandwich or bowl of pasta and people watch. Oh, and they also do coffee, too.

COFFEE BEAN AND TEA LEAF

INTERNATIONAL COFFEE HOUSE 28 Thanh Nien, Tay Ho Tel: 3715 4240 www.coffeebean.com 7am to 10pm Finally the newest addition to the Hanoi coffee scene has opened a little closer to town than the first outlet in Pico Mall.

Famous for the exceptional quality of the coffee and tea, the latest Coffee Bean is a multilevel, indoor/outdoor café overlooking Westlake. With its LA coffee and office feel, when you walk in you might just forget that you’re in Westlake.

CONG CAPHE

LEFTIST ARTSY CAFE LEFTIST ARTSY CAFE 152D Trieu Viet Vuong, Hai Ba Trung; 32 Dien Bien Phu, Ba Dinh Tel: 6686 0344 8am to 10pm With a kitsch, communist-driven theme saturating this quaint cafe, most patrons are young Vietnamese bohemians and artsy expats. Sip on a blended cup of joe with beans from the Central Highlands, knock back one of the many different types of tea available or sip on freshly squeezed juice from the Spartan cups in one of the hippest cafes on 'cafe street'. If you like pre-doi moi nostalgia, here is the place to go. And if you like more space and an outdoor terrace, hit Cong Caphe take two on Dien Bien Phu.

ESPRESSAMENTE ILLY

ITALIAN COFFEE 75 Cau Go, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3935 2065 8am to 11pm International standard, Italian-style espresso drinks are the name of the game at this undeniably chic chain coffee shop.

Boasting a wide range of drinks, including spirit coffees with tequila, and a small selection of pastries and panini sandwiches, the café’s clientele is a mix of tourists and Vietnamese who are tired of ca phe nau da. It is connected to a tour agency and in the central hub of the Old Quarter.

HAPRO CAFÉ

CAFÉ / RESTAURANT 6th floor, 38-40 Le Thai To, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3826 7984 7.30am to 11pm Take the dilapidated elevator to the 6th

floor and emerge onto a balcony with one of the best views of Hoan Kiem. The big draw to this café is the vantage point — the drinks are a secondary concern, though there is about every coffee and juice concoction known to mankind on the menu and plenty of yoghurt and smoothie options too. Graze on French fries, sandwiches, salads and typical Vietnamese rice plates. Perfect for watching the city wake up or catching a sunset.

HIGHLANDS COFFEE

CONTEMPORARY / COFFEE CHAIN 6 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3938 0444 www.highlandscoffee.com.vn 7am to 11pm As with any chain that attempts selfreplication, there is a tried and tested formula. At Highlands it is comfortable seating, good Wi-Fi, unobtrusive music and a mid-range, generic atmosphere.

It works, too. The Starbucks of Vietnam, a French-influenced, international and pan-Asian food menu sits alongside the teas, coffee and cakes. Has other locations at 49 Hai Ba Trung, The Opera House, The Syrena Centre, Pacific Place and more.

JOMA

COFFEE/BAKERY 22 Ly Quoc Su, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3747 33 88 54 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho. Tel: 3718 6071 www.joma.biz 7am to 9pm With two branches, Joma has brought a little slice of “home” to Hanoi for expatriates with a contemporary western feel to the counter-style service and atmosphere.

The food is all there too: breakfasts, salads, soups, ice cream, muffins, cakes, cereals and bagels. Starting in Laos in 1996, Joma moved to Hanoi in 2010 and is looking to open in Ho Chi Minh City in 2011. Has a play area for kids up in the West Lake café and bakery.

KINH DO

PATISSERIE / SIMPLE CAFE 252 Hang Bong, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3825 0216 7am – 8pm A must-go-to place on a lazy day, Mr Chi’s long-standing patisserie is somewhat famous for its honest, home-cooked food, no frills-but-relaxing environment and sour yoghurt fit for celebrities — Catherine Deneuve ate here daily during her time shooting Indochine. Hot fresh milk, exclusive coffee, awesome croque madames and local dishes, too. Replace WiFi with a book and aircon with ceiling fans; eat in, take away, the pastries are great and the price is always right.

LA PLACE

CONTEMPORARY / VIETNAMESE 6 Au Trieu, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3928 5859 7.30am to 10pm This tall, narrow lounge café with rooftop seating is a quintessential Hanoi spot.

The decoration is bright and casual and the all-day menu has food from both the east and the west. Draw with crayons on brown paper covering the tables as you while away the hours over coffee or cocktails, and take in the view of St. Joseph’s Cathedral. Has some interesting food options including spinach fried rice along with old standbys like tuna salad sandwiches and coconut chicken curry. No MSG is used here.

LOVE CHOCOLATE CAFE

QUIRKY CAFE 26 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho, Tel: 3243 2120 www.lovechocolatecafe.com 10am to 10pm, Closed Sundays Bathed in pink and decorated to mimic a French salon, Love Chocolate Cafe carries decadent chocolate desserts like mocha lava cake, espresso pepper brownies and

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out & about tons of cookies. It doesn’t end there, hot chocolates, shakes and even coffee blends like minty java are on the menu. The sign out front reads, “All you chocoholics, We are open!”. A rare but terrific find in Hanoi.

MOCA CAFE

CAFE / INTERNATIONAL 14-16 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3825 6334 moca@netnam.vn 8am to 10pm Set in a deliciously attractive slightly run down colonial villa, the tourist friendly location gives Moca a large amount of guidebook-driven clientele. But don't let this put you off. The faded but charmingly run down French-styled retro interior, good WiFi and some of the best coffee in town makes this a great spot to while away a couple of hours. The food menu mixes Vietnamese fare with sandwiches, western and pan-Asian mains.

MARILYN CAFE

ROOFTOP CAFE 4 Au Trieu, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3938 1949 www.marilyncoffee.com Considering the amount of flat rooftops in this city, it’s a crime that most go under utilized. However, the top floor of Chim Yen boutique and Marilyn Cafe is home to one of the more pleasant spaces in the Old Quarter. With a great, stone’s-throwview of St Joseph’s cathedral, food and beverages, this spot can turn a temperate afternoon into something a bit more special.

OCHAO TEAHOUSE

TRADITIONAL TEA ROOM 25 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 01887 785977 ochaoteahouse@gmail.com 8am to 10pm A stylish, two-storey traditional but contemporary tea house with great views of West Lake. Specialises in “precious” Vietnamese tea from the northern hills, handpicked by ethnic minority tribes and presented to the public by a passionate French owner. Well worth your time hanging out here on a lazy day.

PANACEA CAFE

MUSIC CAFE 25 Quang Trung, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 0909 061982 panaceacafe@yahoo.com 8am to late Slightly rough around the edges and with an artsy vibe, this is nonetheless a place that welcomes all comers. There’s live music four nights a week (Mon, Wed, Fri and Sat), but it’s not uncommon to find someone strumming away at the piano here at any time of the day. Friendly staff, good coffee, juices and cold beers.

PARIS DELI

CAFÉ / BOULANGERIE 6 Phan Chu Trinh, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3934 5269 7.30am to 11pm Time has been good to this airy, bistro-style café and patisserie opposite the Opera House. One of the original international-style establishments to hit the capital, despite its prime location prices remain reasonable — espresso-style coffees cost around VND40,000 — and the cakes and croissants are moreish.

Also does filled baguettes and a larger café-cum-restaurant menu. Has a second establishment at 13 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem.

SAINT HONORE

CAFE / BOULANGERIE 5 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3933 2355 st.honorehn@gmail.com 7am to 10pm Decked out in maroon, dark browns and cream, this cafe and French-style boulangerie is best visited in the morning

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out & about when that Gallic, fresh-cooked aroma of bread, croissants and patisseries hits you as you walk through the door. Serving all day long, the downstairs space is split into the bakery on one side with a small non-smoking dining space on the other.

The homely upstairs lounge area has standard tables as well as sofa seating.

Simple but tasty French and international fare is served at meal times.

SEGAFREDO

ITALIAN CAFE 36 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3719 1476 www.segafredo.com.vn 7am to 11pm Names of some of the world's greatest cities cover the front wall of Segafredo, an Italian cafe and eatery serving up some of the best espresso-based coffee in town.

Red and white decor, lifestyle black and white coffee drinking images and an open plan space make up the mix. Besides the caffeine-based drinks, also does granita, teas, shakes and modern Italian fare ranging from panini and focaccia through to pizza, pasta, salads and desserts.

STOP CAFÉ

FRENCH DELI 11B Ngo Bao Khanh, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3928 9433 8am to 11pm Situated on Hanoi’s not-so-serene ‘Pub Street’, Stop sponges up the surrounding atmosphere, which gives the French delicatessen a relaxed vibe that avoids pretension. The spot specializes in serving a mixture of western, French and Vietnamese fare, along with coffee, shakes and juice. The venue is more affordable then it’s sister location upstairs, Café de Arts, and is prime real estate to nibble on some quiche and quaff a juice on a sunny day.

THAI CAFÉ

PAVEMENT / VIETNAMESE 27 Trieu Viet Vuong, Hai Ba Trung Walk by this old café and you’ll see why it’s favoured by the locals. Grab a stool on the sidewalk to enjoy the lemon-y tea and sunflower seeds, or a strong drip coffee and people watching.

THE CART

SANDWICH SHOP/CAFÉ 18 Au Trieu, Hoan Kiem (entrance on street behind Au Trieu) 8B, Lane 1, Au Co, Nghi Tam Village, Tay Ho Tel: 3928 7715 www.thecartfood.com 7:30am – 5pm Small a cozy café hidden on the quietest of Hanoian streets, with a new outlet on Nghi Tam, which is more like the big-windowed coffee shops you expect to see in Europe. The Cart serves and delivers tasty baguettes, homemade juices, quiches, pies, muffins and cakes. The delivery service is quick and reliable, which makes this lunchtime favourite ideal for when you need to eat at the desk.

THE COFFEE BEAN AND TEA LEAF

Picomall, 229 Tay Son, Dong Da Tel: 6276 1004 www.coffeebean.com 8.30am to 9.30pm Known for the quality of its coffee and tea, The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf has landed in Hanoi — in the form of an air-con, western-style drinking space in Hanoi’s newest shopping mall. The five first coffee shops in Vietnam started in Ho Chi Minh City, and this the first one in the capital. Hanoians are finally able to taste the beverages already quenching the thirst in 20 countries across the planet.

New stores to open on West Lake soon.

THE DOLL HOUSE

26 Ly Thai To, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3935 2539 8am – 10am This new café, which fills a coffee-shop-

shaped gap in the market for this area, has the feel of half green house, half designconscious doll house, and is a welcome alternative for when your favourite hang out begins to get samey. Focusing on fresh ingredients to suit the fresh design, the Doll House also has a garden terrace, and is open for party bookings and private events. Enter through the shop out front.

THE HANOI BICYCLE COLLECTIVE (THBC)

44, Ngo 31, Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3718 8246 www.thbc.vn 9am to 10pm Tucked down an alleyway just off West Lake, The Hanoi Bicycle Collective is not just a place for all bicycle lovers, but a café that also sells Spanish tapas served up with gin & tonic, if the mood so takes you. Organising bicycle tours, running yoga sessions and holding music concerts in their upstairs cafe area, they also sell, rent and fix bikes and are an official supplier of TREK and SURLY cycling equipment. Eclectic? Not a chance!

THE HANOI SOCIAL CLUB

6 Hoi Vu, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3938 2117 8am to 11pm Situated on one of the quieter Old Quarter streets just off Hang Bong, The Hanoi Social Club is a cozy midsize café/restaurant where you can forget the heat and bustle of Hanoi. The atmosphere is relaxed and you can imagine, for a second, that you’re sitting in a European café. The food is fresh and internationally inspired, and the design is complimented by the work of Tadioto’s Nguyen Qui Duc. To top it off, the coffee here is said to be up there with the best in the country.

RESTAURANTS — FRENCH MID-RANGE CAFE DE PARIS

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FRENCH BISTRO 10 Luong Ngoc Quyen, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3926 1327 www.cafedeparis-hanoi.com 8am to 11pm Thanks to its original tiled floor, cast iron backed chairs and wall-hung black and white photography, there is something decidedly charming about this tiny Parisianstyled bistro and bar. Serving up a simple menu of snacks such as quiche Lorraine, Paris beurre and croque monsieur, there is also a selection of classic but unpretentious French mains. Has a daily specials board and a decent range of pizzas.

MID TO TOP GREEN TANGERINE

48 Hang Be, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3825 1286 www.greentangerinehanoi.com 10am to 11pm daily A leafy, cobblestone courtyard with dark green cast-iron backed chairs greets you as you walk into this French era-built villa that houses the main section of this Indochinastyled restaurant. Serving up an enticing mix of classic and contemporary French cuisine, blended in with Vietnamese ingredients and cooking styles, the resultant fare has had customers coming back again and again. A traditional Vietnamese and kids menu is also available, as is a wine list focusing mainly on French wines.

TOP-END LA BADIANE

10 Nam Ngu, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3942 4509 labadiane.hanoi@yahoo.fr 11.30am to 2pm and 6pm to 10pm. Closed Sunday night.

A white-washed, colonial era villa replete with period wooden shutters greets you

as you enter this contemporary French restaurant. Guests can either dine indoors in aircon comfort or take to the leafy covered terrace out back with its walls lined with art and photography from 21st century Hanoi. The menu here mixes modern Gallic cuisine with a touch of Mediterranean and Vietnam thrown in, all creating an innovative and evocative selection of fare. Has an extensive wine list and an excellent, well-priced three-course lunch menu.

LA VERTICALE

19 Ngo Van So, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3944 6317 www.verticale-hanoi.com 11.30am to 2pm, 6pm to 9.15pm Situated in an art-deco villa that was once owned by a Vietnamese mandarin, this establishment is now owned and run by perhaps the most famous French chef in the country. With modestly priced set lunches and subtle Vietnamese touches on the dishes, which primarily come from carefully selected domestic spices, the up market establishment lures in its high class customers with quality VietnameseFrench fusion cuisine.

LE BEAULIEU

Sofitel Metropole Legend, 15 Ngo Quyen, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3826 6919 6am to 10am, 11.30am to 2.30pm and 6.30pm to 10.30pm Classic French Indochine décor and subtle lighting give the Sofitel Metropole Legend’s signature restaurant an elegance rarely found in Vietnam’s capital. The a la carte menu pits classic French cuisine against contemporary Vietnamese cooking with dishes like Nha Trang lobster with saffron pot au feu, the pan fried veal tenderloin on a lemongrass skewer and the calisson parfait marinated with orange, pomelo and lemon balm. Has an extensive wine list.

LE PAUL CONTI

CASUAL FRENCH FUSION 59A Nam Ngu, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3941 1959 A well-appointed lounge bar downstairs and a more typical bistro on the first floor, this Vietnamese-run French eatery is known for is extensive wine list and excellent, but well-priced fusion lunches.

The work of French-trained sommelier Hai Ha, Le Paul Conti has so far proved quite a hit. A great addition to the capital.

RESTAURANTS — INDIAN MID-RANGE FOODSHOP 45

INTERNATIONAL INDIAN 59 Truc Bach, Ba Dinh. Tel: 3716 2959 foodshop45@yahoo.com 10am to 10.30pm Lakeside location, low bamboo seating and a history that screams empathy make this eatery one of the most popular Indians in town. Selling an international version of the mighty curry — they even sell pork and beef here — the menu keeps to the northern part of the subcontinent with masala, dopiaza, korma and the more Goan vindaloo taking centre stage.

Also has a good range of breads and tandoor-cooked kebabs.

INDIA PALACE & DAKSHIN

78 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho. Tel: 3719 5995 11am to 2pm, 6pm to 10pm India Palace is the fourth member of owner Ravi Kumar’s family of restaurants which includes Tandoor. The menu takes the cuisine of North India and combines it with a South Indian-inspired menu, to create a pan-Indian menu appealing to all. Occupying a large four-storey villa

with unobstructed views of West Lake at the front, the décor here is traditional yet contemporary Indian. The fourth floor with sweeping views over West Lake is given up to Dakshin, a vegetarian restaurant selling mainly South Indian fare.

KHAZANNA

NORTH & SOUTH INDIAN 11 Ly Thai To, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3934 5657 11am to 2.30pm, 6pm to 10pm Recently relocated, Khazaana is one of the two oldest Indian restaurants in Hanoi. The menu encompasses the entire sub-continent, complete with heavier chicken korma and northern curry dishes alongside lighter southern dosas and uttappams. The venue is homey albeit harsh, but with quintessential masala tea, naan and raita to round out the meal, the focus here is on the food and filling your belly… or overfilling, as is more likely the case. All cuisine here is halal.

NAMASTE HANOI

47 Lo Su, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3935 2400 www.namastehanoi.com 11am to 2.30pm, 6pm to 10.30pm The latest newcomer to the Indian restaurants family, Namaste specializes in dishes from both northern and southern India — using Halal meat throughout. A meal will cost you between VND150,000 and VND300,000 and everything is there, from curries and breads to soups and desserts. Available to dine in or out with a free delivery

SPICE

CONTEMPORARY INDIAN RESTAURANT First Floor, 80 Ma May, Hoan Kiem Tel : 3926 0580 Located in the upstairs portion of its sister restaurant, Tamarind, Spice is an impressive extension to the Indian food choices in the city, providing quality non-vegetarian dishes and a comfortable seating area. Includes lounge seating and a colourful dining area with thoughtful artwork and photographs along its walls.

Spice is a tropical, artistic, cultural, and attractive addition to the Old Quarter’s dining options. Specializes in seafood and classic Indian dishes.

TANDOOR

24 Hang Be, Hoan Kiem.

Tel: 3824 5359 tandoor@hn.vnn.vn 11am to 10.30pm A long-popular, Indian-food enclave specialising in Northern Indian cuisine. Has an indoor and upstairs, white tablecloth aircon area with a more casual dining and bar space out front. Does excellent kebabs served from an authentic tandoor oven as well as the full range of mainly North Indian curries. Also has a branch in Saigon and does excellent set lunches.

RESTAURANTS – INTERNATIONAL

BUDGET CAFÉ 129

MEXICAN/COMFORT FOOD 129 Mai Hac De, Hai Ba Trung. Tel: 3821 5342 7.30am to 9.30pm Service at this “slow food café” is seriously snail paced, but that is part of the charm of this modest eatery with only a few tables and small stools. Popular as a weekend hangover mainstay for the greasy eggs with cheese, the café is best known for its not-quite Mexican food. But hey, when there’s guacamole, salsa fresca, beans and cheese, what can go wrong? Be sure to try the fresh juices, like the super-booster with beetroot, and the coffee with whipped egg.

FRY (FRESH. REAL. YUMMY)

OLD TOWN CHIP JOINT 24 Hang Buom, Hoan Kiem A quality food stop with a clean, smart,

modern feel in the heart of Old Quarter that specializes in serving their signature Belgian fries to accompany their tasty, slider-sized burgers. Choose from an array of preparations ranging from beerbattered to garlic-fried with a variety of 12 different dipping sauces. If you’re craving a savoury lunch place, stop by FRY to get your fix.

THE KEBAB HOUSE

STREETSIDE FOOD STOP AND RESTAURANT 12 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem Tel: 6659 8598 Tasty Turkish Vietnamese dining with Nha Tho’s chiming bells accompanying your meal. Its outdoor blackboard menu advertises Kebab possibilities such as lamb, chicken, pork, and even ostrich.

Choose from eating in the street or take a few steps inside, through the bustling kitchen, and into the comfortable upstairs lounge seating area. Scrumptious and affordable food, with Kebab’s starting at VND 30,000.

TRIEU PHUONG HONG KONG

CANTONESE/DIM SUM 317 Kim Ma, Dong Da Tel: 3846 1327 9am to 2pm, 5pm to 9pm One of the most underrated Chinese restaurants in the city, the place itself is not much to look at, but they serve above average dim sum. A variety of other Cantonese style dishes including noodle soup and rice dishes are on offer here, all at very affordable prices.

WESTLAKE CUPCAKE

CUPCAKE SERVICE Tel: 01219 499523 mia@westlakecupcake.net The cupcake obsession has caught on.

A new baking project by Westlake’s infamous Anna and Mia brings custom cupcakes cooked to order to your front door.

Offering a variety of cupcakes and butter cream frostings, check out their speciality flavours like New York cheesecake, brown eyed girl and creative monthly specials.

Are you drooling yet? Although a delivery only outlet, the cupcakes are available for purchase at Daluva and Oasis.

MID-RANGE AL FRESCO’S

AUSTRALIAN / INTERNATIONAL 19A Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3938 1155 98 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho. Tel: 3719 5322 www.alfrescogroup.com 8.30am to 11pm With a real ‘diner’ kind of feel, Al Fresco’s serves up munchies-busting Aussie inspired food from a number of locations across the city including their original restaurant at 23L Hai Ba Trung. Topping the menu are the jumbo ribs at VND395,000, with generous helpings of pizzas, pastas, burgers, Tex-Mex, soups and salads going for less.

The set business lunch is three courses for VND155,000. See the website for delivery numbers and don’t forget to ask for delivery deals. Have an efficient delivery service, but make sure you ask for knives and forks.

CHEZ XUAN

OPEN AIR EATING 41, Ngo 76, An Duong, Tay Ho Tel: 0915 085305 Though it’s a bit far from the centre, the expansive wooded area, chilled out atmosphere and good food makes it worth a visit. The menu is well equipped to satisfy cravings for fish and hearty meat dishes. If you’re in a DIY mood, you can Grill Yourself a plate of meat and seafood or choose from the gourmet selection of strip loin, ostrich or salmon to throw on the tabletop grills. Regularly holds live music events.

HOA SUA TRAINING RESTAURANT – SONG THU

VIETNAMESE / INTERNATIONAL 34 Chau Long, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3942 4448 www.hoasuaschool.com Open from 7am to 10pm This restaurant, which schools and employs disadvantaged youths, has been popular for 11 years — as a grand villa and courtyard setting tucked away in the corner of Ha Hoi. Popular with business types, tourists and expats alike, who enjoy good food while supporting a good cause, mains like cha ca and steaks go for VND99,000 and VND289,000 respectively, and there are six set menus available which take in Vietnamese, French and Italian cuisine.

KITCHEN

INTERNATIONAL CAFE FARE Ngo 40, Nha 7A Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3719 2679 hungskitchen@gmail.com 7am to 9pm Despite a two-storey indoor dining space, Kitchen is all about its leafy, terracottatiled terrace out front, a great space for eating the decent breakfasts (check out the breakfast burrito), the creatively titled sandwiches and the selection of international salads. Also does a range of Mexican dishes (available after 5pm) and an innovative smattering of healthy, smoothiestyle drinks. Has amiable know-your-name staff and a good delivery service.

