In a quest to find somewhere local to eat in Hanoi we headed north from Bia Hoi corner (a cross roads of 10p beer joints) in search of some street food. After only a couple of blocks we were rewarded with the familiar asian site of lots of red and blue plastic tables and chairs, stuffed to the rafters with locals. Perfect.
We took our seats and started to browse the menu. Whilst doing so I perused the tables around us, equally happy to point rather than speak my order, to see if anything looked tasty. I noticed a couple of tables sat eating what looked like plates of crinkle cut chips and gravy. I maybe a southerner through and through but I'm proud to enjoy this great northern delicacy so set upon putting my case forward to the others in my group. Being surrounded by long term travellers it wasn't hard to convince them we needed some Western food. We asked the waitress for some and she replied 'Beefsteak?'. Not only was it chips and gravy, hidden underneath was a dinky little 4 oz steak, a throwback to the French colonial days I can only assume. Does it get any better than this?
It was only after ordering that I noticed literally everyone in the restaurant had ordered it alongside other dishes. A glance to my left showed why as a 10 foot banner announced Bit Tet (beef steak) in foot high red letters, complete with 2 foot wide photo of said beef steak. Seems we'd stumbled upon a steak specialist.
Whilst the steak would win no prizes (well outside the value prize anyway, it was a mighty £1.25) stood up against 10 oz of 28 day aged, drippingly rare Longhorn it was damn good. It was well browned yet tender, the gravy more a garlic and pepper sauce with the once crisp chips yielding to it in parts in soggy edged defeat. If that wasn't good enough after near half a year of rice and noodles it came with a crusty baguette, another throwback to colonial days, which was perfect for mopping the plate clean.
Western food without the guilt. I like.
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