Travel Hanoi Like A Local Day 3 🇻🇳 | Local Hanoi Food Adventure Beyond Tourists
Our Day 3 in Hanoi was another slow and relaxing day, mainly focused on discovering unique Vietnamese delicacies — including dishes that are considered rare even among locals — along with some famous traditional desserts in the evening. Since many of these hidden food gems were scattered around the city, it turned into a fun little food adventure as well.
We started our morning by sending our dirty laundry to Mr Wash Laundry near our hotel before grabbing a refreshing cup of coconut matcha at Trung Nguyên Legend Cafe in Hoàn Kiếm. The drink was cooling and aromatic, perfect for Hanoi’s warm weather. From there, we visited Authentic Bat Trang, a lovely ceramic store selling handmade pottery from Bat Trang, Vietnam’s oldest and most famous ceramics village.
Next came one of the most memorable culinary experiences of the trip at Miến Lươn Chân Cầm, a local eatery famous for its freshwater eel glass noodles. I personally loved the crispy deep-fried eel version. The glass noodles were smooth and springy, the eel was perfectly crispy and crunchy, and the broth was deeply flavorful and comforting. It was so good that we even ordered extra eel on the side.
After brunch, we headed to Bay Mau Lake, a peaceful little lake located south of Hanoi’s famous Hoàn Kiếm Lake. The area was filled with walking paths, cozy cafes, and outdoor gyms. It was calm and relaxing, although the weather started getting quite hot as noon approached.
From there, we took a Grab to St. Joseph’s Cathedral, the oldest church in Hanoi. The atmosphere felt peaceful and spiritual, while the architecture — both inside and outside — was absolutely stunning. After spending some time around the cathedral area, we continued our food hunt and took another Grab ride to Quán Bún ốc nguội Cô Báu, where a lovely lady serves traditional cold snail noodles from her own home.
The dish here was incredibly unique. The cold snail broth is made using Giấm Bỗng vinegar, a special Northern Vietnamese vinegar produced from leftover fermented glutinous rice wine. The flavor was unbelievable — sour, spicy, refreshing, and deeply savory all at once. We ended up ordering multiple bowls and ate until our hearts were completely satisfied.
Towards the evening, we collected our clothes from the laundry and returned to our hotel for a short rest before dinner. Later, we made our way to Ốc nóng Ngao hấp, a hidden gem tucked inside a narrow alley. We enjoyed a feast of snails, clams, and incredibly flavorful fermented pork meatballs that paired perfectly with the seafood.
After dinner, dessert time began at Chè 4 Mùa on Hàng Cân Street, a legendary dessert shop that has been serving traditional Vietnamese sweet soups for over 50 years. Just when we thought our stomachs could not take any more food, we stumbled upon another dessert shop right outside our hotel — Sữa chua thạch lá nếp — famous for its pandan leaf jelly desserts and yogurt treats.
Hanoi truly knows how to fill both your heart and your stomach to the absolute maximum.
Pada hari ketiga jelajah Hanoi sebagai 'local', saya benar-benar terpesona dengan keunikan makanan yang ditawarkan, banyak di antaranya seperti Miến Lươn Chân Cầm yang menggunakan belut air tawar, yang menyediakan rasa rangup dan kuah yang kaya, satu pengalaman yang saya belum pernah dapat di tempat lain. Selain makanan, kunjungan ke Bat Trang untuk melihat kepingan tembikar buatan tangan dari kampung seni tertua di Vietnam membuka perspektif baru tentang warisan budaya dan keindahan seni tempatan yang jarang diangkat dalam panduan pelancongan biasa. Menikmati bún ốc nguội Cô Báu yang menggunakan Giấm Bỗng - cuka khas utara yang diperbuat daripada sisa fermentasi arak pulut - memberikan sensasi rasa yang unik, menggabungkan keasaman dan pedas yang menyegarkan. Saya merasakan ini bukan sahaja hidangan, tetapi juga satu warisan rasa yang menceritakan kisah masyarakat Vietnam Utara. Selain makanan dan budaya, suasana sekitar Tasik Bay Mau dan Katedral St. Joseph memberikan suasana ketenangan dan spiritual yang baik, cocok untuk berehat sejenak selepas aktiviti makan dan berjalan kaki sepanjang hari. Malamnya, saya tidak lepaskan peluang mencuba Ốc nóng Ngao hấp dalam lorong tersembunyi, di mana kelezatan siput dan bebola daging fermentasi yang wangi benar-benar memikat lidah, diikuti dengan dessert pandan jelly dan yogurt dari kedai Sữa chua thạch lá nếp yang berada tepat di luar hotel saya, menutup hari dengan manis dan puas. Pengalaman saya hari ini membuktikan Hanoi bukan sahaja destinasi makanan biasa, tetapi sebuah perjalanan rasa yang kaya, menghubungkan kita dengan budaya dan keunikan Vietnam secara mendalam. Saya sangat mengesyorkan pengembara makanan ini kepada sesiapa yang ingin meneroka dalaman Hanoi dan menikmati sesuatu yang luar biasa daripada perjalanan biasa ke tempat pelancongan.