KOTO ON VAN MIEU

RESTAURANT / CAFÉ / BAR 59 Van Mieu, Dong Da Tel: 3747 0337 www.koto.com.au Monday: 7.00am to 4pm; Tuesday to Sunday: 7am to 9.30pm All profit is invested back into the cause at Koto, which is a school and workplace for disadvantaged students opposite the Temple of Literature. Authentic Asian and European cuisine comes out of a visible and frenetic kitchen and is served over four big floors of restaurant space. It’s cushioned, comfortable and has a rooftop terrace, too. Wrap it yourself nem, bun bo Nam bo, Koto burgers, pastas, fish and chips, chicken Kievs and sandwiches all under one homely roof.

LA RESTAURANT

VIETNAMESE / INTERNATIONAL 25 Ly Quoc Su, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3928 8933 8am to 10pm The complimentary warm bread with rosemary is reason enough to visit this homely spot featuring hearty lentil and black bean soups, along with a range of international and Vietnamese options like New Zealand beef tenderloin or tofu with chilli and mushrooms. We aren’t quite sure why the Miele Guide nominated it as one of Asia’s finest restaurants as service is lackadaisical and tables could use candles to improve the lackluster ambience, but the immaculately tasty dishes more than make up for any quips.

LA SALSA

IBERIAN / MEDITERANEAN 25 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3828 9052 lasalsa@fpt.vn 8am to 11pm A small but eternally popular Spanishthemed café and bar with an extensive list of reliable cuisine. Tapas are available, as well as full courses such as veal, and duck with currant sauce. Known for its good, European-style coffee and fantastic first-floor terrace area with views over the cathedral. Western staff speak English and French.

LE MARRAKECH

MOROCCAN 88 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho Tel: 3710 0389 10am to 11pm. Closed Monday Family-run Moroccan restaurant in a charming terrace-fronted house close to the start of Xuan Dieu. Focus of cuisine is on authentic couscous, tagines and kebab dishes made with a mixture of local and imported ingredients, all cooked up by a Moroccan chef. Uses Halal meat.

LITTLE HANOI

VIETNAMESE / INTERNATIONAL 21 – 23 Hang Gai Street, Hoan Kiem Dist Tel: 3828 5333 littlehanoi@orientalstars.com.vn 7:30am — 11:00pm A tourist hotspot and one for locals, too, Little Hanoi near Hoan Kiem Lake has been going sturdy since 1994 — mainly for its central location, range of sandwiches, pastas and Vietnamese cuisine. Baguettes go from VND95,000 and mango salads VND99,000, not to mention the coffee at around VND50,000, wines and fresh fruit juices. With Indochina-inspired art on the walls and jazz in the background, Little Hanoi is a little escape from the chaos of the central lake.

MATCHBOX

INTERNATIONAL / VIETNAMESE 40 Cao Ba Quat, Ba Dinh Tel: 3734 3098 tmbhanoi@gmail.com 11am to 11pm Located in the grounds of the Fine Arts Museum, this classy restaurant and wine bar mixes attractive décor with western cuisine, all cooked up by a New Zealand-trained Vietnamese chef. Famed for its salads, good cuts of steak, lamb shank and its various pasta fare, the menu here also incorporates a number of well-known Vietnamese dishes.

PROVECHO

TEX-MEX / BURGERS / INTERNATIONAL 18 Hang Be, Hoan Kiem Tel: 0912 223966 provechohanoi@gmail.com The successor of My Burger My, this American-run, self-styled burger bar and restaurant fits a lot into a tiny, multi-storey space. Specializing in tasty, American-style, chargrilled burgers from around VND50,000 with a range of additional toppings including jalapeno peppers, smoked bacon, mushrooms, cheddar cheese and avocado, the creative menu also has a good range of Tex-Mex fare, a number of pan-Asian dishes and a decent delivery service.

SPOON

ASIAN FUSION 15-17 Ngoc Khanh, Ba Dinh Tel: 3823 5636 6.30am to 10pm An extension of Soul furniture and lifestyle store, the restaurant and lounge bar at Spoon serves up a fusion menu in a setting that screams homeliness and style. Asian dishes, seafood and steaks are among the go-to menu choices. Attentive and competent staff top it all off in this chic restolounge.

TAMARIND

CONTEMPORARY VEGETARIAN 80 Ma May, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3926 0580 tamarind_cafe@yahoo.com 5.30am to 10.30pm Perhaps the only restaurant in Hanoi to cater to vegetarians that doesn’t focus on faux meat, Tamarind features a wide range of juices and shakes in a crunchy granola backpacker atmosphere. Breakfast is served all day and with Asian favourites, like vegetarian pho, Ma-Po tofu and Thai glass noodle

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out & about

out & about

salad, along with some falafel and western influences, vegetarians and carnivores alike will find something to try on this menu.

LUALA CAFE

FRENCH FLAIR 2/2c Van Phuc, Ba Dinh. Tel: 3726 4782 www.thebistro.com.vn 7.30am to 9pm A modern eatery offering western cuisine with shades of French influence in a comfortable setting. Think gardens in a courtyard, drink and food deals and a warm indoor atmosphere — you know, just how the French do it.

CONTEMPORARY CAFÉ / RESTAURANT 61 Ly Thai To, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3926 2886 www.luala.vn 8 am to 10 pm If you can't afford the labels at Luala you can still enjoy the cuisine in this small cafe run in conjunction with the high-end fashion concept store, Luala and The Press Club. Offering a large menu specialising in creative but chic cafe fare as well as the prerequisite quality coffee, the outdoor terrace seating offers great views of the downtown area.

THE HOUSE

TOP END

THE BISTRO

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FUSION FARE / WINE 10 Truong Han Sieu. Tel: 6270 2611 hoangcuongfb@gmail.com The House, once Annie’s Corner, is one of the latest restaurants to occupy an old French building in the quiet streets nestled between Ba Trieu and Quang Trung. It serves Vietnamese food but with international twists. The affordable and eclectic menu ranges from local tenderloin steak to lemongrass tuna salads with a decent wine list and an ideal bring-yourown VND100,000 corkage fee per bottle of wine.

MID TO TOP GREEN MANGO

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WESTERN / VIETNAMESE 18 Hang Quat, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3928 9916 www.greenmango.vn 7.30am to 11.30pm Sophisticated restaurant set inside an Old Quarter boutique hotel. Formerly a school, and now also on Cat Ba Island, Green Mango serves Vietnamese and western food, ranging from sandwiches and pasta to lamb chops and VND700,000 Angus rib-eyes. Buy-one-get-one-free deals on cocktails and beers every day from 4pm to 6pm and Lavazza coffee at all hours. With comfy seats and a soft setting, the function room at the back often hosts charity events and semi-formal get-togethers.

JASPA’S

INTERNATIONAL / AUSTRALIAN Hanoi Towers, 49 Hai Ba Trung (4th Floor), Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3934 8325 www.alfrescosgroup.com 6.30am to midnight Recently refurbished, the Australian-influenced Jaspa's is known for its attentive service, tasty food and large portions. A place with something for everyone, it has proved itself to be popular with both the western and Asian expat communities who come back again and again. The comprehensive menu is a fusion of western and Asian cooking. The cocktails come large. The wine is mainly New World. Also has a spacious bar and lounge area that stays open late for all the live sport.

LE PETITE BRUXELLES

BELGIAN / EUROPEAN 1 Au Trieu, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3938 1769 10 Alley 27 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: 3719 5853 www.le-petit-bruxelles.com 10am to 10pm An airy and spacious long-running Belgian-themed eatery with a location by the cathedral and a second out in West Lake. Although this is not the place to wash down your Chimay, Leffe or Duval with moules frites on a daily basis — the mussels are only available seasonally — a number of other traditional Belgian dishes fill the menu including carbonade, jambonneau and boulettes sauce tomate as well as the more Swiss-sounding beef and cheese fondue. Hearty fare in a nice environment.

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AU LAC DO BRAZIL

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6A Cao Ba Quat, Ba Dinh Tel: 3845 5224 www.aulacdobrazil.com 11am to 2pm, 5pm to midnight A nicely themed Brazilian churrascaria steakhouse offering all you can eat grilled meat and seafood on the skewer, Au Lac do Brazil is not for the feint of stomach.

In typical Brazilian rodízio fashion, waiters bring cuts of meat to the table for patrons to pick and choose, all for a set price. They also offer wine pairings, a salad bar and an a la carte menu, with a creative selection of fruit caipirinhas on hand to wash it all down. The prices aren’t for anyone on a budget, but the amount and quality of meat is more than worth cost.

CAFÉ LAUTREC

MEDITERRANEAN / INTERNATIONAL Hotel de l’Opera, 29 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem Tel: 6282 5555 cafelautrec@hoteldelopera.com 6am to 10pm Featuring both à-la-carte and buffet dining as well as an innovative Sunday brunch, this namesake of the French artist Toulouse-Lautrec provides an exotic ambience for diners to enjoy a mixture of international and Mediterranean-style fare. Has an extensive wine list to match the cuisine, which is all served up in a contemporary yet colonial-inspired environment.

DON’S TAY HO

CONTEMPORARY NORTH AMERICAN 16/27 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3719 3719 www.donviet.vn Monday to Friday, 10am to late. Weekends 8am to late A bakery, bistro, restaurant, wine retailer, oyster bar and top floor lounge bar all in one, this lake-facing venue is the work of charismatic Canadian restaurateur and wine connoisseur Donald Berger.

Focusing on comfort food done well, the main restaurant menu includes anything from wood-grilled rare tuna steak with fragrant Chinese black bean beurre noir to gourmet pizza and pasta dishes such as the likes of Iberian pata negra ham egg pasta served with crushed roasted garlic and manchego. Does an excellent range of imported oysters and has an extensive wine list.

EL GAUCHO STEAKHOUSE

99 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3718 6991 www.elgaucho.com.vn 4pm to late This welcomed eatery combines traditional Argentinian recipes and preparation with great service in a contemporary and thoughtfully designed space over three floors. Already with two venues in Saigon — one near the Opera House and the other in Saigon South — the essence of this popular chain is quality top grade meats off the grill. Steak is the mainstay, but everything from chicken, pork and

seafood is also up for grabs. Add to this a backdrop of low Latin music, low, subtle lighting and an extensive wine list and that’s another reason to head to El Gaucho.

HALIA HANOI

SINGAPOREAN / CONTEMPORARY INTERNATIONAL Pacific Place, 83B Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3946 0121, www.halia.com.sg Monday – Saturday 11am to 11pm Closed on Sundays A secluded courtyard in the heart of Pacific Place plays host to one of the capital’s best restaurants. A two-floored venue split into a downstairs tapas and bar area,with a refined dining space located on the level above, the menu includes Singaporean specialities such as the shrimp satay salad and the chilli crab spaghetti. A pan-European classical menu mixed in with light Asian flavours is also on offer, with dishes such as pan-braised Alaskan cod with sea winkle crust and the braised pork belly in shoyu and sweet mirin making an appearance. Has an extensive wine list.

HEMISPHERES STEAK & SEAFOOD GRILL

Sheraton Hotel, K5 Nghi Tam, 11 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: 3719 9000 restaurant.hanoi@sheraton.com www.sheraton.com/hanoi 11.30am to 2.30pm, 6.30pm to 10pm The newest Steak & Seafood dining experience in Hanoi. Hemispheres Steak & Seafood Grill offers a wonderful menu covering both the Northern and Southern hemispheres. Choose from Black Angus, US Prime Sirloin, Rib Eye, Rump and Tenderloin grilled to perfection. Prefer Seafood – no problem, Lobster, Oysters, Prawns, Fresh Fish, Clams and Crabs are all available for your dining pleasure, as well as an impressive array of wines by the glass & bottle from our “Wines of the World” selection.

JACKSON’S STEAKHOUSE

23J Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3938 8388 www.alfrescogroup.com 9.30am to midnight Then newest venture from the team behind Jaspa’s and Pepperoni’s is an all-day eating and drinking lounge fit for all occasions. It has three floors for different vibes – lounge bar, restaurant and “boardroom” – but fine imported steads can be found on each, as well as seafood and a huge wine list. A popular venue.

LA CHEMINÉE

BUFFET & A LA CARTE First Floor, Pullman Hanoi, 40 Cat Linh, Dong Da Tel: 3733 0808 www.pullmanhotels.com 6am to 10pm Serving cuisine inspired by local culinary tradition, La Cheminee also includes international classics revisited with an eye on contemporary trends. Buffet service, a la carte menu, dishes to share with family or friends; everything here is created with the concepts of freedom, flexibility and conviviality.

MAY MAN CHINESE CUISINE

PAN-CHINESE 2nd Level, Fortuna Hotel, 6B Lang Ha, Ba Dinh Tel: 3831 3333 www.fortuna.vn 11am to 2pm, 5.30pm to 10pm Elegant and luxurious, May Man has long been regarded as one of the best Chinese restaurants in Hanoi. Showcasing a selection of authentic Chinese culinary delights and Yum Cha at its finest, with seven private dining rooms this is a place to get

dressed up for. Has extensive a la carte menus, dim sum menus and set menus.

Reservations recommended.

MILLENIUM

PAN-FRENCH / INTERNATIONAL 11B Ngo Bao Khanh, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3828 7207 10.30am to 2.30pm, 6pm to 10pm Clean and fresh with a fine-dining vibe, the Millennium restaurant is the minimal and chic result of a Café Des Arts makeover. The street’s new go-to for a high standard of eating and drinking goes over two floors and has a welcome and inviting three-level outdoor terrace high up amid the concrete and cables of the Old Quarter.

MING PALACE

PAN-CHINESE Sofitel Plaza, 1 Thanh Nien, Ba Dinh Tel: 3823 8888 11am to 2pm, 5.30pm to 10pm A fine dining destination at the Sofitel Plaza serving Cantonese and pan-Chinese cuisine in a sleek modern setting with private dining rooms. With more than 80 dim sum selections available along with Chinese entrees, Ming’s is an ideal eatery for those hungry for higher end Chinese fare.

NINETEEN 11

INTERNATIONAL / ASIAN The Opera House, 1 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3933 4801 www.nineteen11.com.vn 11am to 2pm, 6pm to 10pm Named after the completion date of the Opera House under which it is located, walk inside and a labyrinthine-like, barebrick wall hallway leads you through to the main dining area. With dark browns, deep yellow tablecloths and a refined ambience aided by background classical music, the menu takes in western, pan-Asian and seafood fare and even has its own section dedicated entirely to foie gras. Has a 100-strong old and new world wine list that includes Bordeaux vintages and also boasts a cheaper, outdoor garden space next to Highlands Coffee.

PRESS CLUB

CONTEMPORARY INTERNATIONAL 3rd Floor, 59A Ly Thai To, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3934 0888 www.hanoi-pressclub.com 11.30am to 2pm and 6pm to 10.30pm.

Closed Sunday lunch Wooden flooring, paneling and bold but subtle colours pervade this traditional but contemporary, fine-dining 70-seater venue close to the Opera House. Serving up quality cuisine for over a decade, Press Club boasts a bar area, two private dining rooms, including a wine room, a library and a vast selection of cigars, all in an elegant atmosphere. Does four excellent wine pairing menus, put together through the aid of the Press Club’s extensive new and old world wine list. Also hosts a popular first-Friday-ofthe-month party.

RESTAURANTS — ITALIAN MID-RANGE CIELO

CASUAL ITALIAN DINING 172 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3718 0680 9am to 10.30pm An Italian eatery in West Lake with a large selection of authentic, pan-Italian cuisine, Cielo is a place which goes back to basic, using homemade Bufala mozzarella on their pizzas. The word Cielo means sky,

which is reflected in the fresh airy dining room. And while their takeaway service is prompt, eating in ensures a much better experience. Prices are very reasonable.

DA PAOLO

CLASSIC ITALIAN 18 Lane 50/59/17 Dang Thai Mai, Tay Ho Tel: 8585 1443 11am to 11pm This airy, contemporary looking Italian restaurant next to the famed lawn chair and coconut café on West Lake has all the right ingredients to become a classic.

Run by the long time former manager of Luna D’Autunno, it features scrumptious wood-fired oven pizzas from VND120,000 and other Italian delicacies. Open every day for lunch and dinner, delivery is also available.

LUNO D’AUTUNNO

CLASSIC ITALIAN 78 Tho Nhuom, Hoan Kiem.

Tel: 3823 73338 lunadautunno@gmail.com 11am to 11pm This old-favourite Italian restaurant has been going for 10 years. It uses traditional wood ovens to prepare some of the city’s finest pizzas, which range from VND60,000 to build-your-own-skiesthe-limit. Set inside a large, thoughtful space with over 35 covers and an outside courtyard, seasoned chefs also make fresh pastas, soups and cheeses — the latter often bought by other restaurants.

Monthly photo exhibitions and opera nights make it well worth a visit, as does the large wine list and choice of desserts.

MEDITERRANEO

TOP-END ANGELINA

Nick Ross RESTAURANTS — JAPANESE & KOREAN

BONG-CHU JJIM-DAK

KOREAN CHICKEN B40 Nguyen Thi Dinh, Thanh Xuan Tel: 6680 1423 Visit www.bongchu.co.kr 11am – 10pm In typical Vietnamese fashion, Bong-Chu Jjim Dak restaurant only serves one dish it knows best: chicken. A light kimchi soup is served alongside the steamed bird mixed with cellophane noodles packed in a mildly peppery but sweet combination.

It’s simple — ordering options include half chicken, whole chicken, chicken and a half, or all of the above. Select the answer that best fits your appetite and escape from the ubiquitous boiled chicken on streets.

PAN-ITALIAN 23 Nha To, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3826 6288 leo@mediterraneo-hanoi.com 10am to 11pm This long-running, cozy restaurant near the cathedral serves all the traditional Italian fare you could need — homemade mozzarella and fresh pasta, spinach and ricotta ravioli, cold cut boards, soups, salads and fish. Throw in an extensive wine list, a traditional wood fire oven and a balcony spot looking over Hanoi’s trendy café scene and you’re onto a winner.

GIM BAB

PANE E VINO

KY Y

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PAN-ITALIAN 3 Nguyen Khac Can, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3826 9080 www.panevino.com 8am to 10.30pm Just a stroll away from the Hanoi Opera House and Hoan Kiem Lake in the heart of Hanoi, Pane e Vino serves up authentic Italian food and has done for as long as anyone can remember. Renowned for the highly rated, oven fresh pizzas and large variety of pasta and salad dishes — look forward to fine food done well at this eatery that has the feel of Europe. Huge wine lists, friendly staff and a loveable owner.

ZPIZZA

Floor 1, Syrena Tower, 51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3719 5959 www.zpizza.vn 10.30am to 10.30pm Californian pizza chain in the now open in West Lake. — currently the only place to eat from this American pizza brand in Hanoi. The new pizzeria prides itself on its 100 percent certified organic wheat dough and different dishes found nowhere else, like the strawberry and goat’s cheese salad. Also serves up curry chicken sandwiches and meatball penne pasta.

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CONTEMPORARY ITALIAN Sofitel Metopole Legend Hotel, 15 Ngo Quyen, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3826 6919 11.30am to 2.30pm and 6.30am to late (restaurant) 11am to 2am (bar) There are only two truly top-end, contemporary Italians in Vietnam and Angelina claims pride of place in this elite group. This doesn't mean that prices here are off limits — take a similar eatery in Europe and here you are paying a third, which all makes a meal here a special affair. The carpaccios are to die for, the pastas are all home made, the pizzas are wood-fired and the steaks are chargrilled.

Does a great three-course set lunch for VND520,000++.

KOREAN 50A Ngoc Khanh, Ba Dinh Tel: 3201 2989 One of the longest running Koreans in town, this down-to-earth eatery just off Kim Ma specialises in the Korean nation’s version of sushi rolls. These can be ordered either plain or deep-fried. Other Korean fare includes bibimbab and a range of barbecue dishes. The cuisine is brought to your low tables with floor seating and in typical Korean fashion, all meals are served with free side dishes (banchan) of kim chi, pickles and eggplant.

JAPANESE RICE EATERY 166 Trieu Viet Vuong, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3978 1386 11.30am to 1.30pm, 5pm to 10.30pm, closed Sunday Sushi, soba, sake. Buy a big bottle of sake and the staff will put your name on it and keep it until next time. Dine at the downstairs bar or in one of the private rooms with sliding doors for an authentic Japanese experience. Although Ky Y specialises in rice-style working man’s fare, it’s hard to go wrong with anything on the menu, but the Japanese omelets, tempura and saucy eggplant dishes are perennial crowd pleasers.

IZAKAYA YANCHA

JAPANESE BBQ 121 Trieu Viet Vuong, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3974 8437 11am to 2pm, 5pm to 11pm Just a stone’s throw from Ky Y, this Osakabased chain does the same cuisine, but entirely differently. The small plates on the large menu are best shared among a group and with bottles of beer or sake.

The tofu in amber sauce will leave you licking the plate and the chicken with udon and vegetables is off-the-charts

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out & about delicious. The tidbit barbeque sticks of okra or bacon are also great, but more as a snack than anything else.

SAIGON SAKURA

TRADITIONAL JAPANESE 34 Hang Bai, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3825 7565 10am to 2pm, 5pm to 10pm This Japanese eatery might be easy to walk past without noticing, but venture inside and you will find a small but neat interior. The food ranges from traditional Japanese to dishes that lean towards fusion. Very reasonable prices, compared with other Japanese establishments .

RESTAURANTS — SINGAPOREAN

MID-RANGE THE LION CITY

WINE CONNOISSEUR

BY DONALD BERGER

SPARKLING WITH PERSONALITY The traditional period of celebration, Tet, New Year’s and the Christmas season is the time for bubbly, no matter how bad all our economic woes. Be it champagne, cava, prosecco, sparkling wines made using the methode traditionnelle, sometimes you need to forget your troubles and get in some bubbles. And with family and friends playing such an important role during this period, there is no better time to hear the pop of that cork.

Around since the 18th century, what we know and love in bubbly — the lightness of taste, the heady feeling of happiness and the fineness of the bubbles — was once considered a flaw. It took the work of Dom Perignon, who is credited with discovering what became champagne, to give bubbly credibility. Prior to his development of new winemaking techniques, if your wine came with bubbles in it you’d have given it back.

A monk and cellar master at the Benedictine abbey in Hautvillers, Dom Perignon is also credited with the introduction of corks instead of wood, which were initially fastened to the bottles with hemp string soaked in oil in order to keep the wines fresh and sparkling. He was also

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the first to use thicker glass in order to strengthen the bottles — prior to this bottles were prone to explode. However, it was his work on enhancing the tendency of champagne wines to retain their natural sugar in order to naturally induce secondary fermentation that was to be his biggest legacy. It kick-started the development of sparkling wines in the Champagne region of northeast France during the 19th century. Made from the grape varieties pinot noir, chardonnay and pinot meunier, they continue to lead the way when it comes to all things with bubbles.

These days and under a range of names, sparkling wines are produced in almost every wineproducing country in the world.

Added to the complexity of the wine, there is now a choice of colours — white, red and rose — and a choice of sweetness from no dosage (the driest), Brut, dry, extra dry (a bit sweet) through to sec and demi sec. In Italy and Portugal, even the levels of the bubbles can be moderated, giving drinkers the choice between sparkling or lightly sparkling.

The oddest advancement has come in the UK. Thanks to global warming and a chalky terroir similar to that of Champagne, the British are producing award-

winning Champagne-styled wines in Southern England that can rival the best produced in France. Who would have thought?

