Davao Delicious

Vietnamese cuisine for me is soul food. I mean, when eating Vietnamese food, I feel refreshed and nourished. What I appreciate in their cooking is that, their dishes contain a healthy amount of vegetables and spices. In Davao, the best place for authentic and soulful Vietnamese cuisine is Hanoi.

With two branches now, Hanoi is owned by the same family who gave Davao the longest-running Japanese restaurant, Tsuru. Knowing the commitment they have to quality cuisine and good customer service, you can be assured of an enjoyable experience at Hanoi.

The 6th leg of the Davao Food Trip was hosted by Hanoi, where the bloggers were given free rein to order to their hearts’ delight. Of course, we didn’t pass up the chance to order crab! I would’ve wanted the Crab in Tamarind Sauce, but most of my companions preferred the Crab in Butter & Garlic (P89.60/100g).

There are only a handful of places in Davao that prepare crab in a way that makes your mouth water. Hanoi is most certainly one of them. Good news to crab lovers: Hanoi has eat-all-you-can buffet lunch and dinner every 8th of the month — crabs included! And it’s only P395 per person.

Vietnamese cooking apparently makes use of noodles a lot. I like it because noodles absorb the flavor of sauces, and because it keeps me from eating more rice somehow. Most of our orders last Saturday contained noodles, including my favorite at Hanoi: Cha Nuong (P179.20). It’s an order of five rolls made of rice paper, ground pork barbecue, rice noodles (like soba, I think), lettuce, fresh basil leaves, carrot slices.

If you don’t like eating with your hands, you can have the Cha Nuong served already rolled. Otherwise, I suggest you roll it yourself — interactive food! On days when you’re not really in the mood to order too many items, having just Cha Nuong can be very satisfying.

Photos courtesy of Andrew dela Serna.

But our group was in the mood for feasting, so we had two other appetizers besides. We also ordered Cha Gio (P123.20), or fried spring rolls; as well as Goi Buoi (P145.60), Hanoi’s famed pomelo salad with shrimp and pork.

Some of us also opened our appetites with Pho Duc Biet (P190.40), or the beef noodle soup special. It has tender beef strips, lots of white onion, vegetables and, of course, noodles, in a spice-laden broth. One order serves 5 or 6.

Aside from the three servings of crab, our entrée consisted of Bo Luc Lac (P257.60) and Ca Chung (P537.60). The former is also known as Beef Tenderloin with Tomatoes, which is another favorite at Hanoi. The latter — Lapu-Lapu (aka grouper) in Vermicelli with Mushrooms & Vegetables — was a total hit with the bloggers. The vermicelli and hint of soy sauce was reminiscent of sukiyaki, but possessed of a distinctly Vietnamese flavor. I couldn’t stop eating until I’d cleaned off the grouper down to the bones…

The coffee lovers among us finished off with the Vietnamese Brewed Coffee (P61.60). It is a strong blend and brewed right in front of you. The ground coffee and hot water are poured into a percolator of sorts, which is placed atop your cup. You have the option of stirring in the jigger of condensed milk, just like how the Vietnamese do it.

This wasn’t my first time at Hanoi. But each time I eat there, I feel exactly the same way: guiltlessly satisfied and happy.

Hanoi Vietnamese Cuisine is on J. Camus St., Davao City, in the same building as Tsuru. Tel.: (82)225-4501. The other one is at Damosa Gateway, Lanang; tel.: 235-0501. Both restaurants are open everyday, from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM, and then from 5:30 PM to 10:00 PM.

Tags: coffee, noodles, spring rolls, Vietnamese

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