By dusk, Hanoi's streets come alive with the clattering of pans and rise of steam as tasty food bubbles and boils in Vietnam's Northern culinary powerhouse.
We'll venture outside the Old Quarter, starting at St. Joseph's cathedral, where we'll soon find closely-guarded family recipes for iconic dishes, biting into fluffy banh mi baguette, and slurping on a drool-worthy beef pho noodle soup - all washed down with a freshly squeezed sugarcane juice.
Discover why Michelin gave the city a food reputation to boast about, from sizzling bánh xèo pancakes and grilled bun cha pork patties, to wok-fried eel cake and crunchy crab spring rolls.
Toss your fork over shredded nom bò papaya salad with beef, served alongside translucent tapioca dumplings. All before a traditional bia hoi joint thats been around for decades. Locally brewed beer clinks over garlicky morning glory and tofu drizzled with scallion oil. Amongst more surprises, there's 15+ tastings in all, you'll need an extra notch on your belt by the time we're done with our foodie marathon.
Our sweet dessert at the end takes us finally back to the cathedral, dazzling in illuminations by night. You'll end the tour armed with the confidence to order local food across the country, leaving with a bellyful of memories.