CHARACTER So what kind of sparkling suits your personality? Here are some suggestions. Remember, though, drink what suits you, and drink what fits your budget. But make sure you drink bubbles.

Rich and Famous Dom Perignon, Salon, Krug Upwardly Mobile Taittinger, Moet & Chandon, Roederer British and Posh Bollinger Italian and Trendy Prosecco French Already Made It La Grande Dame, Cristal or Taittinger Compte de Champagne Australian Well-Off Jansz Brut or De Bortoli Brut The New Breed Coates & Seely, Nyetimber’s Backpacker Russian or Hungarian ‘Champagne’

SINGAPOREAN RESTAURANT 92 Le Duan, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3941 1208 www.lioncity.com.vn Probably Hanoi’s best Singaporean dining is located steps away from the Hanoi train station, so close that a clear view of the tracks can be seen through a window from your table. As part of the lavish Cosiana Hotel, excellent hospitality comes hand in hand with tasty cuisine. Choose from a variety of typical Lion City dishes and speciality drinks.

RASA SINGAPURA

SINGAPORE PERANAKAN CUISINE 63 Truc Bach, Ba Dinh Tel: 3715 2992 www.rasasingapura-hanoi.com 5pm to midnight By the shores of Truc Bach Lake is the newly opened Singapore Peranakan Restaurant with its authentic, Straits fusion fare emanating from Singapore, Malacca and Penang. Boasting the mouthwatering nasi lemak as its signature dish, all the fare here is home-cooked by the owner / partner who spent five years living and studying in Singapore. This is tasty, homecooked, well-priced fare in a pleasant but tranquil setting. .

TIFFIN

(NS / WIFI / AC) INTERNATIONAL / SINGAPORE Lobby Level, Fortuna Hotel, 6B Lang Ha, Ba Dinh Tel: 3831 3333 www.fortuna.vn 6am to 3am All-day dining in a lively, contemporary restaurant specialising in authentic Singaporean cuisine. Serves buffet breakfasts, with all day a la carte running from 11am to 11pm. Also open for late night dining until the early hours.

RESTAURANTS — SOUTHEAST ASIAN

BUDGET NISA

MALAYSIAN / HALAL 32 Hang Tre, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3926 1859 www.nisa-restaurant.com 10am to 2.30pm, 5pm to 10pm A two-storey fresh looking Malaysian restaurant with affable staff and authentic cuisine. Difficulty in obtaining ingredients means that these days the menu is limited, but a nasi campur buffet-style counter in the downstairs space and photos on the wall of other classic Malaysian fare allows customers to choose what to eat. Think nasi lemak, mee goreng, roti canai, beef rendang and more. It tastes good, too.

MID-RANGE GUSTO THAI

PAN-THAI RESTAURANT & CAFE 9 Phan Chu Trinh, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3933 6353 8am to 10pm Probably the only cafe restaurant in Hanoi that makes a genuine attempt at creating authentic Thai cuisine, mythical figures wearing traditional garb dance along the cream-coloured walls giving this contemporary venue a touch of elegance that goes beyond the food. The dishes come from all the regions of the country formerly known as Siam, with mains weighing in at somewhere around the VND100,000 mark.

THAI ELEPHANT

INTERNATIONAL THAI 73 Bui Thi Xuan, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 8586 7090 11am to 11pm For those with sensitive taste buds, this small restaurant serves up authentic Thai food that is lighter on the spice. Owned by a Bangkok native, the space itself is a small two-level restaurant with traditional Thai décor. At a convenient location near Hoan Kiem and Vincom Towers, Thai Elephant covers all the delicious bases with efficient, fast service and delivery.

RESTAURANTS — VIETNAMESE BUDGET BANH CUON PHU LY

BANH CUON 39 Dao Duy Tu, Hoan Kiem 6am to 3pm Put the warm fish sauce in the small bowl with squeezed lime, chilli and fresh herbs and then dip. This is the Ha Nam version of banh cuon (rolled wet rice paper) with the gio lua (pork cake) substituted for barbecued pork and bacon. The street side, flaking paint wall location may be off putting for some, but the fare tastes great.

BUN BO HUE

BUN BO HUE 36c Mai Hac De, Hai Ba Trung 7am to 4pm This is the second branch of the ninemonth-old restaurant on Food Street. Like the Tong Duy Tan favourite, which is more restaurant than street-side affair, the new location serves up the same staples from further south including bun bo Hue, bun thit nuong and nem lui. Authentic, tasty and cheap

BUN BO NAM BO

BUN BO 67 Hang Dieu, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3923 0701 7am to 11pm Dressed up like an indoor version of a streetside eatery, this megalith of a skinny bun bo restaurant is famed not only for its northern interpretation of a southern dish that you can't buy in the south, but also for its ga tan (stewed marinated chicken). The bun bo itself, a concoction of sauteed beef, peanuts, beansprouts, white noodles and sweet and sour sauce, is one of the better versions available in the city. And the beef is excellent.

BUN CHA DAC KIM

BUN CHA 1 Hang Manh, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3828 5022 10am to 7pm With the help of over 40 years of customer loyalty and repeated mentions in overseas press, Dac Kim has become the powerhouse of eateries serving up bun cha (white rice noodles with barbecued pork

and herbs). The formula is simple. The mini pork patties are perfectly rounded, the bacon is perfectly grilled and then the portions are humongous. If you're feeling ravenous, the servings here will fill that merry gap, but if you want quality over quantity, look elsewhere. Has a second eatery at 67 Duong Thanh, Hoan Kiem.

CHICKEN STREET

BBQ STAPLES Ly Van Phuc, Ba Dinh Perhaps the most well known street food Mecca in all of Hanoi, the lane is flanked with BBQ chicken joints from north to south. At the Nguyen Thai Hoc entrance, the food stalls boast proper chairs, while the venues at the opposite end offer stools and host much larger crowds. No trip to Hanoi or tenure in the capital is complete without a trip to Chicken Street. Honey grilled banh my and potatoes provide vegetarians with savory alternatives.

COM CHAY NANG TAM

VEGAN 79A Tran Hung Dao, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3942 4140 9am to 9pm The set meals for one person or a group of six people make this a popular lunchtime eatery. Signs clearly demarcate the way through the alley on Tran Hung Dao to this casual restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating. Everything on the menu is vegetarian, from standard tofu with tomato sauce to more obscure fake meat dishes.

The walls are moldy but the food is fresh.

COM GA HOI AN

HOI AN CUISINE 1 Cua Dong, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3923 3856 7am to 11pm A four-storey restaurant and café specialising in food from the centre of Vietnam — or, as the name suggests, the ancient town of Hoi An. It serves everything from the famous cao lau noodles and my quang tom, to bun bo nuong and com ga Hoi An. Also sells Thai and Chinese cuisine, cakes and ice cream. A spiral staircase, a second floor terrace and pictures of the ancient town top it all off.

MAI ANH

PHO GA 32 Le Van Huu, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3943 8492 5am to 4pm Ignore the doubters, this infamous eatery serves up some seriously wholesome pho ga (chicken noodle soup) in a hygienic, shared table indoor environment. The secret? The broth, a perfectly rounded chicken stock consomme. Portions are big, too, and diners can order chicken on the bone or off and can even get an extra egg added to the soup for good measure.

PHO CUON STRIP

PHO CUON / PAN-VIETNAMESE 71-77 Truc Bach, Ba Dinh 9am to midnight For a dish purported to be invented by French chef Didier Corlou, it is phenomenal how this wet rice paper filled with beef and herbs affair has so quickly been absorbed into the street food fold.

Dipped into sweet fish sauce with a touch of chilli, it tastes good, too. The biggest proponents of this dish are on Truc Bach — a row of five street-side eateries that also sell standard, quan nhau meat and seafood fare. There is also another strip of joints just round the corner on Ngu Xa.

QUAN 32

PHO GA / PHO BO / PHO XAO 32 Bat Dan, Hoan Kiem 5.30am to 11pm A hearty, slightly salty broth accompanies the pho ga at this well-known, 40-year-old street corner eatery also lauded for its tasty pho xao and pho bo. It's a simple, typically Hanoian streetside affair here with red plastic tables on the street and foot-high stools. The soup comes with an accompanying basket of slightly stale but buttery banh quay.

QUAN 49

PHO GA / BUN BO NAM BO 49 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho 6am to 4pm A stilt-hutted street food eatery and cafe in the shadow of Elite Fitness doing a tasty version of the sweet and sour bun bo Nam Bo (southern-style beef noodles).

Ladle in the chilli and mix up with the beansprouts, fresh herbs, peanuts and sauteed beef, and you have a spiced-up, filling meal. Also does decent pho ga (chicken noodle soup) and pho xao (fried noodles). Has a semi-mezannine cafestyle space out back.

TRUC LAM TROI

VEGAN 39 Le Ngoc Han, Hai Ba Trung, Tel: 6278 1848 7am to 9pm Vegetarians delight in being able to order anything off this more-creativethan-normal traditional Vietnamese Buddhist restaurant situated on a quiet street. Corn juice is the drink of choice here, as everyone around sips the tepid yellow stuff, and the array of fried tofu vegetable dishes makes you reconsider vegan cuisine as “health food.” Order an office lunch plate or dine in during the weekend surrounded by families and walls adorned with traditional Buddhist imagery.

WHITE CLOUD

VEGAN Nha 2, Ngo 12 Dang Thai Mai, Tay Ho Tel: 6258 1622 11am to 2pm, 5pm to 9pm Simplicity is the key at this small but airy, zen-like bamboo-table eatery located behind the Syrena Centre. A rarity in Vietnam — the cuisine here doesn’t only

CUA HANG AN UONG MAU DICH SO 37

CAFÉ / RESTAURANT 37 Nam Tran, Truc Bach, Ba Dinh Mau Dich is a blast from Vietnam’s subsidy era past with diners ordering from a blackboard and paying in vouchers.

Traditional dishes like thit kho tau are written up daily and washed down with cool bia hoi. Hanoi’s most interesting themed restaurant.

DAC SAN HUE

HUE CUISINE 150 Nguyen Khuyen, Dong Da Tel: 6674 7917 6.30am to 10pm A no frills, ten-table restaurant easy to miss at the end of Nguyen Khuyen, just opposite the Temple of Literature. Specialises in dishes from Hue, like banh beo and banh khoai, all at local prices. The staff is friendly and helpful and the bun bo Hue is spot on.

DUONG SOM CHAO CA

FISH PORRIDGE / CHAO CA 213 Hang Bong, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3829 5281 Serves perhaps some of the best chao ca in the city. This rice porridge with fish is garnished with a healthy amount of fresh herbs and, if you choose, strips of banh quay – the Chinese style fried bread.

The fish is boneless, which helps set this place apart from others selling the same dish. One bowl is VND30,000.

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BAR, CAFÉ AND MUSIC VENUE 256 Nghi Tam, Tay Ho www.rockandrolltavern-hanoi.com Come grab a drink at the newly revamped R &R to enjoy a taste of American style brew and their comforting Western dishes. The pub still lives up to its old name, providing an array of drinks, buzzing chatter, and of course, some qual-

FRENCH LOUNGE 95 Giang Van Minh, Ba Dinh, Tel: 0976 751331 www.etehanoi.com 10am to midnight A favourite among those who roam further west of the city centre, this multi-storey restobar has been going strong for more than two years. It has balconies, mezzanine seating and a long bar guarding exactly 50 different cocktails.

For many the Ete burger is right on the mark as are the sandwiches, tartines and salads. It’s always crowded — especially during the weekends. Amiable staff, pleasant vibes.

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LOUNGE CAFÉ 9 Au Co, Tay Ho, Tel: 3710 1566 Nestled along bustling Au Co, seconds away from West Lake, Grain and Grape provides a comfortable, elegant setting to enjoy a glass of wine alongside an appetizing meal. Outdoor seating, dining room, and an upstairs seating area adorned with stacks of wine bottles along the walls only give testament to its extensive, diverse menu.

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INTERNATIONAL The Clubhouse, Ciputra, Tel: 3758 2400 7am to 11pm One of the larger and more comfortable bars in Hanoi, J.A.F.A. is a great place for drinking cocktails by the pool. The beverages are not the cheapest, but this is made up for by service and ambiance.

They also have a full menu featuring familiar western dishes such as pizza and cheeseburgers and cater for large parties or dinner functions. Periodic buffets and drink specials are also offered.

SANDBOX

INTERNATIONAL / WINE AND JAZZ 12 Phan Huy Ich, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3927 5708 5.30pm to midnight Tucked into a quiet street close to Truc Bach, this romantic, Parisian-styled lounge exhibits art from up-and-coming Hanoi artists and is best experienced on the nights with live music. The menu offerings are rich and robust, from chicken curry to spaghetti and roast duck, all created to pair well with wine. Come for dinner and stay for the live jazz and well-curated wine selection.

SOUTHGATE

CONTEMPORARY INTERNATIONAL 28 Tong Duy Tan, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3398 1979 www.southgatehanoi.com Sunday to Wednesday 11.30am to midnight. Thursday to Saturday 11.30am to 2am An American-run casual yet sophisticated

TADIOTO LOUNGE BAR AND CAFE 12 Truong Han Sieu, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 6680 9124 www.tadioto.com 8.30am to Midnight Alternative and nostalgic restaurant bar with a dim lit conversational ambience. This French-style villa is adorned with old-world architectural styles and hints of engaging contemporary artwork along its walls. Enjoy a glass of wine to complement a variety of succulent light dishes in this combination café, bar, and gallery. Includes lounge seating, two bars, an outdoor patio, and two multipurpose rooms for small gatherings.

Tadioto is an exciting, intimate venue for live music, literary readings, and art showcases.

THE BOOMBOX LOUNGE

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OLD SKOOL 1 Nguyen Khac Can, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3939 2888 9am to 11.30pm This ‘Chill Lounge’ is not too far from the Opera House and is ideal for drinks against a bright backdrop. Its large bar serves up test tube shooters and the Party Animal Bucket offers a range of shots. Of course, it’s a café/restaurant, too and be sure to check out the owner’s collection of boom boxes next to the DJ Booth. Live music on Wednesdays and a DJ at the weekend.

RESTAURANTS & BARS

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SKYLINE LOUNGE 19th Floor, Pacific Place, 83B Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3946 1901 therooftop@vnn.vn 8am to midnight If location counts for anything, then here it is spectacular. With a 270-degree view over the whole of the city, the up-on-high theme of the Rooftop is used to its full.

The bar is pretty cool, too, with bare brick, sofa-style seating, glass fronted wine displays and a private room out back for more intimate drinking. Also does day-time office lunches, coffee and decent bar food.

restobar on Food Street with a great outdoor terrace area, a shared indoor bar space, a chef’s table and upstairs seating.

Matched by contemporary décor, the creative food menu focuses on doing comfort food well, while a decent new and old world wine list and innovative cocktails make up the mix. Popular with the media and artsy set.

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BRITISH / INTERNATIONAL 25 Hang Be, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3926 2104 www.lepub.org 7am to midnight Dark red walls and even darker brown seating run through the homely and casual Le Pub, one of the few bars in town with a regular stream of clientele. A long list of imported beer, Tiger draft, a decent international cum Vietnamese food menu, happy hour specials and live sport make

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VIETNAMESE / INTERNATIONAL 42 Duong 9, F361, An Duong, Yen Phu, Tay Ho, Tel: 2260 8968 10am-10pm Imperial-era architecture, a rock garden with trees almost 300 years old, a beautiful lawn area and contemporary Asian-influenced international fare make up the mix at this quite unique top-end restaurant. The cuisine and drinks don’t come cheap, but then establishments such as Softwater are a rarity. Has both an international and a Vietnamese menu and is located by the river in An Duong at the end of Road 9, close to the Sofitel Plaza.

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CONTEMPORARY STREET FOOD 18 Phan Boi Chau, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3942 8162 sales@ngonhanoi.com 7am to 9.30pm Long-time favourite serving up Vietnamese classics in a large French villa and courtyard. Menu is huge, made up of street-food options and higher end dishes from Hanoi, Hue and Ho Chi Minh City.

Quick service makes it ideal for lunch and the array of options makes it perfect for newcomers to Vietnamese cuisine. Order loads and share, of course.

SOFTWATER

CLASSY FUSION 33 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho, Tel: 3718 5831 www.daluva.com 8am until late A popular hang-out for expats and trendy Vietnamese in the Xuan Dieu area on West Lake. This bar and restaurant offers casual dining with a classy twist, as well as wine, tapas, events and attractive décor.

Additional services include catering, BBQ rentals, playroom, kids menu, takeaway and local delivery.

INTERNATIONAL / CAFE 16-18 Tong Duy Tan, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3938 1745 Open 24 hours This spacious spot on food street is open around the clock, offering Aussie-inspired comfort food along with more eclectic Irish nachos, cottage pies and pan-Asian fare.

Upstairs is fit for social gatherings and live music while the no-smoking downstairs space is filled with people working and socialising. Serves as community centre, catering both to ravenous backpackers who’ve just arrived off the night train from Sapa and locals looking to meet up.

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29 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem Tel: 6282 5555 ext. 6414 satine@hoteldelopera.com Situated in the heart of Hotel de l’Opera’s 8 storey central atrium, Satine offers a high class dining experience. Signature Vietnamese dishes from around the country will be presented to guests including some of the country’s best kept culinary secrets passed down by generations.

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ity live rock music. Its upstairs area is equipped with a sound system and stage setup for weekly shows and events while the downstairs area houses a classic bar that gives a finishing touch to the friendly community environment.

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ART DECO / INTERNATIONAL 58A Tran Quoc Toan, Hai Ba Trung 8am to 10pm Located on the corner of Quang Trung, this large new cafe, restaurant and bar is housed in a restored colonial building. The beautiful courtyard is liberally decorated with plants, fans, blowlight jets of water, and shade is provided by tasteful cream parasols. Inside, a non-smoking, airconditioned room is the perfect place to escape the heat. Western and Vietnamese fare is on offer, they have a huge range of wine, beer and coffee and they serve excellent fries too.

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GOURMET VIETNAMESE 4 Ton That Thiep, Hoan Kiem Tel: 1355 9096 10am-2pm, 5pm-10pm Gordon Ramsay once filmed a show at this restaurant in a renovated French villa and now the ribs carry his namesake.

But it’s the twist on old world favourites, think fried snail spring rolls and miniature vegetarian banh xeo, in a casually elegant setting that make this spot near the train tracks standout. Be sure to try the rollyour-own cha ca spring rolls and check the schedule for live traditional music.

57 Bui Thi Xuan Street, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3944 0204, www.potsnpans.vn 11.30am to late Brought to you by a group of former disadvantaged youth from Hanoi’s own KOTO, this unique fine dining restaurant, bar and lounge blends the old with the new. Vietnamese fusion cuisine, like profiteroles with green tea and café fillings, a private chef’s table with a kitchen view, and an extensive wine list combined with modern formal styling bring a unique experience to Hanoi.

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SPANISH 26 Lan Ong, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 8585 2563 9am to 11pm Nestled just off the main Old Quarter drag, this bar and restaurant daubed in the colours of the Spanish flag is the first genuine Iberian tapas bar in town. Sells a range of fare from paella through to tapas, a selection of tortilla and Spanish mains, and also serves lethal but tasty sangria. Spanish tempanillos and reds make up the enigmatic mix.

AU CO

VIETNAMESE / ETHNIC 5 Hang Tre, hoan Kiem, Tel: 3926 4200 575 Kim Ma, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3771 6372 54 Mai Hac De, Hai Ba Trung, Tel: 3796 2647 25 Bat Su, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3926 0639 31 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: 3718 6377 10am to midnight

CONTEMPORARY STREET FOOD 26 A-B Tran Hung Dao, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3933 6133. ngonhanoi@vnn.vn 7am to 10pm Large and always busy restaurant set in two colonial buildings. The courtyard is filled with tables and fairy light covered trees, which are circled by 18 cooking stoves. Here the chefs serve Vietnamese classics from all over the country a la carte style. Good for street side classics done well in the comfort of an airy restaurant.

Of the 14 dining spaces, one room holds 30 guests. Open for breakfast lunch and dinner.

IMPERIAL / CONTEMPORARY 63 Pham Hong Thai, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3927 5920 11am to 2pm, 6pm to 10pm After shutting the doors at its former location, Com Viet is nestled in the tranquil neighbourhood near Truc Bach Lake.

The ‘imperial’ staple, with its pristine décor and antiques, traditional bites and regal atmosphere, specialises in serving up traditional treats with contemporary fusion — think cheese wrapped in beef with a side of pickled cucumbers and a glass of red. Go on the right night and catch live traditional music in the courtyard and feel like a king.

CONTEMPORARY VIETNAMESE 55A Nguyen Du, Tel: 3943 9342 www.wildlotus.com.vn 10.30am to 10.30pm One of the city’s most popular Vietnamese restaurants is a delight from the entrance inwards. Walk over water features and 100 roses and up the spiral staircase into subdued lighting, warm colours and a menu that mixes subtle, well-executed Asian flavours. Not for those who love the sharpness of some street foods, but definitely for those who have guests in town or business clients to schmooze.

Quite an experience.

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LOUNGE CAFE 15A Au Co, Tay Ho Tel: 0913 221971 Step downstairs through Choi’s imposing wooden doors, and into their cellar-like lair. Intricate jazz tunes float through the spacious interior, adorned with artwork that pays tribute to greats like D. Ellington and Bo Diddley. Enjoy a smart, cozy setting with selections of wines, soups, salads and other Vietnamese comfort foods to enjoy.

STEAK / CHINESE NOODLES 52 Le Ngoc Han, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3978 2251 7am to 10.30pm Located on the corner of Hoa Ma, this steak served sizzling-on-the-griddle eatery packs no punches when it comes to getting your beef. Get the standard banh my affair and the imported US steak is doled up with meatballs, fried egg, chips and lots of fat. It's a cholesterol mess of a meal but really tasty. Also does bun bo Hue, Phuc Kien noodles and the Khmer Chinese hu tieu Nam Vang. Has restaurants at 349 Doi Can and 71 Tran Duy Hung.

PAN-VIETNAMESE 17 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3972 8001 clubopera@orientalstars.com.vn 10am to 2pm, 6pm to 10.30pm Indochine elegance mixes with top-end culinary flair to create one of the best Vietnamese restaurants in town. Fine dining it isn't — this country's cuisine doesn't really lend itself to that type of cooking. But quality ingredients and a twist of creativity makes the fare here well worth the higher price tag — think creative spring rolls and lobster cooked up with a passion-fruit sauce. This is just the start. Also has a great downstairs lounge bar.

23J Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3938 8388 www.Jackson_steakhouse.com 9.30am to midnight This new addition to the city from the Alfresco’s Group is definitely the meatiest yet. In the shape of a four floor, chic restobar — which has a bar lounge on the ground, a restaurant vibe on the second and third, and a “boardroom” on the fourth — Jacksons Steakhouse serves of well presented plates of imported Oz and New Zealand steaks as well as seafood.

Of course, the large restaurant wouldn’t be complete without a large wine list to match.

