Half day Vietnamese food tour with Daniel Hoyer from the Well Eaten Path

We decided to have a bit of a lie in today and take it easy. We went back up to the 24 hour food street to grab some breakfast. We had seen a place on the first night we wanted to check out – Puku –  I opted for the eggs Benedict and did wonder if the hollandaise sauce was going to cause me some grief later but all good!! Thera’s ‘full kiwi breakfast’ also hit the spot with a couple cups of good coffee – I have to admit to very much liking Vietnamese coffee. Strong and flavourful.

Awesomely tasty street food with 20 cent beers!!

Thera and I really love our food, Thera has a number of intolerances but we had been looking forward to the trip for the food. A bit of research by Thera found a food tour done by a guy called Daniel Hoyer – he’s a published authour with cookbooks on Amazon – Culinary Vietnam  being one we nearly took home with us from him, but was just too big to carry. He also has a restaurant in Hanoi called Provechos, which actually serves a variety of Mexican food, based on his time in South America as a chef – Culinary Mexico might be more to your tastebuds

Anyway at 3pm he came and picked us up with one of his staff Phuong, a lovely, quiet girl who had great fun with Thera on the back of her bike

We waited for a wedding procession on our street to pass and we hopped on the bikes and we were off. Definitely get on an Om whilst you are here as the back of a bike is a brilliant way to see the city.  You will see the guys sat at crossroads on their bikes, and they will pretty much take you anywhere you want to go – cheaper than a taxi and more convenient. We had walked a lot of the Hoan Kiem lake area but getting on the bike we explored a local market, bought some  herbs,watched the lady stun the frogs (brutal) hit up a motorcycle cafe for some coffee and then on to a couple restaurants – starters were at a local place just by he lake

where John McCain was pulled out during the War. The corn dish and the mussels were amazing!! Then to a Bia Hoi for dinner. Yummy veg, salad, pork (no frog) and plenty of local beer (5000dong 25cents a glass) tastes good as well – Properly stuffed we were dropped off back at the hotel, and promptly went out again towards the old quarter for a bit more exploring. We also popped into Provechos for a night cap up on the first floor looking down on the street watching the world go about its business.  I had been worried about the bike earlier in the day as I was on the back of Daniels and I am not a small human being,  but we arrived at the restaurant just as he was leaving with his partner and their son, plus a bag of laundry, all on the bike! Home and pack as we had an 8am pick up for the trip to Halong bay. I was very much looking forwards to this destination. Night night