Comfort Food

Eating here felt like a cultural lesson on Hanoi. So there I was, expecting a side plate full of beansprouts and basil, but the friendly owners shared with me that it wasn't how it is served in Hanoi. Instead, what the locals get is a plate of fried doughnuts (or more familiarly known to us as youtiao) to dip into the flavourful soup. True enough, the place which was brimming with Vietnamese patrons all had youtiao on their tables. It isn't on the menu (yet) but it is definitely a must order!! The noodles were good (smooth & slippery) and you could really feel the love, time and effort put into cooking the soup. But dipping youtiao into it... was just an interesting experience I wish I had never missed out on.

Eons ago, I had a very meh meal here, whose only saving grace was the crispy carrot cake. I'd written it off but the dish popped up on my ig feed recently. The restaurant seemed to have gained quite a lot of good comments recently, so I finally came back. It's super packed, the carrot cake is still as en pointe as I remember, and my beloved claypot fish turned out pretty comforting too. Guess you gotta know which dishes to order, and damn well stick to it. For instance, the beef pho has good soup but meat's tough. Got my heart set on grilled prawns, fried quail, and cockles for subsequent visits. It's pretty near my place, so I might come by more often when I've got people to share the cooked dishes (as opposed to noodles) with.