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up the comfortable mix. The venue also gets involved in the local community through regular events. Has a second Le Pub at Third Floor, 9 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho.

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TRADITIONAL VIETNAMESE 65 Ngo Hue, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3976 0633 www.chimsao.com 10am to 2pm, 5pm to 11pm Situated in a turn-of-the-century French townhouse in a tucked away alley, the ‘whistling bird’ continues to offer some of the best ‘traditional’ Vietnamese food in the capital. Sit on the floor upstairs or enjoy seating downstairs, regardless this eatery serves up simple Vietnamese staples that are well executed and presented in a setting that makes one feel like a regal Hanoian.

VIETNAMESE / WESTERN 38 Hang Hom Tel: 3928 7241 An unassuming establishment that rarely fills up, which means that customers often benefit from better service and the servers utmost attention. What the restaurant lacks in atmosphere, it makes up for with a large menu that is chalked full of reasonably priced Vietnamese fare and some western staples.

VIETNAMESE SEAFOOD 55 Cua Dong, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 6270 0787 10am to 10pm There are two of these restaurants in Vietnam and the other is in Phu Quoc, the location of probably the best seafood in the country. Every type of ocean-breathing animal is available here in addition to an array of tofu and vegetables. From crab to Russian sturgeon and grouper, most of this seafood harks from down south or Halong Bay. The restaurant is set up so that every day is a banquet and you can pick your poisons from the tank.

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INDOCHINE / VIETNAMESE 13 Tran Hung Dao, Tel: 3933 3533 Set in converted colonial villas and frequented primarily by travellers that unload in front of the establishment on massive tour buses, this venue is imbued with the nostalgia of Indochine, replete with chess boards, stylish fans and waitresses outfitted in ao dais. Boasts a large menu filled with Vietnamese favourites and much more.

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CHA CA 14 Cha Ca, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3825 3929 11am to 2pm, 5pm to 9pm A funky wooden-floored two storey, one-dish-only eatery on a street devoted to one of Hanoi's best known dishes, cha ca. Claiming to be the oldest restaurant in Vietnam (established 1873) the deal is straightforward. The butter-coated, premarinated fish is sauteed with dill and spring onions on the table and served up with sides of peanuts, bun noodles and fresh herbs. It's not street food prices cheap by any means, but it's darned tasty. Popular with tourists and locals.

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out & about Always busy, often hectic, this multifloored restaurant is for diners who don’t mind loud noises and sitting on the floor.

It’s best for groups so you can order an array of dishes ranging from the more exotic frog legs, buffalo and ostrich, to the trusted standbys; catfish spring rolls, papaya salad and fried tofu. But it’s the exclusive Highway 4 flavoured rice wines that can be taken as shots or mixed into cocktails that keep this place crowded.

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focus on faux meat imitation — the menu mixes canh (broth) with a range of light dishes, Vietnamese-style salads and a selection of tofu and gluten-inspired mains. Worth a try for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike.

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The Cart

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L’s Place

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St. Honore; Vine

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Oasis; Red Apron

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Segafredo; Tracy’s; Kitchen

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Vine Cellar Door

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Mandarin; India Palace

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Yuki’s

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Al Fresco’s; Tay Tap

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Kitchen Art

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House of Son Tinh

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Santal Spa; Bamboo Village

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Don’s Tay Ho

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City Zoo; Better Day

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Da Paolo; Coconut Cafes

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Collective Concepts

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La Salsa

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Binh’s Salon

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White Cloud

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L’Atelier

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Cielo

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Pure Heaven

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Bobby Chinn

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International SOS

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Le Marrakech

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Ham Long Mini Market

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Daluva

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Module 17

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Joma

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George’s Fashion

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Hanoi Rock City

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Veggie’s

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Love Chocolate Cafe

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Zenith Yoga

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El Gaucho

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LEISURE & ARTS LISTINGS

AMUSEMENT 095 ANTIQUES 095 BOOKS SHOPS 095 CINEMAS 095 CLUBS & SOCIETIES 095 COOKING CLASSES 095 CYCLING 095 DANCING 095 FITNESS 095 FOOTBALL, SOCCER & RUGBY 096 GALLERIES 096 GOLF COURSES 097 MASSAGE 097

AMUSEMENT

visit wordhanoi.com for a comprehensive list of our listings

HAIDRESSERS & SALONS 097 KIDS 097 LEISURE GENERAL 097 NAILS 097 PERFORMING ARTS 097 SPAS 099 SPORTS CLASSES 099 TENNIS 099 VIETNAMESE CLASSES 099 ARTS CLASSES 099 COLUMNS CINEMA BUFF 096 BOOK BUFF 098 French and English books and even some literature.

XUNHASABA

COSMOS

168 Ngoc Khanh, Dong Da This bowling alley may be small, but if you’re hankering for a night at the lanes, this one has instant replay cameras that will show your strike again in slow motion.

32 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3825 4068 Often referred to just as ‘The Foreign Language Bookstore’, you’ll find a decent selection of both books and magazines.

Their biggest section is composed of ESL materials, but you will also find fiction.

HANOI STAR BOWL

2B Pham Ngoc Trach, Dong Da Tel: 3574 1614 Plenty of lanes, and the zany colours add to the festive feel. A game will cost VND27,000, plus a little extra for the shoe rental. All in all it makes for a night of good fun.

QUAN TOM

89 Bui Thi Xuan Tel: 3294 47844 The staff at this karaoke bar is quite friendly. Large, comfortable rooms, and – their claim to fame – a vast English language track list, makes for a good night.

ANTIQUES 54 TRADITIONS GALLERY

30 Hang Bun, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3715 0194 www.54traditions.com.vn The only gallery in Vietnam focusing on the antiques, artifacts and art of Vietnam’s 53 minority groups and the Kinh majority people. Has over 1,000 items on display and objects in the collection have been exhibited in museums both in Hanoi and abroad.

BOOK SHOPS BOOKWORM

44 Chau Long, Ba Dinh Tel: 3715 3711 Bookworm has been the cornerstone of Hanoi’s literary scene since 2001. It has been around the block quite a bit and now shares a space with Hanoi Cooking Centre. With over 15,000 new and secondhand fiction and nonfiction titles in stock, the shop also buys used books and offers free travel advice.

HIEU SACH THANG LONG

55 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3825 7043 A large bookstore with mostly Vietnamese material, but there is also a selection of

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CINEMAS

individuals can stay in touch and continue to affect the political winds that are blowing Stateside. Hosts regular events for every major election cycle.

AMERICAN CLUB

21 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3824 1850 www.americanclubhanoi.com A bit worn around the edges, but the facilities are still useful and the grounds pleasant. They host frequent events that are open to the public. Wide lawn, volleyball and basketball courts may make the place worth a visit.

HANOI CLUB

76 Yen Phu, Tay Ho Tel: 3823 8115 The exclusive social and fitness club is located on the banks of West Lake. Golfers hit balls into the lake from the driving range and swimmers enjoy a lovely view from the pool. The gym is small and classes are not included as part of the steep yearly membership fees.

L’ESPACE

24 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem www.ambafrance-vn.org The cultural arm of the French Embassy is very active in the cultural life of the city.

They both organise and host many functions – music, performing arts, film. Large French language library as well as classes and workshops.

COOKING CLASSES HANOI COOKING CENTRE

22A Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3936 2648 Not a movie theater per se, but a private film club that charges a membership fee in return for entrance to a wide selection of movies, new and old. The management has an eclectic taste and shows films from all over the world.

44 Chau Long, Ba Dinh Tel: 3715 0088. www.hanoicookingcentre.com Hanoi Cooking Centre is a school, retail outlet and café, where you can find classes on not just Vietnamese cooking, but international cuisine, held in a beautiful setting. They also offer culinary tours.

MEGASTAR

HIDDEN HANOI

CINEMATHEQUE

Vincom Towers, 191 Ba Trieu, 6th floor, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3974 3333 www.megastarmedia.net Inside Vincom towers, this big, westernstyle multiplex shows some of the latest English language and Asian foreign films.

The experience includes fairly wellstocked concession stands, comfortable seats, air conditioning and a booming sound system.

MEGASTAR PICO MALL 299 Tay Son, Dong Da The second Megastar outlet in the city in the newly renovated Pico Mall. Generally less crowed than the theatre at Vincom Towers, but the same concept. For real Hollywood and American fast food fans, has a Pizza Hut and Swensen’s within the same cinema complex.

NATIONAL CINEMA CENTRE 87 Lang Ha, Dong Da Tel: 3514 2278 Cineplex with several smaller theaters and an arcade. Movies are quite cheap, especially matinees. Be sure to ask if the movie is subtitled in Vietnamese or dubbed.

CLUBS & SOCIETIES DEMOCRATS ABROAD – VIETNAM www.democratsabroad.org Affiliated with the American Democratic Party, like-minded and politically active

137 Nghi Tam, Tay Ho Tel: 0912 254045 www.hiddenhanoi.com.vn A wide range of Vietnamese culinary classes are offered in these well-appointed and clean facilities. The knowledgeable staff will guide you through the secrets of Vietnamese cooking in an open air courtyard.

HIGHWAY4 COOKING CLASS

31 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3715 0577 The well-known restaurant also offers one-off cooking courses in the kitchens at their Truc Bach location. Don’t worry if you forget some of the tricks, as the class includes a recipe booklet.

KITCHEN ART STORE AND STUDIO

Lane 38/27 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho. Tel: 6680 2770 www.kitchenart.vn Well stocked and modern cooking store offering cooking classes with one of Vietnam's popular food personalities.

Kitchen Art Basic Baking Classes also open to non-Vietnamese speaking students.

The friendly staff ensures that everyone is able to follow the instructor.

KOTO

Lane 52/28, House 9, To Ngoc Van Tel: 3747 0377 www.koto.com.vn This charitable organisation, which helps street kids gain the skills to succeed in the hospitality industry, also offers

book

cooking classes to the public on Tuesdays at their training centre. Learn how to make some of the items on their menu at home. Pick up is also available at their Van Mieu location.

buff

leisure & arts

BOOKS OF THE MONTH

CYCLING THE HANOI BICYCLE COLLECTIVE (THBC)

44, Ngo 31, Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3718 8246 www.thbc.vn Tucked down an alleyway just off West Lake, The Hanoi Bicycle Collective is a place for all bicycle lovers! An official supplier of TREK and SURLY cycling equipment, the joint not only sells but also rents and fixes bicycles. To add to the eclectic, community spirit they also organise bicycle tours, run yoga sessions, hold music concerts in their upstairs cafe area and run a great menu of Spanish tapas served up, if you so wish, with gin & tonic. Quite a mix!

DANCING ASPARA DANCE STUDIO

Level 3, 141 Nghi Tam, Tay Ho Tel: 3718 6869 Gate 3, Hanoi Academy, Ciputra Tel: 3743 0455 www.apsarastudio.com.vn Cosy, friendly and well equipped dance studios offering dance and fitness classes for adults and children. Classes include ballet, folk dance, jazz, hip-hop, contemporary, belly dance, salsa, zumba and yoga for family. Instructors are qualified and certified from Vietnam Dance College or overseas.

FITNESS ELITE FITNESS

51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3718 6281 www.elitefitness.com.vn The luxury gym features top-of-the-line fitness equipment, separate cardio and spinning areas and an indoor swimming pool with a retractable roof. The spacious studios and natural light make it a welcoming place to squeeze in a work out, but be prepared to pay. This place is top of the range.

FOUR SEASONS SWIMMING POOL

14 Dang Tien Dong, Dong Da. Tel: 3537 6250 This beautiful hotel has a swimming pool for VND40,000 per day, and another VND10,000 for a locker to keep your pantaloons. It might be a good idea to go during the off hours, as it’s a well used pool. But if laps are what you want, the pool is large and, at times, quiet.

HANOI BOOTCAMP BEEACTIVE

To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho beeactivetoday@gmail.com The successor to the weekly bootcamp famously run by fitness professional Helen Kindness, BeeActive continues the community spirit by bringing together both the fit and unfit to work out on the streets. To take part, drop them an email.

Sessions are all held around the To Ngoc Van area, unless stated otherwise.

NSHAPE FITNESS

71 Nguyen Chi Thanh, Dong Da Tel: 6266 0495 www.nshapefitness.vn This gym with American Life Fitness

From an obsession with writing about French women through to disciplining children, this month Bookworm’s Truong looks at some of the books available in Hanoi With all the hyped up non-fiction books about French women on the shelves I guess that a lot of Gallic females must be either feeling very inadequate, nodding their heads in amazed agreement, or rolling around laughing their heads off.

An impressive cottage industry has sprung up writing and marketing self-help books about Les Femmes that have struck a huge chord among women in English speaking countries who appear to have an envy complex about their French counterparts.

Hanoi, with its large expat population of French and the less alluring others, would be a great place to test the hypotheses and espoused truths arising in books with provocative titles such as French Women Don’t Sleep Alone, What French Women Know About Love, Sex, and Other Matters of the Heart and Mind, French Women Don’t Get Fat plus the inevitable cookbook that followed it — French Women For All Seasons: A Year of Secrets, Fatale: How French Women Do It, All You Need To Be Impossibly French and now, the latest: Bringing Up Bebe — One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting.

THE FRENCH ARE THE BEST Of all the ones I’ve skimmed through, one that fascinates is Fatale: How French Women Do It and this re-phrasing from a PR piece

says it all. “[The book] peeks at the mysterious ways French women manage to appear sexy, smart and recklessly chic… [It] shows how the modern woman can flirt, charm and send off waves of sensuality like coquettes and courtesans.”

Perhaps the most intriguing sections deal with historical and recent women who knew how to go about being totally alluring.

The most contentious with reviewers amongst these books has been Bringing Up Bebe by an American mother, Pamela Druckerman, who seems to suggest that French children are better than most of their western counterparts because of stricter parenting regimes. Whether she is suggesting that child rearing in the west return to modes prevalent in the 1950s is debatable, but she is certainly arguing strongly against permissive parenting that often makes life a trifle hellish for the parents and people who come into contact with their preciously precocious offspring.

After the success of the super strict book Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua, with Bebe it could appear that a lot of western English-speaking parents are becoming intent on getting their kids to eat their vegetables, be polite to their elders and be amenable to their parents when they are told to get their noses out of computer games and get on with their studies.

Perhaps, most of all, the author is suggesting that mothers need to have lives apart from their children’s non-necessary needs and desires, and be able to escape the guilt that comes from perceived neglect.

All making this work a contentious book club discussion for those with kids and those who have to be around them a lot.

POLITICALLY INCORRECT Which brings me to that very contentious Australian book The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas who writes a very good novel that has at its core the repercussions that ricochet around eight people when a man slaps a child that is not his own at a family and friends’ barbeque.

The novel is told from the points of view of the attendees and encompasses the passions and conflicting beliefs that are in all modern, middle class families. It is a riveting read about love, sex, loyalty and disloyalty, marriage, and above all, our modern attitudes towards parenting.

Sensibly it does not confine itself to the parameters of a single social or ethnic group. It shows us how homogenised and politically correct our child rearing attitudes may have become in a globalised world, especially as we become wealthier and are able to indulge our offspring more and for longer.

And last of all a digression from children and modern parenting to

a trilogy of books that allow child readers to realise that sometimes it’s best to have dreams of living a life where parents can be disciplined and where modern, adult perceptions of political correctness can be turned on their head, and where even schooling is made fun of. Of course to be able as a child to realise that dream of individualism — freedom and adventure which is bound by a sense of humanity, responsibility and honesty — he or she needs to have the strength of mind and body of Astrid Lindgren’s Pippi Longstocking.

Of course, at the back of all Pippi’s bravado is a longing for home, family and security which all non-abused child readers will realise and respect, but it won’t keep them from wishing for a friend as charismatic, courageous and funny as Ms Longstocking.

Last year the young girl was accused of racism and even antifeminism, which I think is a lot of hooey!

For more information on Bookworm go to www. bookwormhanoi.com. Besides their original store in Chau Long in the Truc Bach area, Bookworm have a second, smaller shop in Nghi Tam Village in the West Lake area.

Located behind the Sheraton and in the same alley as VilaTom Coffee, it can be found at Lane 1/28 Au Co, Lang Nghi Tam, Tay Ho.

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leisure & arts

cinema buff

Hoa Le takes a look at what’s on in the cinemas this month THE IMPOSSIBLE

PARENTAL GUIDANCE

Director: Juan Antonio Bayona Stars: Naomi Watts, Ewan McGregor and Tom Holland Genre: Action, Drama, Thriller Maria, Henry and their three sons begin their

Director: Andy Fickman Stars: Billy Crystal, Bette Midler and Marisa Tomei Genre: Comedy

cardio and weight machines, provides a clean, uncrowded environment and expertly staffed facilities with a selection of fitness classes for its members. Classes include boxing, yoga and groupX with both Vietnamese and foreign fitness trainers on hand to give exercisers advice. Membership starts from VND1.5 million per month with no joining fee.

STAR FITNESS

4th Floor, The Garden, Me Tri, Tu Liem Tel: 3787 5353 This lifestyle, top-end gym in My Dinh offers massage rooms, steam rooms, saunas, Jacuzzis, cold plunge baths, gym areas, exercise studios, locker rooms, and a swimming pool. It is a great option for residents living on the outskirts of the city.

SUNWAY HEALTH CLUB

19 Pham Dinh Ho, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3971 3888 Very good equipment in this small gym, housed in a little hotel. None of the extra frills that you might expect at a larger place, but all the machines are running and well maintained. Monthly price of membership for non-guests is about VND1.4 million.

THE LITTLE GYM OF HANOI winter vacation in Thailand, looking forward to a few days in tropical paradise. But on the morning of Dec. 26, as the family relaxes around the pool after their Christmas festivities the night before, a terrifying roar rises up from the centre of the earth. As Maria freezes in fear, a huge wall of black water races across the hotel grounds towards her.

Hits screens on Jan. 4 at MegaStar cinema complexes in Vincom Tower (191 Ba Trieu, Hai Ba Trung) and in Pico Mall (229 Tay Son, Dong Da)

Old school grandfather Artie (Billy Crystal), who is accustomed to calling the shots, meets his match when he and his eager-to-please wife Diane (Bette Midler) agree to babysit their three grandkids when their type-A helicopter parents (Marisa Tomei, Tom Everett Scott) go away for work. But when 21st century problems collide with Artie and Diane's old school methods of tough rules, lots of love and old-fashioned games, it's learning to bend — and not holding your ground — that binds a family together.

Watch it at MegaStar from Jan 18

LES MISÉRABLES

THE KID WITH A BIKE (2000)

Director: Tom Hooper Stars: Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe and Anne Hathaway Genre: Drama, Musical, Romance

Le gamin au vélo Director: Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne Stars: Thomas Doret, Cécile De France and Jérémie Renier Genre: Drama

Prisoner 24601, known as Jean Valjean, is released from prison and breaks parole to create a new life for himself while evading the grip of the persistent Inspector Javert. Set in post-revolutionary France, the story reaches resolution against the background of the June Rebellion.

Shows from Jan. 11 at MegaStar cinema complexes

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Abandoned by his father, a young boy is left in a state-run youth farm. In a random act of kindness, the town hairdresser agrees to foster him on weekends.

This movie will be shown in French with Vietnamese subtitles at the French Cultural Centre (L’espace) at 8pm on Jan. 18

4th floor, 402 Vincom Centre, Long Bien Tel: 0935 158 555 www.thelittlegym.com.vn A place that aims to show kids the meaning of serious fun. At The Little Gym, a positive environment and bilingual classes create opportunities for children to try things and build selfconfidence, all with a proud grin. Kids from four months through to 12 years are welcome to develop motor skills and more — this is a great way to give your child a brain boost, work on their social skills and get them moving. Besides a range of gymnastics classes, they also host awesome birthday bashes, organise kids camps and arrange parent survival nights.

VIETCLIMB

forms and attitudes alone tell you they’re no Bad News Bears. If you want to let your skills shine get in contact with Ricky at 0903 413339.

HANOI YOUTH FOOTBALL LEAGUE

www.hanoiyouthfootball.com/english/home/ The biggest youth football league in the capital. Youths aged 8 to 16 years old come together to play regular tournaments.

VIET CELTS

www.vietcelts.com The first and only Gaelic Football league in Hanoi has recently added a women’s team. The teams play in the Southeast Asia Gaelic League as well as in tournaments all over the region.

Bring a sporting spirit as a spectator or a player.

Call Gareth for more information: 0904 228629.

VIETNAM SWANS

www.vietnamswans.com In true Aussie style, the Vietnam Swans footballers hold not only weekly matches and training sessions, but social and drinking affairs as well. Concerned just as much with fun as with winning, this club is welcoming to anyone. who is willing GALLERIES to have a good time.

APRICOT GALLERY

40B Hang Bong, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3828 8965 www.apricot-artvietnam.com This centrally located space houses art by some of Vietnam’s best-known contemporary artists, such as Hoang Hai

SWIMMING POOLS ARMY HOTEL 33C Pham Ngu Lao, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3825 2896 FOUR SEASONS 14 Dang Tien Dong, Dong Da Tel: 3537 6250

So 40 Ngo 76 An Duong, Tay Ho Tel: 5321 9235 www.vietclimb.vn Although a little hard to find, VietClimb is a French-owned, 200-meter climbing gym with state-of-the-art courses. There are 100 different climbing routes within the gym that are changed every few months.

They offer clinics, classes and children’s events. Membership and group rates are available, but be sure to check out the three-month pass.

HANOI CLUB 76 Yen Phu, Tay Ho Tel: 3823 8115 www.hanoi-club.com

VINCHARM SPA AND GYM

OLYMPIA 4 Tran Hung Dao, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3933 1049

6th & 7th floor Vincom Centre, 191 Ba Trieu, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3974 8686 www.vincharmspa.com Far more Zen then your average gym, work out to toned-down music while toning up on state of the art equipment, and have a post workout drink at the juice bar. There is even a separate swimming pool for tots, and a full service spa.

Top-end equipment and services come with top-end monthly fees — not for the feint-hearted.

FOOTBALL, SOCCER & RUGBY HANOI CAPITALS FOOTBALL CLUB

www.hanoi-capitals.blogspot.com Hanoi Capitals don’t play. This football club is serious about their sport. The uni-

HORISON FITNESS CENTER 40 Cat Linh, Ba Dinh Tel: 3733 0808 MELIA HOTEL 44B Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3934 3343

SAO MAI 10 Dang Thai Mai, Tay Ho Tel: 3718 3161 SOFITEL PLAZA FITNESS CENTER 1 Thanh Nien, Tay Ho Tel: 3823 8888 THAN NHAN Vo Thi Sau, Hai Ba Trung, (Inside the park) THANG LOI HOTEL 200 Yen Phu, Tay Ho

Anh and Dinh Quan, as well as up and coming artists.

