Everything Random

A friend of mine lives in Hanoi for the last five years as an expat. We have not seen each other for more than two years that I rung him up a few days ago to catch up.

He was kind enough to suggest a place for dinner near my hotel, as Independence Day parade rehearsals in Hanoi made travelling crazy in the city because of several road closures. We went to Mái Lá – Cơm Việt từ trái tim, a restaurant near the west lake, whose name translates to “Vietnamese rice from the heart”.

The resto, while it looks like a hole-in-the-wall from the outside, is a stunner. The place is quite small but the space was utilised well and decorated stylishly, that it feels like your old Hanoi noodle houses with low chairs and small tables but upgraded to a stylish cafe.

The food is good and the ingredients are fresh. My faves are the sauteed spinach in garlic, bo luc lac, tofu in tomato sauce, and braised pork.

Mai La is cosy and quite a favourite of locals and tourists. While it is a pricey when compared with the local restaurants nearby, it is a comfortable place for insightful conversations. I really had a good time with my friend that night as we shared life lessons over good food.

Do I recommend? Yes. The only downside is you will smell of food when you leave the place as I think the exhaust is not fully able to absorb the smoke from the busy cooking. 8/10!