ART VIETNAM Ngo 66 So Nha 2, Pho Yen Lac, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3862 3184 www.artvietnamgallery.com Now operating from the private residence of owner Suzanne Lecht, Art Vietnam is one of Hanoi's most respected galleries, featuring contemporary art in all its forms: painting, lacquer, photography and video, from both upand-coming and established artists. To see the full list of artworks available, go to the website. Gallery viewing is by appointment only

HANOI ART CONTEMPORARY GALLERY 36-38 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3934 7192 www.hanoi-artgallery.com This art space is home to a large collection of your standard tourist fare along with a smatter of more unique pieces.

MAI GALLERY 113 Hang Bong, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3938 0568 www.maigallery-vietnam.com Several floors of paintings, regularly changed, by some of the best known contemporary artists in the country, some of whom they’ve helped in gaining international recognition. Mai specialises is finding the perfect décor for both homes and offices.

MAISON DES ARTS 31 Van Mieu, Dong Da Tel: 3747 8096 www.maisondesartshanoi.com A gallery near the Temple of Literature with several floors bills itself not only as an art gallery, but a multi-purpose social and cultural space. Frequent exhibitions feature both Vietnamese and international artists. Mlle. Nga, who runs the space, also involves herself in several other cultural projects around Hanoi.

RED RIVER GALLERY 7 Hang Khay, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3934 9071 www.redriverartvietnam.com This small gallery has focused on building a collection of traditional Hanoi images with a modern twist since it opened in 1990. The gallery actively seeks out talented young contemporary artists.

SUFFUSIVE GALLERY 35A Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem www.suffusiveart.com Don’t be fooled by the signs hawking café sua da. Hidden within the coffee shop interior is a small gallery showing some of Vietnam’s newest talent.

VIET FINE ARTS GALLERY 96 Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3928 6667 www.vietfinearts.com If you’re looking for a well-known name, and a high price tag to match, Viet Fine Arts sells work by some of Hanoi’s more famous artists.

GOLF COURSES HANOI CLUB DRIVING RANGE 76 Yen Phu, Tay Ho Tel: 3623 8115 A fitness club that also boasts a two-level

driving range where the balls are hit into the water. No net means you can gauge your driving. The price for a bucket of golf balls depends on whether or not you’re a member.

TAM DAO GOLF AND RESORT www.tamdaogolf.com Relatively new golf club near the base of the mountains at Tam Dao. It is about two hours from the city, but does provide an 18-hole course with a clubhouse and a spectacular view, surrounded by green hills.

HAIRDRESSERS & SALONS BINH’S SALON 3 Lane 31/10 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3719 2656 A salon and spa offering a variety of cosmetic services, and specialising in western cuts and colour.

DINH HAIR SALON 2A Cua Bac, Ba Dinh Tel: 09877 18899 A small but popular hair salon that serves both expats and locals. The many repeat customers go back because of Dinh’s willingness to both follow instructions, or to be creative when asked. Services include scalp massage, shampooing, colouring and styling.

FRANGIPANI SPA 405 Kim Ma, Ba Dinh Tel: 6329 2915 www.frangipani.com.vn New garden-themed day spa named after the frangipani flower, known in Vietnam for its healing properties. Services include hair salon, nail care and massages.

Details to amenities like bathrobes, slippers and towels provide a comfortable atmosphere.

TA SALON Hanoi Club, 76 Yen Phu, Tay Ho Tel: 3716 1754 / 3758 2940 (Ciputra).

Hotline: 0912 267613 Multi-functional hair and body salon with a range of treatments running from haircut, highlights, shampoo, straightening and perm to hot stone foot and body massages, a range of facials, waxing, bikini lines and body scrub. With a first salon in Ciputra, TA number two is at the Hanoi club. Popular with both western and Asian expats as well as A-class Vietnamese.

THE HAIR WORKSHOP 49 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3934 5980 Located in Hanoi Towers, The Hair Workshop has a number of hairdressers used to cutting and styling all types of hair. The prices are significantly higher than they would be on the street, or at a smaller shop, but there are many people who refuse to go anywhere else. A full service salon that also offers such services as waxing.

HAIR SPACE 137 Nghi Tam, Tay Ho Tel: 0912 127554 Run by an Australian expat named Cat, this is a small but comfortable and well-run hair studio located in the Hidden Hanoi building. There is only Cat and her one assistant, so be sure to make an appointment.

TRAN HUNG HAIR CREATION 5 Ho Xuan Huong, Hai Ba Trung

Tel: 3943 4946 Located near Reunification Park, Hung has a long list of satisfied clients, both western and Vietnamese. Be prepared to allot one to two hours for a cut and more for colour as Hung is a perfectionist.

KIDS HANOI ZOO Off Kim Ma, opposite Daewoo Hotel Tel: 3834 7395 Really as much a park as it is a zoo, you can find Vietnamese families on picnics here on any given day. Strewn throughout, sometimes in curiously small cages, you’ll also find a number of animals large and small, all indigenous to the country. Also, there are other attractions for children such as a fun house, and big, floating plastic balls they can climb into. The One Man Cinema operates out of here at weekends.

KINDERPARK 614 Lac Long Quan, Tay Ho Tel: 3710 1666 www.kinderpark.vn A huge international indoor playground for children of all ages founded by three likeminded mums. The indoor playground covers an impressive 2,000 sqm, and offers activities, birthday parties and a well-trained staff. There is a café for parents to sit in while their children run amok.

THANG LONG WATER PUPPET THEATRE Dinh Tien Hoang, Hoan Kiem Daily shows of traditional rustic Vietnamese carved puppets, animate folkloric tales accompanied by music.

This can be fun for adults as well as children.

THE LITTLE GYM OF HANOI 4th Floor, 402A Vincom Center, Long Bien Tel: 3515 8555 www.thelittlegym.com/hanoi The newest addition to the Hanoi family entertainment scene, this globally-known brand has more than 300 locations across the world. Has a range of programmes for kids aged four months to 12 years old including gymnastics, karate, dance classes, sports skills and more, with the activities focusing on developing both cerebral and physical capacity. Also hosts birthday parties, organises camps and arranges parents nights.

TINIWORLD 51 Xuan Dieu, Syrena Towers; 229 Tay Son, Pico Mall An indoor play-haven for children inside the safety of a shopping centre. Pay an entry fee of VND50,000 and let your kids loose on the jungle gym and video arcade-style games. Small and with enough staff on hand so you can let your kids play, and head out to do a little shopping next door.

VINCOM TOWERS 191 Ba Trieu, Hai Ba Trung There are a bunch of toy stores and shops for children in the mall area of the second tower. Also, near the food court, you’ll find an arcade with video games and tiny rides for very small kids.

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leisure & arts LEISURE GENERAL FRIENDS OF VIETNAMESE HERITAGE www.fvheritage.org A non-profit organization devoted to the culture of Vietnam. People from all over the world join together to educate themselves and others on Vietnam and preserve its heritage.

The organization holds events such as lectures, city walks and excursions available to the public.

HANOI HASH HOUSE HARRIERS www.hanoih3.com This big, assorted “family” gets together every week to go on out of town excursions, for hour-long runs along paths marked by flour spots, and with no lack of beer stops along the way. Drink and get into shape at the same time, and add some sightseeing into the picture. Emphasis here is on fun. Bus leaves on Saturdays from the American Club on Hai Ba Trung at 2pm in summer and 1:30pm in winter.

HANOI LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL www.hanoibaseball.com If you’re looking for a little league baseball team in Hanoi, this is the website to check out. One of the first, if not still the only, such club in town, their mission is to teach young people about the game, teamwork and to have a great time. Practice every Saturday at Xuan Dinh Field from 6.15 to 8.30 am

MASSAGE JUST MASSAGE 237 Au Co, Tay Ho Tel: 6671 2249 www.justmassage.org.vn Aromatherapy, Swedish, shiatsu and pregnancy massages all given by the hands and touch of nine visually impaired therapists. The massages here are professional and, of course, in aid of a great cause. Check their website for their range of promotions.

HANOI AESTHETIC INSTITUTE 14 Yen Phu, Ba Dinh Tel: 3945 4548 www.vienthammyhanoi.com.vn Trained at the Tue Tinh Traditional Hospital, the therapists at this no frills, traditional Vietnamese massage centre use a variety of techniques including tuina, aromatherapy, ayurvedic and shiatsu. Also offer a range of healing treatments as well as not-so-traditional laser and plastic surgery.

THANH GIA 18 Trieu Viet Vuong, Hai Ba Trung 38 Le Thai To, Hoan Kiem One of a number of foot massage parlours in town that has treatments focusing as much on the pressure points of your feet at they do on the rest of your body.

Strong hands, unbranded oils and, if you ask, tiger balm oil.

range of services in addition to manicure/ pedicure.

LINKQ 271 Kim Ma, Ba Dinh Tel: 3725 2359 One of a chain of all-purpose beauty salons that specialises in manicures and pedicures. This place has a lot of business from word of mouth, so it’s best to call ahead and make an appointment.

LANCY SPA

THU CUC EXOTICAL SPA

Sofitel Metropole Legend, 15A Ngo Quyen, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3826 6919 sparec@sofitelhanoi.vnn.vn A five-star spa for a five-star hotel, this colonial-style centre of relaxation is pure luxury. Choose the genre of music you want to hear in your treatment room from a menu, select anything from themenamed facials through to traditional, Vietnamese-style massages, and indulge.

It comes at price, but when you’ve just got to treat yourself…

57 Nguyen Khac Hien, Ba Dinh Tel: 3715 0316 www.thucucbeauty.com This all-purpose beauty salon offers spa pedicures in a Zen-like atmosphere where your manicurist won’t be chatting on her mobile phone.

TOP SPOT 52 Au Trieu, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3828 8344 They offer a long-lasting, professional manicure and pedicure service for barely more than you would pay to get your nails cut on the street. The staff doesn’t speak much English, but they have an extensive menu to choose from.

PERFORMING ARTS HANOI CIRCUS 67 Tran Nhan Tong, Hai Ba Trung For VND50,000, see an array of live performances, both human and animal. Bears ride motorbikes, monkeys do tricks. The acrobatic performances are particularly amazing.

HANOI INTERNATIONAL THEATRE SOCIETY (HITS) www.hitshanoi.com Hanoi’s premiere community theatre group has been entertaining audiences around the city since 2001. The amateur acting society both draws from and gives back to the local community. All profits from the bi-yearly performances are donated to charities in Vietnam.

HANOI OPERA HOUSE 1 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3933 0113 www.ticketvn.com This French colonial building hosts a packed schedule of cultural events throughout the year, everything from the New York Philharmonic to cutting edge Vietnamese performance art has graced its stage.

THANG LONG CA TRU THEATRE 25 Tong dan, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3665 54608 Head to this theatre, lodged on the campus of the Vietnam Revolution Museum, for a taste of one of Vietnam’s most traditional musical forms.

YOUTH THEATRE 11 Ngo Thi Nham, Hoan Kiem A few blocks south of Hoan Kiem Lake, this community theatre space hosts both music events and theatre productions.

NAILS FANCY SPA 26 Dinh Ngang, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3824 4183 A small Vietnamese spa and salon. Prices are quite high, but the shop offers a wide

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of comfort services and products. Facilities are clean and modern. Hairstyling also available.

SPAS KIM DUNG 38 Nguyen Cong Hoan, Ba Dinh Tel: 3483 50079 Face massage, hair care, manicure, pedicure, this is a one-stop shop for all sorts

35 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho Tel: 3719 9461 This all-purpose spa offers the full menu: massage, nails, skincare at reasonable prices. Discounts offered to regular customers.

LE SPA DU METROPOLE

ORCHIDS SPA 34 Luong Ngoc Quyen, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3926 4862 www.orchids-spa.com Just a few steps away from bia hoi corner, the unisex Orchids spa recently one a VTV award for being one of the top spas in Hanoi. Treatments range from facials through to waxing, saunas and slimming treatments.

SANTAL SPA 112 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3718 4686 Private rooms with showers, a beautifully designed interior, well-trained and professional staff. The place to go if you want to forget a busy work week, or the busy streets.

THU CUC EXOTICAL SPA 57 Nguyen Khac Hien, Ba Dinh Tel: 3715 0316 Near Truc Bac, Thu Cuc is an allpurpose spa where you can get a full-body massage, a facial, manicure or pedicure in a relaxing environment.

Both prices and service are comparable to the West.

ZEN SPA 100 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3719 9889 www.zenspa.com.vn Brushing up against the banks of the Red River, this Indochine-styled day spa hideaway comes replete with an oasis-like bonsai garden and peace and quiet, a perfect tonic to the chaos of the city. Has a range of five-element spa packages as well as just one-off facials and waxings and other treatments. Has a second outlet at 100 Xuan Dieu as well as spas in Hoi An.

SPORTS CLASSES HOANG CAU SPORTS CENTRE 59 Hoang Cau, Dong Da Tel: 3511 8030 The distinction of this fitness centre is that they have a large space, filled with a “number of different fields of different sizes”. Includes areas for aerobics, football and rugby. Classes depend, according to the season.

RED RIVER RUNNERS www.redriverrunners.wordpress.com The Red River Runners meet every

Saturday to run through the fields and suburbs skirting the Red River in Hanoi.

The group organises races, such as the annual Hanoi Triathlon and the Song Hong Half Marathon, which are community events that help to add a different, more social dimension to fitness and sport in the capital.

UNIS COMMUNITY EDUCATION UN International School, Tay Ho Tel: 3758 1551 www.unishanoi.org The UN International School is located between West Lake and the highway heading to Noi Bai Airport. They have great facilities and offer a number of different classes throughout the year.

TENNIS THUY LOI SPORTS COMPLEX 95 Chua Boc, Dong Da A wide sports pitch that also offers a swimming pool and a football field – if you get tired of tennis. Football fields are almost always crowded, but even for tennis it might be good to go during the off hours.

VAN TUE THANG LONG 136 Ho Tung Mau, Tu Liem A little bit hard to find, but Van Tue Thang Long offers quite a bit of room, with a sit-down restaurant and a few tennis courts. Facilities are a bit run down, but a place to go if you want to play tennis on concrete courts.

VIETNAMESE CLASSES VIETNAMESE TEACHING GROUP 164 Le Thanh Nghi, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 7236 9842 www.vietnameseteaching.net Offers not only Vietnamese classes, but also a variety of excursions and events that will help foreigners and expats to better understand Vietnamese culture.

Organised and professional, classes are usually sold in blocks, which you pay for in advance.

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY B7 Bis, Bach Khoa, Dong Da Tel: 3869 4323 www.vnu.edu.vn/en This national university also offers some language and culture classes to foreigners. Teaching standards are high, and prices are not unreasonable, at around VND150,000 for a one-on-one lesson.

YOGA & MEDITATION UNESCO YOGA CENTER

3B Dang Thai Than, Ba Dinh Tel: 3913 5497 www.yoga.com.vn One of the only yoga studios in town exclusively devoted to the practice.

Professional instruction with well-trained teachers, and a very low monthly fee.

ZENITH YOGA

Floor 3, 111 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 0904 356561 www.zenithyogavietnam.com A premier studio offering some of the best yoga, pilates and tai chi in town. Kids’ yoga, prenatal yoga and meditation are also available. Professional instruction along with a peaceful atmosphere creates one of the most zen places in Hanoi. Drop in classes are available for VND200,000 and a month unlimited class pass costs VND1.8 million.

fashion

FASHION

near the Temple of Literature carries contemporary looks based on traditional Vietnamese styles.

visit wordhanoi.com for a comprehensive CONTRABAND 23 Nha Chung, Hoan Kiem list of our listings Tel: 3928 9891

LISTINGS

ACCESSORIES & FOOTWEAR 099 CLOTHING 099 LINGERIE 100 SHOPPING MALLS 100

SPORTSWEAR 101 TAILORS 101 OPTICIANS & GLASSES 101

ACCESSORIES & FOOTWEAR BOO SKATESHOP

84 Hang Dieu, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3923 1147 This skateshop offers a variety of clothes, shoes and skateboarding equipment. Most of the T-shirts are made and designed in Vietnam, while the shoes and other equipment are made for export, often rejected due to minor defects. Staff is knowledgeable about Hanoi’s best skateboarding spots.

EURO FASHION SHOES

26, 84/16 Ngoc Khanh Tel: 0904153041 While you may have to dig through piles of mismatched or orthopaedic-looking shoes, this shop is full of hidden gems in larger sizes, a rare find in Hanoi.

EURO SHOES

320 Ba Trieu, Hoan Kiem If you’re looking for a diamond in the rough, head for Euro shoes, which has a wide selection of options, many of which you’ll want to give a pass. Often carries larger sizes than most Vietnamese retailers.

HANDMADE SHOES

18 Hang Bong, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3828 5357 This cobbler’s shop repairs shoes and makes shoes to order. The staff speaks limited English, so it’s best to bring along your favourite pair to get copied.

HUONG’S JEWELLERY SHOP

62 Hang Ngan, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3828 1046 A small store specialising in silver necklaces, bracelets, earrings, rings and pendants. While Huong’s merchandise is mostly silver or pearl, the staff will also make jewellery to order.

IPA-NIMA

73 Trang Thi, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3933 4000 Started by Hong Kong born designer Christina Yu, Ipa-Nima’s stores are filled with their one-of-a-kind purses and accessories.

Their use of colour, a unique design philosophy and hand done embellishments appeals to jetsetters and fashionistas from Los Angeles to Paris. Always eye-catching and trendy, Ipa-Nima accessories are tangibly timeless and sophisticated.

KINH MAT HA THANH

2 Nguyen Thai Hoc, Ba Dinh Tel: 3928 6556 Large selection of lenses as well as biomedic contact lenses imported from the US. But buyer beware, lenses in Vietnam usually aren’t scratch-resistant.

LONDON DIAMOND GALLERY

21 Nguyen Huy Tu, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 4972 6327 www.londondiamondgallery.com Home to the world’s finest gemstones, master craftsmen and jewellery experts, London Diamond Gallery is among the most established jewellery houses in the world, with an international presence that spans across England, Japan, Hong Kong

and South-East Asia.

Launched in Hanoi in 2007, Contraband targets young hip working women. Garments are made from versatile fabrics that are comfortable to wear and easy to look after – making them ideal for work and travel. New styles are introduced each month with limited production runs, offering a sense of exclusivity.

EOS FASHION AND DÉCOR

Sofitel Metropole, 15 Ngo Quyen. Tel: 3824 4977 This boutique offers an exclusive collection of the French designer handbags and accessories.

45 Phan Dinh Phuong, Ba Dinh Tel: 3629 78574 The limited stock in this clothing store is made up for by the unique design of the pieces, which are refreshed by the designer every month.

THREE TREES

GEORGE’S FASHION BOUTIQUE

LOUIS VUITTON

15 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3928 8725 The jewellery on offer, designed by a Belgian expat, often features chunkier gold shapes with small, well-placed diamonds. Hidden in the back of the store there is also a display case featuring less-expensive costume jewelry.

TINA SPARKLE

17 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3928 7616 An eclectic assortment of costume jewelry and Chula dresses are scattered among a wide collection of bags by one of Vietnam’s most popular designers, Ipa-Nima. Check out the seasonal sales for heavy discounts.

VIETNAM OPTICAL

138B Giang Vo, Ba Dinh Tel: 3736 5505 This all-purpose eyewear shop offers free eye exams and a wide selection of frames. Usually there is at least one English-speaking staff present. The quick and easy service means you will be out of the store, lenses in hand, in an hour.

CLOTHING BEO BOUTIQUE

54 Ly Quoc Su, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3928 8997 www.beo.vn The answer for women who struggle with the Hanoi heat. A locally owned boutique selling simple, unfussy clothing in light and easy to wear styles, perfect for when the humidity rises. Most clothing is made from cotton or silk, but they also have felted jackets for the colder weather. As well as off the rack, do custom orders.

BOOCITI

308 Ba Trieu, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3978 5426 www.booskateshop.com BOOCiti is a combination of shop, cafe and office. The successor to the famous skate shops that started out from meager roots, this stylishly designed location was opened in July 2011. Stocking the Boo label BoSua and more, the space provides its customers with a ‘unique’ shopping experience.

CALVIN KLEIN

19-21 Dinh Tien Hoang ; 61-63 Cau Go, Hoan Kiem If it’s all in a name then Calvin Klein’s lakeside store has got it pretty much sewn up. Underwear sits next to jeans going for around VND2.5 million and a range of quality CK shirts, belts and more. By Hanoi standards, prices are high, but think relative. VND5 million for an original, welltailored pigskin jacket is pretty good going.

COCO SILK

37A Van Mieu, Dong Da Tel: 3747 1535 High-end silk clothing retailer located

36 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho, el: 3718 6233 With new styles arriving in store every second day, this shop offers a huge range of dresses, shirts, pants, skirts and accessories in local and imported fabrics.

Clothes fit all sizes, from petite to average to the generous figure. Alterations and a made-to-measure service are available at no extra cost.

GINKGO T-SHIRTS

44 Hang Be, Hoan Kiem; 79 Hang Be, Hoan Kiem www.ginkgo-vietnam.com An environmentally conscious and fairtrade company that offers unique designs and a quality product, Ginkgo t-shirts sport ethnic and modern graphics in a rainbow of colors. The company began in Ho Chi Minh City and now has five outlets around Vietnam. These shirts make great gifts or souvenirs, perfect for proving to disbelievers overseas that you’ve visited the home of the conical hat.

HANOI SILK

Sofitel Plaza, 1 Thanh Nien, Tay Ho Tel: 3716 3062 www.hanoisilkvn.com Located on the ground floor of the Sofitel Plaza Hotel, this silk shop offers a highquality selection of ready-made items. The most popular sellers include robes, linensilk blend shirts, ties and jackets.

ISALYNA

1 Trang Thi, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3762 4405 www.isalyna.com The retail outlet for local designer Teddie Tran, who believes that fashion is all about “attitude”. Accordingly, the store’s pieces are mostly basics that can be combined with a range of high-quality leather accessories and jewellery for a unique fashion statement.

KANA

41 Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3928 6208 Reasonably priced handmade silk clothing and accessories in a wide range of patterns sized to fit western bodies.

KEN SHOP

108 Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem Tel: 6270 0256 A popular stop for silk lovers, this store is all about soft and light fabrics. Silk, cotton and silk cotton mixes in creamy summer colours or eclectic prints. Ken has a wide range on offer, from casual summer skirts to fancy dresses. A cute collection of toys made of cotton and imported jewellry and accessories are also for sale.

KENLY SILK

108 Hang Gai, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3826 7236 www.kenlysilk.com Instantly recognizable with its two-pillared

shop front, Kenly prides itself on professional guidance and high-quality materials from a design’s conception to finish. The shop caters to everything from fashion shows to personal designs.

KHAI SILK

133 Hang Ga, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3825 4237 One of the better established silk shops in Hanoi, this store also has a satellite shop in the Sofitel Metropole. With outlets throughout the country, this household name is a great place to go for ready-made silk items. You may find better deals at other shops, but with the highest quality silk, at Khai you pay for what you get.

L’ATELIER

No 33 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3668 5509 www.ateliervietnam.com Designer store where Le Duyen Huong features her creations and matching accessories and shoes. The trendy shop exudes a pleasant and warm atmosphere and collections change often. Offers tailoring for local and export markets.

LUALA BOUTIQUE

61 Ly Thai To, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3936 9899 www.luala.vn Close to the Opera House, this “concept store” dressed up as a spacious boutique and café is aimed at the luxury, lifestylefocused end of the local market. Has clothing and accessories for men and women and stocks the likes of Vera Wang, Nina Ricci, Elie Saab, Paul & Joe and much more. Also slated to show contemporary Vietnamese art. Check out their website for latest arrivals and their full range of brands.

MAGOON

19 Ma May, Hoan Kiem; 9 Au Trieu, Hoan Kiem A small fashion house with many outlets around the city, Magoon offers one-of-akind lady like fashions. They have a bit of everything from jackets and dresses to knitwear. The prices are affordable and the merchandise changes often. The main studio is on Au Trieu.

MARIE-LINH COUTURE

11 Nha To, Hoan Kiem 74 Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem Parisian-style clothing combined with quality Vietnamese dressmaking skills.

The beautiful clothes are available in silk, organza and linen. Also available for online orders. With the accompanying home décor and accessories shop on 38 Hang Trong, it is possible to live an entire life of couture.

METISEKO

40-42 Luong Ngoc Quyen, Hoan Kiem www.metiseko.com A lifestyle brand that started out life in Hoi An, Metiseko’s move to the capital will see them bring us their creative, poetic prints designed for an eco-chic lifestyle.

The products — clothing, accessories and furniture — are made from natural silk and organic cotton certified to global organic standards. Metiseko is also certified by the fair-trade, Textile Exchange.

MOON

111 Ma May, Hoan Kiem This small shop carries handmade embroidered linen and silk clothes that are usually less expensive than those found at the larger stores. The shop owners make most of the clothes themselves, so they will adjust designs to fit personal tastes.

NAGU

20 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem www.zantoc.com Walk past the rows of teddy bears and head for the small rack of clothing, which

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fashion offers unique Japanese-designed dresses and shirts. The second floor has a selection of home goods. There is a loyalty program for frequent customers.

The three-storey shop offers everything from clothes and hand-embroidered baby pillows to sumptuous silk bedding.

NUNA NUNONG

61 Hang Gai, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3938 1154 800sqm of elegant, modern space that offers one-of-a-kind pieces to add to your home furnishings or wardrobe. Located across the street from the other Tan My, one of the oldest silk and embroidery stores in Hanoi.

100 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Racks of flowery frocks line the walls, and handmade fabric garlands hang from the ceiling. You will also find a wide selection of handmade goods, such as hand-painted mugs, totes and baskets of increasingly popular animal pillows.

PURE HEAVEN

55 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: 3718 6290 If the classic storefront doesn’t draw you in, the clothing will. The Scandinavian showroom is clean and streamlined, emulating the modern but simple clothing contained within. Cottons and knitwear are the main focus in the European designed clothing for women and children. Prices are affordable and the quality is great.

SONG

5 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3828 6965 This boutique, whose name comes from the Vietnamese word for “life”, stocks high-end linen and silk clothes in a serene store awash with the fresh scent of mint. Located just across the street from the cathedral, prices are on par with its higher-end neighbours.

TAN MY

66 Hang Gai, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3825 1579 www.tanmyembroidery.com.vn Located in the heart of the old quarter, on “silk street”, Tan My claims to be Hanoi’s oldest silk and embroidery shop and boasts customers like Hillary Clinton.

SUPERMARKETS BIG C SUPERMARKET 222 Tran Duy Hung, Cau Giay CITIMART HANOI TOWERS 49 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem

TAN MY DESIGN

THINGS OF SUBSTANCE

5 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3828 6965 This shop’s motto “Western sizes, Vietnamese prices”, says it all. While mostly retailing women’s separates in soft cotton jersey and linen, the store also carries a range of accessories like embroidered canvas totes and printed tees. Has a good selection of unique men’s shirts.

RUNWAY

13 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3938 6260 www.runway.vn The second branch of the flagship store located in Ho Chi Minh City, Runway sells only authentic designer collections from all over the world. The large store located in the Sun City Building mimics what a designer boutique should look like, with an all white interior. If you are in need of a designer fix, Runway is your answer, but be warned, the prices match the labels.

SOLE 21

21 Nha Chung, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3938 1968 A distinctly designed boutique around the corner from the cathedral, bringing the latest from European and American Designers. Think Jimmy Choo, Kate Spade and Top Shop. Mark-up seems high on some pieces, but all designers are authentic. No fakes here.

VINATEX

25 Ba Trieu, Hoan Kiem In-town factory outlet for the Vinatex clothing corp. Carries items for men, women and children at low prices.

LINGERIE ANA MAI

CITIMART VINCOM TOWERS 191 Ba Trieu, Hai Ba Trung

51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho This small boutique stocks lingerie similar to Parisian designers Agent Provocateur and Cosabella.

FIVIMART 210 Tran Quang Khai, Hoan Kiem 10 Tran Vu, Ba Dinh 671 Hoàng Hoa Tham, Ba Dinh 71 Nguyen Chi Thanh, Dong Da 51 Xuân Dieu, Tay Ho 93 Lo Duc, Hai Ba Trung Online shopping: www.fivimart.com.vn

AUBADE

52 Kim Ma, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3822 9051 Pretty, lacy underwear imported from France. Carries mostly small sizes, up to a western sized medium.

MINOSHE

59 Hang Bong, Hoan Kiem This popular store carries a wide range of bras and underwear. Additional locations in Hanoi Towers and Vincom Towers.

SHOPPING MALLS HANOI STAR SUPERMARKET 36 Cat Linh, Dong Da INTIMEX 22 & 23 Le Thai To, Hoan Kiem 131-135 Hao Nam, Dong Da 17 Lac Trung, Hai Ba Trung 27 Huynh Thuc Khang, Dong Da METRO 126 Tam Trinh, Yen So, Hoang Mai Pham Van Dong, Co Nhue, Tu Liem

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HANG DA GALLERIA

Cua Dong, Hoan Kiem Tel: 2220 9999 This small shopping mall is conveniently located in the centre of the Old Quarter, with all the standard small stores as well as a range of boutiques selling the wares of Vietnamese designers. The Highlands outdoor café is a perfect place to sit and watch the Old Quarter ebb and flow.

HANOI TOWERS

49 Ba Trieu, Hoan Kiem The retail space on the first floor of this complex includes everything from a golf shop to a hair salon. After shopping you can enjoy a cup of coffee at the Highlands Café or a sandwich at Papa Joe’s.

OCEAN PARK LUXURY MALL

36 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3936 0737 Shopping mall includes international designers such as Versace collection, Dolce and Gabbana, and Roberto Botticelli.

PARKSON

Cnr. Thai Ha & Tay Son, Dong Da www.parkson.com This Malaysian-owned department store prides itself on making the shopping experience one that is “more exciting and fun”. Unlike many of Hanoi’s retailers, this megastore is also appealing to those who just want to browse. Departments include men’s, women’s and children’s clothing as well as home furnishings.

PICO MALL

299 Tay Son, Dong Da Newly renovated mall housing international stores like French Connection, Nike, and Adidas. A touch far from the centre, but distance brings lower levels of noise and customers, making it a nice option for shopping spree. Also has a movie theatre, a Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf and a food court.

TRANG TIEN PLAZA

24 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem This large shopping centre located at the southern tip of Hoan Kiem Lake includes shopping options for every price range.

Bargain bins full of locally-produced clothing stand beside a Nike retail outlet. Offerings also include a cosmetics department and multiple electronics retailers.

VINCOM TOWERS

191 Ba Trieu, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3974 9999 A shopping plaza offering a range of international brands such as Levi’s, United Colours of Benetton, Nike, Adidas and Geox.

SPORTSWEAR ADIDAS

83 Hang Gai, Hoan Kiem Tel:3828 7190 www.adidas.com The capital city’s flagship store of the international retailer of sport clothing and equipment.

B.BALL

65A Quoc Tu Giam, Dong Da Tel:3224 10780 bball.com.vn This hoops-themed store sells balls, basketball shoes and jerseys of the madein-China variety.

HANOI CLUB GOLF SHOP

at the course.

TAILORS CAO MINH TAILORS

250 Hang Bong, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3939 3594 www.caominh.com Located near Cua Nam street at the westernmost end of Hang Bong, this established tailor with over 50 years of experience specialises in quality materials from Italy and England. The go-to place for top-of-therange suits and shirts for all occasions. The shop is new and the service spot on.

CO

18 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3828 9925 Though this tailor offers both men’s and women’s clothing, the well made dresses displayed in the window and the range of bright colours and patterns caters mostly to female tastes. Located in the shadow of the cathedral, it’s a little pricier, but you pay for the view.

NGOC SHOP

64 Tran Xuan Soan, Hai Ba Trung, Tel: 3943 4747 This English-speaking tailor located near the fabric market off Pho Hue offers a seasonal collection of ready-made designs. The owner will also copy clothing or sew from your own designs. Fabric can be picked out in the shop or you can bring your own.

MS TAM

Tel: 0989 098903 With a long list of foreign clientele, Ms Tam works from her home not too far outside of central Hanoi. She will pay a visit to where you live to take measurements and then bring the final clothes back a few days later. She also carries a book of fabric swatches for those who truly want to skip the shopping experience.

PHUONG LINH TAILOR

99 Son Tay, Ba Dinh, Tel: 0904 083674 Exceptional quality at very reasonable prices, Phuong Linh may not speak English but her and her team make every effort to understand the task at hand.

From copying your favourite garments to creating something new or from a magazine, Phuong and her girls succeed in getting it right time and time again.

THANH HA

114 Hang Gai, Hoan Kiem Located in the heart of the old quarter, this tailor caters mostly to tourists, but a large collection of Vogue pattern books makes communication very easy.

OPTICIANS & GLASSES SUNGLASSES STREET

76 Yen Phu, Tay Ho Tel: 3823 8115 www.hanoi-club.com A small shop on the first floor of the Hanoi Club sells a range of equipment to fulfill your golfing needs, including clubs, balls and clothes.

Luong Van Can, Hoan Kiem If it’s all in a name, well here its all in a number — two of them in fact, 51 & 58.

Not exactly conventional opticians — the rows of shops here do sell frames with lenses and have basic eye-testing services — but if its sunglasses with brand names super-glued on top, here is the place.

NIKE

THU HA KINH THUOC

Trang Tien Plaza, 24 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem; Vincom Towers, 191 Ba Trieu, Hai Ba Trung www.nike.com With multiple locations open, and more to come, Nike retails high-end sports clothing and accessories, including yoga mats and water bottles.

TOLIA

Hanoi Towers, 49 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem Also known as the “Russian shop”, Tolia retails overstock outdoor wear made for export. Brands include Jack Wolfskin, The North Face and Patagonia.

ZONE GOLF

Hanoi Towers, 49 Ba Trieu, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3936 3233 This centrally-located shop carries all the equipment and gear you need for a day

134 Ba Trieu, Hai Ba Trung, Tel: 3943 4570 Free eye testing in this well-known, German-trained opticians that also doubles up as a medical clinic and pharmacy specialising in eye problems. Sells a range of branded and no n-branded spectacles and sunglasses. Located opposite the National Hospital of Ophthalmology.

VIETNAMOPTICAL

48 Hai Ba Trung, Hai Ba Trung & 231 Nguyen Trai, Thanh Xuan, Tel: 3736 5505 www.kinhmatvietnam.com.vn Chain of opticians, glasses and sunglasses stores selling a range of branded and Chinese-imported frames starting at VND100,000 a go and rising to over VND2 million. The in-store optometrist gives free eye tests. Helpful, English-speaking staff.

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visit wordhanoi.com for a comprehensive list of our listings LIQUOR & WINE 103 MARKETS 103 PETS 103

BAKERIES DONKEY BAKERY

8 Nguyen Hoang Ton, Tay Ho www.donkey-donuts.com Founded as a donut shop, it now also offers a wide range of German-inspired breads for those who favour nutrition over sugar. A loaf of rye bread rings in at VND40,000. Donuts, breads, cookies and sandwiches can be ordered online and delivered to your home or office. The bakery employs mostly disabled persons and is dedicated to providing them with high-quality training and care.

KINH DO

252 Hang Bong, Hoan Kiem One of the oldest and most wellestablished bakeries in the city, maybe best known as Catherine Deneuve’s former haunt, Kinh Do has been around much longer than any expat. But their breads, pastries and quiches keep foreigners and Vietnamese coming back.

Extensive Western and Vietnamese menu as well.

LE CROISSANT

21 Ha Hoi, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3943 6707 www.hoasuaschool.com A well established and well respected Hanoi institution. Le Croissant not only makes excellent baked goods of all kinds, but is also part of the NGO Hoa Sua, a school for disadvantaged children that teaches them life changing skills.

PARIS DELI

6 Phan Chu Trinh, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3928 6697 With two locations, one by the Opera House and the other by St. Joseph’s Cathedral, the Paris Deli makes a good job of their breads, tarts and pastries. Both are sit-down restaurants, but are happy to sell you their baked goods over the counter, to go.

THU HUONG BAKERY

35C Phan Dinh Phung, Ba Dinh Tel: 3734 3868 A small but popular Vietnamese-style bakery selling all types of sweets and cakes, luxuriously decorated. They also sell baguettes and sliced breads. They also deliver.

CRAFTS CRAFTLINK

43 Van Mieu, Dong Da, Tel: 3843 7710 www.craftlink.com.vn This non-profit organisation helps traditional artisans seek new markets. for sale in the retail space include handmade textiles from the northern provinces.

INDIGENOUS

36 Au Trieu, Hoan Kiem Tel: 0977 799911 A crafts and home furnishings shop stocked by the Hold The Future organisation, which helps disabled and underprivileged children in Hanoi and northern provinces.

MARIE LINH HOME DECOR

38 Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3938 0436 www.marie-linh-design.com This newly-opened shop sells specially designed decorative objects in traditional Vietnamese lacquer and pottery in unique styles. It also retails small accessories that are easy to pack in your suitcase. Items are sold in the shop and online.

MEKONG QUILTS

58 Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem; 9 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 0473063682 Community development non-profit quilt shop featuring handmade quilts and accessories. Styles vary from traditional to patterned and Asian-inspired. Founded in 2001 and with outposts in several locations around the region, the shop employs women in rural areas, enabling them to make an income and care for their families.

FURNITURE BAMBOO FURNITURE CORNER

Cnr. Quang Trung & Tran Nhan Trong, Hai Ba Trung This cluster of furniture shops offer lowpriced bamboo products from baskets and desks to drawers.

BELLIZENO

130D Thuy Khue, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3825 1343 The factory location of the Bellizeno bedding company includes a retail space for their high thread count sheets and bedding.

CARPET STREET

There are a number of made-to-order carpet and rug stores along Kim Ma from roughly number 239 to 299.

CHI VANG

63 Hang Gai, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3936 0601 Located near the lake, this store offers a wide range of embroidered bedding and tablecloths. Items can be purchased in the store or hand-embroidered to order.

COTYLEDON

1A Ly Quoc Su, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3928 7887 This shop stocks high-end duvet and cushion covers, quilts and tableware like runners and placemats.

DARLING HANOI

Tel: 01282 273717 info@darlinghanoi.com www.darlinghanoi.com Photowalls and Wallpaper of the highest quality. Create a photowall from your own image or choose an image from their large online catalogue. Inspiring and unique wall décor for private homes, offices and reception areas, hotel rooms and foyers, restaurants and bars. PVC-free, UV-resistant and moisture-resistant, all the paper is made in Sweden and shipped free within Hanoi.

DOME

10 Yen The, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3843 6036 www.dome.com.vn Internationally run furniture store with

three large outlets in Hanoi. They offer ‘affordable luxury’ goods such as pillows, bed linens and other home wears, in addition to making custom furniture.

industry, each branch sells trendy furniture for modern living as well as interior design for all types Vietnamese houses.

EUROPEAN IKEA SHOP

VAN LOI

35 Ngo Thanh Mie, Dong Da This tiny shop carries a small collection of IKEA brand furniture, but can order more from the catalogue.

GRAND BOIS

Hanoi Towers, 49 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem This high-end wooden furniture store located on the first floor of Hanoi Towers has offered best-selling designs for a decade. The classic pieces are mostly constructed out of dark wood and are complemented with cream-coloured linen lampshades and cushions.

HANOI MOMENT

101 Hang Gai, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3928 7170 This shop makes sifting through lacquer kitchenware and accessories easy.

While its stock may not differ from the stores next door, the display is less overwhelming.

LA CASA

Syrena Tower, 51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: 3718 4084 www.lacasavietnam.com.vn A shop whose speciality is designing furniture and other household objects, this spot has everything from beds and bookshelves, to tableware and silverware.

The items are all locally made by skilled artisans from Hanoi and the surrounding regions.

MAI LONG

71 Tran Xuan Soan, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3822 5393 This shop sells material for curtains and window blinds. They make house calls to measure and install.

MAROON

156 Hang Bong, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3928 7264 Nestled in the heart of the old quarter, Maroon sells accent pieces to brighten up any household: lacquer picture frames, lamps, and silk bedding.

METISEKO

40-42 Luong Ngoc Quyen, Hoan Kiem www.metiseko.com A lifestyle brand that started out life in Hoi An, Metiseko’s move to the capital will see them bring us their creative, poetic prints designed for an eco-chic lifestyle. The products — clothing, accessories and furniture — are made from natural silk and organic cotton certified to global organic standards.

Metiseko is also certified by the fairtrade, Textile Exchange.

MODULE 7

83 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: 3719 7247 www.module7design.com Open since 2002, this interior design firm and home store creates modern and simple collections. They use local materials and traditional craftsmanship for a cool mix of contemporary Vietnamese living spaces. Their showroom showcases floor to ceiling windows, which allows for a bright open design centre.

MOSAIQUE BOUTIQUE

22 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3928 6181 www.mosaiquedecoration.com Hard to miss, this bright green boutique blends Vietnamese traditionalism with modern flair. The result is a shop selling intricate lamps, lacquers and fun home wears. Handmade jewellery and crafts are also scattered around the store.

UMA

CT 6 My Dinh, Tu Liem; 147 Doi Can, Ba Dinh; 210 Lo Duc, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3972 7412 www.uma.vn Designers and retailers within the interior

87 Hang Gai, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3828 6758 www.vanloi.com This store is an impressive mix of fusionwestern furniture and home accessories.

All furniture is hand crafted by artisans meaning top-end quality, but with price tags to match.

VELVET UNDERGROUND

Tel: 3716 0400 www.velvetunderground.biz This shop offers a range of ready made items, from bedding to hot water bottle covers as well as the option of designing your own item from a choice of fabrics.

The friendly and helpful English-speaking staff make shopping a pleasure instead of a chore.

GROCERIES AU DELICE

3 The Giao, Ha Ba Trung, Tel: 3972 0584 www.au-delice-online.com A European style deli and grocery store with all sorts of imported products for your dinner parties or a homesick night in. Their claim is to have the best selection of cheeses in Hanoi.

BETTERDAY

100 A Xuan Dieu, Tel: 4258 3511 www.betterday.com.vn Hanoi’s speciality organic shop has a small stock of locally grown products including coffee, tea, cashews, a range of spices and beauty products produced in Sapa. Better Day Organics products are also available at the following stores: L’s Place, Oasis and Donkey Donuts

CLASSIC FINE FOODS

19/298 Ngoc Lam, Gia Lam, Tel: 3873 6079 www.classicfinefoods.com The place to go for imported foods such as foie gras, high-quality meats, pastas and dairy products. Although they specialise in the wholesale market, they occasionally do retail sales.

HUNG LONG MINIMART

71B Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: 3719 6220 This little store around Westlake has the feeling of one of those small ethnic markets you find in London or New York, but the ethnicity is Western. Reasonably priced canned foods, potato chips, cookies and other snacks that may be difficult to find elsewhere in the city.

L’S PLACE

3 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho; 34 A Phan Boi Chau, Hoan Kiem Cramped and crammed to the bursting point with imported food products, making your way around the maze that is L’s Place can often be a tight affair, but it’s worth it. The canned and packaged goods together with fresh fruit and vegetables, dairy products and more can provide the dietary solution for anyone craving for a change from pho ga or bun cha.

NATURALLY VIETNAM

So 4, Ngo 67, Ngach 67/12 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho www.naturallyvietnam.com Owned by ASVELIS, Naturally Vietnam is the first and only food shop in Hanoi offering free-range poultry products with a sanitary quality in compliance with Vietnamese norms and close to the international standards of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CODEX). Also has a wide range of organic, safe vegetables, and many other traceable food products made in Vietnam.

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home

ELECTRONICS CAMERAS A DONG PHOTO CO 128 Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3826 0732 This camera shop retails a wide range of cameras, including both analogue and DSLR models, as well as film and accessories like flashes and lenses.

ALPHA LAPTOP 95D Ly Nam De, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3747 4418 This laptop retail and repair shop also carries camera accessories and cases.

FUONG MAY ANH 5 Trang Thi, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3213 1568 This small store has a wide selection of Viet Nam-produced Pentax cameras. Also has a selection of imported lenses.

NGUYEN CAU 1 Ba Trieu, Hoan Kiem This camera shop overlooking the lake develops both digital and film prints. Services include photo mounting and passport photos.

COMPUTERS AND ELECTRONICS DK COMPUTER 29 Ngoc Kha, Ba Dinh Tel: 3772 4772 This large electronics retailer deals in computers, printers, as well as external storage devices.

HI-TECH USA 23 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3938 6261 A small, but good all-around electronics store, selling all kinds of electronics. Speakers, I-Pods, headphones, cables and phone accessories. Many name-brands.

PICO PLAZA 35 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem This is a super-sized electronics shop with each floor devoted to a specific kind of electronics.

You’ll be able to find pretty much anything you’re looking for here, from a phone to a computer to a washing machine.

PROFESSIONAL COMPUTER CARE AND IT SERVICES No 3, Alley 8, Hoa Lu, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 0983 011081 This service company can help with a just about any computerrelated task. Computer repairs, set up, Wi-Fi, design, networking and development. On-site and off-site service, and free quotes.

VIETSAD 34B Ly Nam De, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3747 8771 Located on bustling “computer street”, this shop offers a range of computer accessories including keyboards and USB drives. They also do computer and laptop repair.

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PUNTO ITALIA

62 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho, Tel: 6258 3510 www.puntoitalia.asia Punto Italia is an authentic Italian supplier importing the finest espresso coffee as well as Italian coffee machines for professional, home and office use. Real Italian granita, ice-cream and much more is now available in Vietnam with the support of a professional and friendly service.

ROCK CANDY

28 Ly Quoc Su, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 6492 9597 Rockcandy.com.vn If you have a sweet tooth this store was made for you. Near the corner of Ly Quoc Su, Rock Candy specializes in the obvious, traditional rock candy. You can sample before you buy, and Rock Candy is available for weddings, private and corporate functions.

VEGGIE’S

99 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: 4719 4630 International grocer at the end of Xuan Dieu, Veggie’s remains one of the best suppliers of western foods in the city.

Stock includes organic granola bars, frozen corn dogs and shelves full of cereal. When searching for baking supplies, this store is your best bet. Also, due to having their own farm in Dalat, sell some of the best locally grown non-standard vegetables in town.

VINE CELLAR DOOR

7 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: 3719 2922 With a huge wine cellar, a tasting bar, a new array of gourmet foods and a deli case with imported meats, cheeses and olives, Vine Cellar Door Wine & Gourmet Market is a good spot to find the perfect bottle and the foods that go well with it. Also offers glassware, wine & cigar accessories, espresso, gourmet tea and a small café menu from the kitchen of Vine Restaurant.

THE OASIS

24 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: 3719 1196 A great place to get all kinds of imported groceries and home-made foods. All of the breads and pastas are made in the in-house kitchen. A great variety of fresh sauces, a limited, but well-chosen selection of wines and a fantastic deli and cheese case. Free delivery.

YUKI’S

54 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: 3718 6192 New on the scene, this grocer on Xuan Dieu has a large selection of fruits and seafood downstairs. Upstairs is reserved for a grocery store carrying western goods.

KITCHEN PRODUCTS KITCHEN ART

38/27 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: 6680 2770 www.kitchenart.vn Kitchen Art is a little haven for all foodies, cooks and bakers to grow their love and passion for cooking and baking. Come to Kitchen Art Store to buy restaurant-grade tools and ingredients to cook like a chef, take part in regular demonstrations and workshops at the Studio, or simply read and relax at the cookbook cafe corner while enjoying the peaceful West Lake view.

PUNTO ITALIA

62 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho Tel: 6258 3510 info@puntoitalia.asia www.puntoitalia.asia Trendy, reliable and stylish coffee machines for the workplace or home, specialising in authentic Italian coffee. Also sells their own brand coffee in capsules, ready ground or as the original roasted mix of beans.

MARKETS

LIQUOR & WINE BACCHUS CORNER

1C Tong Dan, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3935 1393 Part of the Tan Khoa chain, the largest liquor and wine distributor in the country, the walls here are lined with a decent selection of wines, pleasantly arrayed and back lit.

Besides their selection of new and old world wines Helpful staff and free delivery.

DA LOC

96 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem; 94 Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3934 1325 This wine importer and distributor has over 250 different types of wine in its portfolio and is doing its part to bring a culture of fine wine to Hanoi. The main office and showroom is on Hai Ba Trung and an upscale outlet is located within the grounds of the Mercure Hanoi hotel on Ly Thoung Kiet.

HANOI GOURMET

1B Ham Long, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3943 1009 Not just a wine shop, the long-running Hanoi Gourmet specialises in imported cheeses, meats and artisan breads. After browsing the mainly French selection of wines, you can take a look at the deli and sit down for a light snack.

PANE E VINO WINE SHOP

3 Nguyen Khac Can, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3826 9080 This Italian favourite with a huge food menu also has a huge for-retail wine list that is 100 percent focused on fine wines and liquors from Italy. Owner Hoang has great knowledge of Italian wine and a passion to match, which is sure to land you with the best wine for any occasion.

RED APRON

18 Yen The Tel: 3747 4889 15a Ngo Van So Tel: 3943 7226 28 Xuan Dieu Tel: 3719 8337 #6, Lane 1, Au Co Tel: 3718 6271 Hanoi Club, 76 Yen Phu Tel: 3823 8749 The retail face of wine distributor Celliers d’Asia, this small wine shop is in the French Quarter, adjacent to the Metropole. The focus here is on quality and the portfolio ranges from French to Chilean to the barrage of wines coming from Down Under. Delivery service available.

CHO HOM

Corner of Pho Hue and Tran Xuan Soan, Hai Ba Trung One of the best places in the city to buy fabrics. Found a tailor, want to make clothes? Here you’ll find everything you need, stuff imported and domestic, silk, cotton, linen. Also any sewing materials you might need can be found here.

CHO SINH VIEN

Xuan Thuy and Pham Hung, Cau Giay The Student Market, across from Hanoi National University, caters to students.

Mostly durable goods, clothing and accessories here. As far as style and size of clothes, selection is a bit limited, but if you take your time you may find something worth the trouble. The market, as well as the food stalls surrounding it, are open quite late. Prices are also tailored for the student budget.

DONG XUAN

Dong Xuan, Hoan Kiem The biggest market of it’s kind in Hanoi, Dong Xuan is filled with pretty much any durable good you can think of: from jeans to jewelry, from leaf tea to livestock. The indoor market spills out onto the streets, which can also serve a good place to get a meal pretty much any time.

FLOWER MARKET

Au Co, East Side of Street The name can be a little deceptive, since it’s more of a distribution point, where flowers come in to vendors all over the city.

Of course you can buy directly from sellers here at a good price, provided you’re up late enoug`h. The other reason to come is for the pho stands. The market begins late at night and continues well past dawn.

TAY HO WEEKEND MARKET

So 4, Ngo 67, Ngach 67/12 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho www.weekendmarket.org Set up in March 2010 and organised by ASVELIS, a French-Vietnamese company specialised in the provision of services for sustainable livestock development, animal health and food safety, around 20 retailers sell traceable food and beverages every Saturday morning to hundreds of Vietnamese and foreign visitors. In addition to food and beverages, visitors can also find various non-food items such as handicrafts, books, clothes and jewellery.

PETS ASVELIS VETERINARY HOSPITAL

59 Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem Tel: 0439 287666 www.warehouse-asia.com The Warehouse is Vietnam's ultimate premium wine importer, distributor, and retailer, representing many of the greatest wines from the best wine-growing regions on the planet. The portfolio mixes the best of both old and new world wines.

So 4, Ngo 67, Ngach 67/12 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho Tel: 3718 5475 www.asvelis.com Founded by a French–Vietnamese couple who love taking care of companion animals, the ASVELIS Veterinary Hospital has developed from a small clinic into a hospital. In addition to dental care and basic laboratory test equipment, the pet hospital also offers boarding services, which are located in a pet-friendly environment in Soc Son, 10 minutes from Noi Bai airport.

VINE CELLAR DOOR

CITY ZOO

THE WAREHOUSE

7 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3719 2922 With a huge wine cellar, a tasting bar, a new array of gourmet foods and a deli case with imported meats, cheeses and olives, Vine Cellar Door Wine & Gourmet Market is a good spot to find the perfect bottle and the foods that go well with it. Also offers glassware, wine & cigar accessories, espresso, gourmet tea and a small café menu from the kitchen of Vine Restaurant.

114A Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 6660 7749 www.cityzoo.vn Hanoi pet lovers take notice. A real pet store selling all your pet needs exists. City Zoo caters to dogs, cats, birds and fish.

Dog beds line the walls at this small shop which also offers a range of imported pet food, accessories like collars and pet toys. You can even pick up a hamster while you’re here. Delivery is available on pet food.

medical

MEDICAL

fast service.

visit wordhanoi.com for a comprehensive list of our listings

LISTINGS ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 103 COSMETICS 103 COUNSELLING 103 COSMETIC SURGERY 103 DENTAL 103

MEDICAL 103 PHARMACIES 104 SUPPLEMENTS 104 VETS 104 COLUMN: MEDICAL BUFF 104

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE DR. TRAN HUONG 80 Ngo Nui Truc, Ba Dinh Tel: 0913 540907 www.drhuong.tk Dr. Tran Huong is well-known in Hanoi thanks to his long experience as both a practitioner of traditional Chinese and Western medicine. The clinic treats severe and chronic pain with a variety of drug-free methods, including acupuncture, acupressure, cupping and moxibustion.

YAKUSHI CENTER Lane 28, No 6, Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3719 1971 The centre offers such services as acupuncture, massage and traditional Chinese medicine. One of their specialties is the hot rock massage. Run by Dr. Thuy, a qualified practitioner, the Yakushi Center has a clean and relaxing environment and takes a holistic approach to health, designed to take care of both body and mind.

COSMETICS PARKSON Cnr. Thai Ha & Tay Son, Dong Da One of the newer malls in the city, Malaysian-owned Parkson offers international name brand cosmetics.

For those days when you feel like treating yourself, do your shopping in a real mall atmosphere.

TRANG TIEN PLAZA 24 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem Stop here for everything from moisturizer to lipstick before heading upstairs to continue the shopping trip.

Keep in mind, imported cosmetics don’t come cheap.

COUNSELLING INTERNATIONAL SOS VIETNAM, LTD. 51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3934 0666 www.internationalsos.com In addition to emergency healthcare, the clinic also offers consultations by in-house specialists, full counselling and psychotherapy services. Call to make an appointment.

FAMILY MEDICAL PRACTICE Van Phuc Compound, 298 I Kim Ma Road, Ba Dinh Tel: 3843 0748 (24 hours) www.vietnammedicalpractice.com Family Medical Practice provides

psychotherapy and nutrition counselling services by in-house specialists. For more information or to book an appointment, please call the clinic.

COSMETIC SURGERY NEW LIFE CLINIC 6 Nguyen Thi Thap, Khu do thi moi Trung Hoa, Nhan Chinh Tel: 6261 6166 www.newlifevietnam.comA small clinic that offers cosmetic dental work, skin treatments and minor cosmetic surgery.

The on site doctor, Ms. Ha, was trained at the University of Southern California.

DENTAL AUSTRALIAN DENTAL CLINIC 3 Nguyen Du, Dong Da Tel: 3944 5216 www.nhahoaucchau.com A clinic with modern facilities and internationally trained dentists. The prices here are more than competitive than the other international dental clinics in town.

HONG NGOC HOSPITAL 95 Nguyen Truong To, Ba Dinh Tel: 3716 3972 The dental practice is located on the first floor of this well-organised health clinic. The waiting time is short and the doctors competent.

ONE DENTAL No 8, Lane 27, Xuan Dieu,Tay Ho Tel: 3718 6168 Providing quality dentistry in calm, relaxing environment it has an attentive and experienced mixed foreign and Vietnamese dental team who are there at all times to assist with any concerns.

PEACE DENTAL CLINIC 51a Nguyen Khac Hieu, Ba Dinh Tel: 3715 2286 www.peaceclinic.biz Established in 2001, it is run by an American dentist named Frederick. The clinic has a number of dentists trained in such places as Japan, Denmark and the Czech Republic – so the doctors are also fluent in many languages.

INTERNATIONAL SOS 1 Dang Thai Mai, Tay Ho Tel: 3934 0666 24-hour emergency service with pricey, but international quality emergency and routine dental services. If your wisdom tooth needs pulling in the middle of the night, or you break a tooth, there are competent doctors and

PHARMACIES

ONE DENTAL CLINIC No 8, Alley 27, Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3718 6168 www.onedentalvietnam.com Providing clients with the best in dentistry, the international standard One Dental also creates a calm environment where customers can enjoy their dental experience. Using the latest technology, the One Dental team is there all the time to assist customers with any questions they may have.

WESTCOAST INTERNATIONAL DENTAL CLINIC 2nd Fl, Syrena Center, 51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho District, Hanoi Tel: 3710 0555 www.westcoastinternational The Westcoast International Dental Clinic is composed of dental professionals who deliver modern, high-level dental services throughout Vietnam. The clinic provides the highest quality technology, comfort and after-service care to patients.

MEDICAL FAMILY MEDICAL PRACTICE 298 I Kim Ma, Ba Dinh Tel: 3843 0748 www.vietnammedicalpractice.com On the little street directly below Kim Ma, with all sorts of specialists including OB/GYN, Pediatricians and ENT. A Medium-sized practice with both Vietnamese and international doctors, but they are used to treating expats. Also a 24-hour emergency service.

FMP PEDIATRIC UNIT Van Phuc Compound, 298 D Kim Ma Road, Ba Dinh Tel: 3726 5222 fmpkidshanoi@vietnammedicalpractice. com The Pediatric Unit of the Family Medical Practice Hanoi provides routine newborn and well-child checkups, updated immunizations and vaccinations, out-patient treatment and follow-up. FMP’s pediatric specialists provide professional consultancy from infancy to adolescence.

FRENCH HOSPITAL 1 Phuong Mai, Dong Da Tel: 3577 1100 The first international hospital created in Hanoi, and still viewed by some as the gold standard for medical treatment. Offering everything from standard medical and preventative care to surgical procedures. Full-service hospital that has both doctors and staff speaking good French and English.

INTERNATIONAL SOS 24-HOUR CLINIC 1 Dang Thai Mai, Tay Ho Tel: 3934 0666 Well-known medical clinic also known for its quality emergency services.

Doctors and consultants also provide a range of services from standard GP-style check-ups through to vaccinations, paediatrics and specialist care.

H CLINIC 24T 1 Hoang Dao Thuy, Cau Giay Tel: 6251 2835 A clinic with a very large pharmacy that can fill pretty much any prescription you get in Hanoi. They also offer minor medical consultations.

NHA THUA VINH PHUC 625 Hoang Hoa Tham, Ba Dinh While it appears to be your basic street pharmacy, this small shop front stocks some hard-to-find medicine.

SUPPLEMENTS AMEVITA SUPPLEMENTS Tel: 3759 2515 www.amevita.com.vn Sells high quality vitamins and supplements imported from the USA including multivitamins, probiotics, joint care, herbals, fitness and antiaging products. Free delivery in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Available online and at select retailers.

ULTIMATE NUTRITION Hotline: 0917 295091 www.allsportvietnam.com Protein supplements, high quality vitamins, testosterone, muscle gain and fat loss supplements for those looking for professional sports nutrition to help their exercise or training regime. Call the hotline for free delivery to your home or office.

VETS ANIMAL CARE 16 ngo 424 Thuy Khue, Tay Ho Tel: 2246 1946 / 0978 776099 www.phongkhamthuy.com Locally-run clinic specialising in treating cats and dogs as well as providing a range of pet-care accessories, from animal food to clothing, toys and much more.

ASIAN VETERINARY & LIVESTOCK SERVICES (ASVELIS) 98 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho Tel: 3178 2779 www.asvelis.com English, French and Vietnamesespeaking veterinarian providing a range of medical services as well as grooming, boarding and certification for pet import and export. Also sells a range of pets toys as well as other products.

DR. BAO, MOBILE VETERINARIAN Tel: 0903 223217, vetdoctorvn@yahoo. com On-call, English-speaking veterinarian who does the rounds in Hanoi.

Well-respected, knowledgeable and, according to the feedback, very funny.

INTERNATIONAL LABORATORY & VETERINARY SERVICES 31 Nghi Tam, Tay Ho District Tel: 3719 9994 www.vetsinvietnam.com A Vietnamese-owned small-animal veterinary clinic with English-speaking vets. Offers a range of healthcare and laboratory services as well as products for all animal needs. Products can be ordered online.

January 2013 Word | 103

medical buff COCKTAIL VÀ NƯỚC MẮM / PHỞ Ở NEPAL

SKIN CANCER SYMPTOMS AND SIGNS Skin cancer develops primarily on areas of sun-exposed skin, including the scalp, face, lips, ears, neck, chest, arms and hands, and on the legs in women. But it can also form on areas that rarely see the light of day — your palms, beneath your fingernails or toenails, and your genital area. Skin cancer affects people of all skin tones, including those with darker complexions.

Basal cell carcinoma signs and symptoms Basal cell carcinoma usually occurs in sun-exposed areas of your body, such as your neck or face. Basal cell carcinoma may appear as a pearly or waxy bump or a flat, flesh-coloured or brown scar-like lesion.

Squamous cell carcinoma signs and symptoms Most often, squamous cell carcinoma occurs on sun-exposed areas of your body, such as your face, ears and hands. Squamous cell carcinoma may appear as a firm, red nodule or a flat lesion with a scaly, crusted surface.

Melanoma signs and symptoms Melanoma can develop anywhere on your body, in otherwise normal skin or in an existing mole that becomes cancerous. Melanoma most often appears on the trunk, head or neck of affected men. In women, this type of cancer most often develops on the lower legs and even on the palms or soles, or under the fingernails or toenails.

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Melanoma signs include: — A large brownish spot with darker speckles — A mole that changes in colour, size or feel, or that bleeds — A small lesion with an irregular border and portions that appear red, white, blue or blue-black — Dark lesions on your palms, soles, fingertips or toes, or on mucous membranes lining your mouth, nose, vagina or anus CAUSES OF SKIN CANCER Skin cancer occurs when errors (mutations) occur in the DNA of skin cells. The mutations cause the cells to grow out of control and form a mass of cancer cells. Risk factors include: Fair skin Anyone, regardless of skin colour, can get skin cancer. However, having less pigment (melanin) in your skin provides less protection from damaging UV radiation.

A history of sunburns Having had one or more blistering sunburns as a child or teenager increases your risk of developing skin cancer as an adult.

Excessive sun exposure, sunny or high-altitude climates Especially if the skin isn't protected by sunscreen or clothing.

Moles People who have many moles or abnormal moles called dysplastic nevi are at increased risk of skin cancer.

Precancerous skin lesions Having skin lesions known as actinic keratoses can increase

your risk of developing skin cancer.

These appear as rough, scaly patches that range in colour from brown to dark pink.

A family history of skin cancer or a personal history of skin cancer If you developed skin cancer once, you're at risk of developing it again.

Skin cancer also runs in the family.

A weakened immune system People with weakened immune systems have a greater risk of developing skin cancer.

Prior exposure to radiation or exposure to certain substances Substances such as arsenic may increase your risk of skin cancer.

DIAGNOSING SKIN CANCER Your doctor may examine your skin to determine whether your skin changes are likely to be skin cancer. In addition, a skin biopsy or total removal of a lesion may be indicated to determine whether you have skin cancer and, if so, what type of skin cancer you have.

TREATMENTS AND DRUGS There are a range of treatments for skin cancer including freezing, excisional surgery, laser therapy, curettage and electrodesiccation, radiation therapy, chemotherapy and more.

PREVENTION Most skin cancers are preventable.

Take the following steps: Avoid the sun during the middle of the day

In northern latitudes, the sun’s rays are strongest between about 10am and 4pm. Schedule outdoor activities for other times of the day, even in winter or when the sky is cloudy.

Wear sunscreen all-year-round Sunscreens don't filter out all harmful UV radiation, but they play a major role in an overall sun protection programme. Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15. Apply sunscreen generously, and reapply every two hours — or more often if you're swimming or perspiring.

Wear protective clothing Sunscreens don't provide complete protection from UV rays. So cover your skin with dark, tightly woven clothing that covers your arms and legs, and a broad-brimmed hat.

Avoid tanning beds Be aware of sun-sensitising medications Some common prescription and over-the-counter drugs, including antibiotics, can make your skin more sensitive to sunlight, e.g.

Doxycycline.

Check your skin regularly and report changes to your doctor Examine your skin often for new skin growths or changes in existing moles, freckles, bumps and birthmarks. Look at your palms, soles and fingernails.

Dr WB McNaull MB ChB MPhil (Cambridge) DTM&H FRSTM (London) is the medical director of Family Medical Practice, 298 I Kim Ma, Ba Dinh.

“Mỗi lần như vậy, tôi đều gặp Bảo. Đáng ra cô ấy sẽ tranh cãi với tôi còn tôi thì sẽ phàn nàn về dịch vụ ở đó. Nhưng cuối cùng chúng tôi lại bắt đầu nói chuyện với nhau và mối quan hệ của chúng tôi nảy nở từ đó.”

Dù bạn có đang được phục vụ một bát phở nghi ngút khói tại Copacabana ở Rio De Janeiro, hay đang mua vội một chiếc bánh mỳ trên đường phố của New York, ngày nay bạn có thể dễ dàng tìm được món ăn Việt ở phần lớn các thành phố lớn trên thế giới. Nhưng thật đáng ngạc nhiên, vẫn có những nơi (tương đối) gần mà các món ăn đó vẫn chưa được thưởng thức. Đến với Nepal, một trong những quốc gia nghèo nhất ở Châu Á. Thủ phủ của nó là Kathmandu, nằm ẩn sâu trong chân dãy núi Himalayan, từ từ trở thành một thành phố lớn và giờ đây đã có tất cả các món ăn trên thế giới. Với mỗi loại, đều thật đặc biệt. Có lẽ bởi địa lý xa xôi, ít người biết đến, Nepal chưa cuốn hút được sự hiện diện của Việt Nam – cả thành phố chỉ có bảy người Việt. Nhưng tất cả giờ đã khác.

Bén Duyên Từ Phnom Penh

Pho o Nepal Trong thập kỷ qua chúng ta đã chứng kiến đồ ăn Việt Nam lan toả tới mọi ngóc ngách trên thế giới. Ngay cả những nơi ít người nghĩ tới nhất cũng không bị quên lãng. Welcome to Pho Saigon là quán ăn Việt Nam đầu tiên ở Kathmandu. Bài viết và ảnh bởi Galen Stolee

106 | Word January 2013

Xiebao Uy (Bảo) sinh ra tại Việt Nam, nhưng sang Campuchia từ nhỏ. Người nhà cô ai cũng là chủ nhà hàng – mẹ cô và chị gái đều có những nhà hàng Việt Nam thành công ở Phnom Penh – vì vậy cô cũng quen với việc này từ khi còn rất nhỏ.

Cùng lúc đó, Naveen Saru, một thanh niên từ nông thôn Nepal bắt đầu sự nghiệp của mình từ một chàng bồi bàn ở Thamel, nơi tập trung nhiều khách tây balô ở Kathmandu. Sau khi tốt nghiệp đại học và làm việc cho một tổ chức phi lợi nhuận của Mỹ tại Nepal, anh đã chuyển tới sống tới Campuchia. Họ đã gặp nhau, rất tình cờ, nhờ một chiếc TV hỏng.

Naveen mới chỉ đến sống ở Phnom Penh được một vài tháng. “Một hôm TV của tôi bỗng không xem được, nên tôi gọi tới trung tâm chăm sóc khách hàng.” Và người nhấc máy ở đầu dây bên kia là cô thiếu nữ trẻ Bảo, vừa mới nhận việc tiếp nhận cuộc gọi ở trung tâm này. “Những người sửa chữa chẳng bao giờ đến, cũng như ở Nepal, nên tôi phải gọi tới đó một vài lần để phàn nàn,” Naveen nhớ lại. “Mỗi lần như vậy, tôi đều gặp Bảo. Đáng ra cô ấy sẽ tranh cãi với tôi còn tôi thì sẽ phàn nàn về dịch vụ ở đó.

Nhưng cuối cùng chúng tôi lại bắt đầu nói chuyện với nhau và mối quan hệ của chúng tôi nảy nở từ đó.”

Bốn năm sau đó, họ cưới nhau và chuyển tới sống ở Hawaii, và ở đó tới năm 2010. Đầu tiên, họ không có ý định định cư lại ở Nepal.

“Chúng tôi trở lại thăm gia đình, không thực sự có ý định cụ thể nào,” Naveen nói.

Nhưng sau khi ở lại thành phố một vài tháng, chúng tôi bắt đầu có ý tưởng đó.

“Chúng tôi không thấy có đồ ăn Việt ở đây, vì thế tôi nghĩ đây là một cơ hội tốt,” anh nói, “Cũng hơi mạo hiểm, và chúng tôi không có biết nó có thành công hay không.

Nhưng cả hai đều có kinh nghiệm trong lĩnh vực này, vì thế chúng tôi bảo nhau, tại sao không nhỉ? Hãy thử xem.”

Và như thế, Saigon Phở đã được sinh ra.

Lời Nói Dễ Hơn Hành Động Nếu gọi nỗ lực của họ là một sự thử thách thì đó là một sự đánh giá thấp. Hai vợ chồng anh Naveen nhanh chóng nhận ra một vấn đề quan trọng; hầu hết những thứ để làm nên đồ ăn Việt theo đúng cách Việt Nam rất khó tìm được ở Nepal. Bảo và Naveen phải bắt đầu từ những việc cơ bản nhất. Không tìm được đúng các lọai rau củ và gia vị như húng chó, giá và sả, họ bắt đầu tự trồng lấy những loại đó, từ những hạt giống mang từ Việt Nam sang. Để làm được nước chấm và nước dùng tốt, Bảo đã phải nhờ người quen và bạn bè mang sang hương liệu phở, thịt nướng và gia vị cho nước chấm.

Cuối cùng, họ cũng ổn định được công việc của mình.

“Chúng tôi tự làm tương đen và tương ớt,” Bảo nói. “Bạn khó có thể tìm thấy ở đâu bán chúng.” Họ cũng tự làm pate và sốt mayonnaise cho món bánh mỳ.

“Hiện nay chúng tôi đang thử tự làm nước tương.” Và mặc dù bạn dễ dàng tìm thấy các thương hiệu Trung Quốc như Kikkamon quanh Kathmandu, nhưng chúng không làm vừa lòng Bảo. “Một là chúng rất đắt. Và sử dụng quá nhiều hóa chất. Chúng tôi tự làm từ những hạt đỗ tương của mình. Đồ ăn Việt phải đảm bảo được sức khỏe và tươi, điều này rất quan trọng.”

Không phải là không còn những thử thách xuất hiện đôi khi. Một thời gian năm

ngoái, do ảnh hưởng của Bão ở Thái Lan, nguồn cung cấp bánh đa làm gỏi cuốn bị ngưng hoàn toàn. Và vào những ngày nhất định (thường là ngày đắt hàng), mọi người gọi rất nhiều cà phê Trung Nguyên tớii nỗi nhà hàng không còn để phục vụ cho buổi sáng tiếp theo. “Chúng tôi từ chối dùng cà phê sản xuất ra từ đây,” Naveen nói.

“Khách hàng nhận thấy sự khác biệt chứ.”

Lựa Chọn của Người Địa Phương Ngày này, Saigon Pho tự hào có một thực đơn dồi dào món ăn vượt qua giới hạn một món phở. Bữa ăn phục vụ từ bánh xèo, cá basa hấp (nhập trực tiếp từ việt nam) cho đến bún tôm heo nướng – món đặc biệt của nhà hàng, và các sự lựa chọn khác nhau bao gồm nem cuốn với tôm cùng vời món lợn nướng truyền thống. Với sự đa dạng về món ăn, tất cả đều sử dụng rau trồng tại vườn, nước sốt tự làm, thịt và hải sản tươi sống, đồ ăn ở đây không khác gì mấy so với những nước lân cận.

Nằm đối diện khách sạn Shangri La sang trọng trong khu vực các tòa đại sứ quán của thành phố, bạn có lẽ sẽ nghĩ Saigon Phở sẽ toàn những khách du lịch quốc tế đến đây để thưởng thức chút hương vị lạ không phải của Nepal. Nhưng thật ngạc nhiên người dân bản địa chiếm tới 70 phần trăm thực khách ở đây.

“Lúc đầu cũng hơi khó khăn,” Naveen nhớ lại. “Những đồ như nước mắm, miến với các loại rau; chúng tôi thường không ăn những món như thế.” Nhưng tiếng tăm bắt đầu được truyền đi, đặc biệt những người Nepal đã từng sống ở nước ngoài, và cuối cùng Saigon Phở đã chiếm được vị trí nhất định trong lòng những người yêu mến nó. Naveen nói bản thân anh cũng thuộc một trong những người đã thay đổi như vậy.

“Anh có thể thấy là tôi thích món dal bhat [món đặc trưng làm bởi súp đậu lăng, rau chân vịt, ớt và cơm],” and nói. “Nó đã ăn vào máu tôi rồi. Nhưng tôi không thể từ chối rằng, buổi sáng, tôi ăn món Việt Nam. Rất tươi, tốt cho sức khỏe và ngon nữa.”

Phở Saigon được mở tại Kathmandu vào tháng Hai năm 2012. Để biết thêm thông tin, bạn thử google xem nhé.

January 2013 Word | 107

Cocktail và Nuoc Măm Cuba nổi tiếng với cocktail Cuba Libre, Mỹ có Manhattan và Brazil được biết đến với Caipirinha. Còn Việt Nam thì sao? Chúng tôi nghĩ đã đến lúc thử chế biến một loại cocktail đặc trưng của Việt Nam sử dụng một loại nguyên liệu truyền thống – nước mắm. Đúng thế, nước mắm! Bài viết bởi Nick Ross “Nghe ghê quá,” một ông chủ nhà hàng nói với chúng tôi như vậy khi được đề nghị làm thử một cốc cocktail với nước mắm. Đối với những người không quen, thì chắc chắn là như vậy rồi. Tại sao lại muốn phá hỏng một ly cocktail với loại gia vị được lên men và có vị mặn và nặng mùi như vậy trong khi có biết bao nguyên liệu khác có thể dùng được?

Nhưng đó không phải là điều chúng tôi lo lắng. Wasabi cocktail đã trở nên thịnh hành. Gần đây cocktail hương vị phở pha chế tại quầy bar Angelina đã xuất hiện rất nhiều trên báo chí. Trong Bloody Mary có tương ớt Tabasco và sốt Worcestershire – cũng là một loại tương tự nước mắm –và còn nhiều thứ khác nữa. Angostura Bitters thì được làm với nước chiết từ rau và ngoài ra còn rất nhiều loại đồ uống của Pháp được pha chế bằng cách trộn rượu với hồi, một loại quả bắt nguồn từ Việt Nam và Trung Quốc, và cũng có rất nhiều loại gia vị từ thực vật rất lạ và tuyệt vời đã được dùng để làm gin.

Vì vậy, với nước mắm, nguyên liệu đặc trưng của Việt Nam và được dùng trong nhiều lĩnh vực, cũ có, đặc có, trong rượu có, vậy tại sao chúng ta không thử xem nó có thể tạo nên sự khác biệt ở cocktail?

Cũng không phải là chưa có ai thử nghiệm cách này. Trước đây Daluva đã từng có hai loại cocktail có thành phần nước mắm

108 | Word January 2013

trong thực đơn của họ. Nhưng chắc chắn đây là cách ít người đã từng nghĩ đến.

Vậy để bắt đầu cho cuộc thử nghiệm của chúng ta, chúng tôi yêu cầu năm quán bar pha chế loại tuyệt nhất của họ. Sau những lần nhấm nháp nếm thử, họ đã cho ra đời các công thức sau đây. Cả năm loại cocktail đã làm cho chúng tôi mãn nguyện. Có lẽ giờ chúng ta có thể nói nước mắm không chỉ là loại gia vị thích hợp cho các món ăn.

1. Cocktail Bloodyjito Le Paul Conti, 59 Nam Ngư, Q. Hoàn Kiếm Nguyên Liệu Skyy vodka, ngò tây, nước mắm nấm, nước cà chua, ớt bột. Trộn lẫn.

Lời Người Pha Chế Người đại diện cho Le Paul Conti là Hải Hà, một người chế rượu được đào tạo theo phong cách Pháp và rất thích các thử nghiệm mới. Vì thế, với cocktail nước mắm, anh đã thử với một số loại rượu mạnh, mùi vị và kiểu khác nhau, tất cả đều sử dụng loại nước mắm có vị nấm được làm bởi La Verticale. Jameson’s kết hợp với vỏ cam và Campari là một phiên bản thành công, tương tự Vodkatini kết hợp với Skyy Vodka, Vermouth khô đậm với một chút nước chanh, nước mắm và vỏ chanh cũng rất tuyệt vời. Nhưng giành

2

1

chiến thắng chắc chắn là Bloodyjito, tên gọi anh đã quyết định đặt cho nó.

Pha chế tương tự như mojiho ¬– với tất cả các nguyên liệu được trộn lẫn vào nhau trước khi thêm nước hoa quả ¬– một chút ngò tây mang lại chất Trung Đông rõ nét, và cũng làm cho nó nổi bật hơn hẳn các cách pha chế sử dụng nước cà chua. Màu sắc trông cũng hết sức quyến rũ.

Cảm Nhận Một loại đồ uống khá mạnh nhưng lại có vị êm dịu, ớt và nước mắm được làm cân bằng nhờ vị ngò tây.

và một chút bạc hà.

“Hương vị nổi bật nhất rất giống với món ăn của chúng tôi,” anh Peter nói.

“Mạnh nhưng cân bằng và rất Việt. Nước mắm là loại nguyên liệu tuyệt vời cho đồ uống bởi vị mặn của nó tương tự như muối biển. Nó cũng làm cân bằng vị ngọt của đường và mật ong.”

Cảm Nhận Một vị trà có pha chế trong kiểm soát – sả giữ cho đồ uống có điểm nhấn sắc nét, trong khi gừng và whiskey tạo ra độ ấm. Đây là loại đồ uống thích hợp cho mùa đông.

3. Cocktail Michelada Daluva, 33 Tô Ngọc Vân, Tây Hồ Nguyên Liệu Nước ép cà chua, nước chanh, nước cam, tương ớt Tabasco, mắm tôm, và bia. Phục vụ kèm đá.

2. Trà Hương Vị Phú Quốc Pots ‘n Pans, 57 Bùi Thị Xuân, Hai Bà Trưng Nguyên Liệu Trà vị sả, whisky Makers Mark pha chút bạc hà, nước mắm dưới dạng caramel với gừng và mật ong Lời Người Pha Chế Loại cocktail này, theo như Peter Lawrence từ Pots ‘n Pans, được lấy cảm hứng từ Phú Quốc. Khi bạn đi du lịch, bạn sẽ cảm nhận được hương vị của biển, của hoa, và một chút nước mắm từ các nhà máy ở đó.

Hương vị của xả, gừng, và nước mắm rất mạnh nhưng lại rất đặc biệt, tạo ra một đồ uống tuyệt vời khi kếp hợp với rượu mạnh

Lời Người Pha Chế Sinh ra tại Israel, lớn lên tại Mỹ và sống tại Hà Nội, đầu bếp Shahar Lubin là một tín đồ lớn của ẩm thực Mexico, Việt Nam và Trung Đông, tất cả hòa quyện làm một.

“Tôi cho nước mắm vào hầu hết các món,” Shahar nói và cười. “Không bao giờ có đủ nước mắm cho tôi dùng đâu.” Được cho là thức uống hữu hiệu cho những người sau cơn say, Michelada có gốc từ Mexico đã được biến tấu dưới rất nhiều dạng đến nỗi người ta không còn nhớ tới nguyên bản của nó. Shahar biến đổi nó bằng cách cho một chút mắm tôm, một nguyên liệu rất mạnh, ngay cả cho những người ăn được tất cả các món Việt.

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Nhưng vì loại cocktail này thường được làm với nước cà chua clamato, mắm tôm lại là nguyên liệu thay thế hoàn hảo cho nước trai thường dùng.

Cảm Nhận Cảm giác được uống đúng hương vị đặc trưng của loại sex-in-a-glass làm tôi mãn nguyện. Thơm, đậm, ngọt, chút cồn, và dễ uống, tất cả những điều này sẽ làm bạn thực sự ngất ngây.

4. Phía Dưới Cây Cầu Angelina, 56 Lý Thái Tổ, Q. Hoàn Kiếm Nguyên Liệu Sả, gừng, nước mắm, lòng trắng trứng, nước chanh tươi, si-rô đường, Tanqueray gin, tequila. Lắc, lọc ba lần và rót vào ly Martini.

Lời Người Pha Chế “Tôi lớn lên trong một gia đình nghèo,” Phạm Tiến Tiệp, người pha chế chính của Angelina nói. “Một trong những kỷ niệm của tôi là ăn ốc trong những quán xá tềnh toàng dưới chân ầu Chương Dương. Nước chấm là sự pha trộn của nước mắm, sả, chanh và đường. Tôi luôn luôn có ký ức rất rõ về hương và vị của bát nước chấm đó. Ý tưởng ở đây là tạo ra một loại cocktail không chỉ phản ánh được ký ức đó mà là hương vị của Việt Nam.” “Cho cocktail thì tôi đã thay ốc bằng lòng trắng trứng. Tôi cũng đã làm lạnh ly bằng nước ướp xả để tạo mùi thơm. Khi mới thử làm ra loại đồ uống này, tôi đã mời một số khách uống thử. Họ uống cạn ly. Rồi hỏi tôi, “Anh cho cái gì vào vậy?”

“Khi tôi nói với họ sự thật, họ đã sốc.”

4

Cảm Nhận Đây là loại mang lại hương vị đáng yêu, êm dịu và có một chút ngọt và thanh nhã.

Vị của gừng, sả và nước mắm đều hòa quyện với nhau.

Cocktail Bloody Caesar với Nước Mắm Don’s Tây Hồ, 16 Ngõ 27 Xuân Diệu, Q. Tây Hồ Nguyên Liệu: Củ cải ngựa, chanh, sốt Worcestershire, tương ớt Tabasco xanh và đỏ, nước mắm, nước cà chua clamato, Viking vodka, tiêu đen, cần tây, muối ớt (để rắc trên viền ly) Lời Người Pha Chế “Trong thực đơn của chúng tôi đã có loại này nhưng chưa cho nước mắm,” ông chủ Donald Berger nói, “Tôi là người Canada còn vợ tôi là người Việt Nam. Vì thế tôi đã quen dùng nước mắm và không khó để tưởng tượng nó có thể kết hợp hoàn hảo với hương vị của trai và cà chua clamato.

Chỉ thêm một vài giọt thôi tôi đã cảm thấy hương vị của nó hấp dẫn hơn hẳn. Cũng tốt để cho thêm chút hương vị Việt Nam này vào một trong những loại cocktail được ưa chuộng nhất của chúng tôi.”

Cảm Nhận Loại cocktail này mang hương vị nồng nhiệt kiểu Bloody Mary với một chút cay.

Chắc chắn bạn sẽ muốn nếm thử nó.

Tất cả các loại cocktail trên đều đã có bán. Giá cả có khác nhau tùy nơi pha chế.

January 2013 Word | 109

The Final Say PHO IN NEPAL / THE LAST CALL

Pho in Nepal The last decade has seen Vietnamese cuisine spread its tentacles to the four corners of the culinary globe. Even the most unlikely destinations have not been forgotten. Welcome to Pho Saigon, the first Vietnamese restaurant in Kathmandu. Words and photos by Galen Stolee

W

hether you’re being served a steaming bowl of pho at the Copacabana in Rio De Janeiro, or just grabbing a quick banh my on the streets of New York City, today you can easily get your Vietnamese fix in most of the world’s major cities. But surprisingly, there are still some places (relatively) nearby where its reach hasn’t quite been felt yet.

Enter Nepal, one of the poorest countries in Asia. Its capital Kathmandu, nestled in the foothills of the Himalayan mountains, has slowly emerged as a growing metropolis, and now offers every kind of cuisine under the sun. Every kind, that is, save for one. Either because of distance or obscurity, Nepal hasn’t quite attracted a Vietnamese presence — the city is home to a Vietnamese population of seven. That has now changed.

A Match Made in Phnom Penh Xiebao Uy (Bao) was born in Vietnam,

110 | Wo 11 110 Word W orrd d JJa January anu anu nuary ary 2 ar 20 2013 013 13

relocating to Cambodia as a young girl.

Coming from a family of restaurant owners — her mother and sister both run successful Vietnamese food spots in Phnom Penh — she was surrounded by cooking from an early age. At the same time, Naveen Saru, a young boy from rural Nepal, was starting his career waiting tables at restaurants in Thamel in the backpacker district of Kathmandu. After graduating university and working for an American non-profit based in Nepal, he was transferred to Cambodia. How the two came to meet, as it happens, was all thanks to a faulty television.

Naveen had only been living in Phnom Penh for a few months. “One day my TV stopped working, so I called into the [customer service] centre.” And who should pick up but a young Bao, who had taken a job operating the phone line at the centre. “Workers never show up, just like in Nepal, so I had to call several times complaining,” Naveen recalls.

January 2013 Word | 111

“Each time I would reach Bao. She would be arguing with me, and I would be complaining about the service. Eventually we just started talking, and that’s how our relationship grew.”

Four years later they were married and moving to Hawaii, where they lived together until 2010. At first, they had no intentions of settling in Nepal.

“We came back to visit my family, without any real plan,” says Naveen. But after spending a few months in the city, a thought slowly occurred to them.

“We didn’t see any Vietnamese food

“Each time I would reach Bao. She would be arguing with me, and I would be complaining about the service.

Eventually we just started talking, and that’s how our relationship grew.” here, so there was this opportunity,” he adds. “It was kind of risky, and we had no idea if it would be successful. But we both had backgrounds in [the food industry], so we said why not? Let’s try it.”

And with that, Saigon Pho was born.

Easier Said than Done To call their endeavour a challenge would be an understatement. The pair quickly discovered a significant problem; most of the things that make Vietnamese food so, well, Vietnamese, are actually quite hard to find in Nepal. Bao and Naveen had to start completely from scratch.

When they couldn’t find the right varieties of vegetables such as Asian basil, bean sprouts and lemongrass, they started growing their own using seeds from Vietnam. In order to make the right sauces and broths, Bao asked her visiting friends

112 | Word January 2013

and relatives to bring over pho, barbecue and sauce spices.

Eventually they found their stride.

“Today we make all our hoisin sauce and chilli sauce ourselves,” says Bao. “You can hardly find them here.” They’ve also managed to create their own pate and mayonnaise for banh my. “Right now we’re trying to make our own soy sauce.” And although you can easily find Chinese brands like Kikkamon around Kathmandu, it’s simply not up to Bao’s standards. “It’s too expensive, for one.

And filled with chemicals. We make ours with soybeans. Vietnamese food is meant to be healthy and fresh, it’s very important.”

Not that there aren’t still challenges now and then. At one point last year, due to the floods in Thailand, their supply of rice paper for goi cuon (summer rolls) was completely cut off. And on certain (apparently very productive) days, people consume so much of the imported Trung Nguyen coffee that the restaurant barely has enough to cover the following morning. “We refuse to make our coffee with local grounds,” says Naveen. “People know the difference.”

A Local Hit Today, Saigon Pho boasts an impressive selection of menu items that extend far beyond the eponymous noodle soup.

Meals include everything from banh xeo, to

steamed basa fish (shipped directly from Vietnam), to one of the restaurant’s signature dishes — bun tom heo nuong, a variation on the favourite that includes spring rolls and shrimp along with the standard barbecued pork. With the variety of dishes to try, all featuring garden vegetables, homemade sauce, fresh meat and seafood, the food here couldn’t be more different than other neighbourhood offerings.

Positioned directly across from the ritzy Shangri La hotel in the embassy district of town, you might expect Saigon Pho to be flush full of international travellers looking to escape from Nepali food for a night. But surprisingly, it’s local Nepalis that make up about 70 percent of their customers.

“It was a bit difficult at first,” Naveen recalls. “Things like fish sauce, glass noodles with vegetables; we don’t usually eat these things.” But word began to spread, especially through Nepalis who had lived abroad, and eventually Saigon Pho gained a steady fan-base. Naveen counts himself among the converted.

“Look, I love dal bhat [an iconic dish made of lentil soup, spinach, chilli and rice],” he says. “It’s in my blood. But I cannot deny it. In the morning, I go for Vietnamese food. It’s just so fresh, healthy and good.”

Pho Saigon was opened in Kathmandu in February 2012. For more information do a search on Google.

January 2013 Word | 113

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114 | Word January 2013

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1

the LAST CALL ONENESS IS… a way of thinking that originates from the South of India. Oneness helps us to observe the ego, the mind chatter and negative thought patterns, and brings us back into our hearts. That’s where the magic happens.

MEDITATION IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE… It helps you to find silence within the noise.

Let’s face it, we can all do with a bit of that sometimes in this lively city! It helps you to see through the smog in your life and to recognise how much our egos can rule our behaviour.

NOT DRINKING ALCOHOL… was strange at first. I’ve always enjoyed fine wine but after years of indulgent living, my body had been ‘whispering’ that it needed a break, but I ignored the signs. I got pneumonia last January, a clear signal that I needed to slow down. I stopped drinking and haven’t looked back. At first, I mourned the loss of that Friday night high drinking wine, but I re-discovered my love for music and dancing again, just without the booze.

I DON'T REGRET… my crazier days of partying. I had lots of fun, made amazing friends.

I have lots of stories and anecdotes. One that makes my friends laugh, maybe because it is so different from how I am now, was getting into a sticky situation which ended up with me punching a spectaclewearing-clown. It sounds

116 | Word January 2013

indefensible but I promise there's a back story! I don't miss those days but neither do I regret them.

THE WAY TO HAVE A HAPPY LIFE IS TO… keep it real! We can find satisfaction in external things and from people – I’m in love with being in love, and a wardrobe full of new boots and handbags is great. But, boots get battered and the honeymoon phase dissipates.

I’m not a cynic when it comes to true love, but we can’t be reliant upon things outside of us to make us authentically happy. We need to find the peace and happiness that resides inside and to flow with change. Otherwise, we’re just chasing the next fix.

PEOPLE SOMETIMES CRITICISE ONENESS BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE A RELIGION… which it’s not.

It’s not even a ‘belief’, so to speak. It’s about finding your own individual truth and being alright with it. Oneness, for me, is freedom. I believe we can connect to a higher power anywhere at any time. There can’t be only one religion or practice to suit everyone. We’re all individual so it makes sense for us all to discover a higher power in our own way.

THE DEC. 21 2012 WAS A SIGNIFICANT DATE TO SOME PEOPLE BECAUSE… it is believed to be the end of the world… as we know it! Many philosophers interpret the

After contracting pneumonia, Oneness and meditation trainer Caz McDonagh took a life-changing decision. She hasn’t looked back since. Photo by Aaron Joel Santos

end of the Mayan Calendar on Dec. 21 to represent the birth of a new age on our planet: of oneness, where people realise we are all connected to each other, to nature, to animals.

WHAT IS AMAZING ABOUT… life is that you truly never know what tomorrow may bring. I remember believing I would be a secretary and live in my home city of London forever with my house, a husband and 2.4 kids. I didn’t realise I’d move to the very unique Hanoi to become an ESL teacher. Or, come to that, appear on stage in suspenders (more than once), sing songs I’d written for charity fundraisers, organise my own fundraising art and music event, become a Deeksha Giver or a Oneness Trainer. I’m excited about tomorrow!

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING I HAVE LEARNT IS… never take anything for granted and to be grateful for everything.

For further information about Caz’s meditation and Oneness classes, email cazoneness@gmail.com.