We sit down on the small wooden stools in this unassuming Vietnamese cafe. Nga switches on the fan and hands us the menus. It's all here, English, Canadian or American Breakfast. Bacon, tomato and eggs, steak and eggs, or bacon, egg, tomato and potato, all cubed up and tossed together. Not sure how they went about assigning nationalities to these dishes but so be it. It's a natural cure for any hazy hungover day and pretty damn fine on a clear day too.
Nga runs this cafe with her two sisters, though we rarely see them, and the menu proclaims this place has been open 'since 1991'. This is not the place to go however if you're in a hurry. Good things take time and perfection takes even longer. Everything here is prepared from scratch. It's simple and hearty fare, the juices and shakes a Vietnamese fruity delight, the coffee, sweet and strong.
The hash browns here have my vote as the best thing on the menu. The potatos are sliced into little sticks, whacked together and then fried within an inch of their lives. Salty, crispy potatoey goodness, I can barely contain myself as I wait for them to arrive, piping hot with a crunch on every bite.
I love this place. Check it out. It's a little slice of Hanoi heaven.
The Rundown (cheap as chips)
English Breakfast 23 000 VND ($1.90 AUD, $1.45 USD), Canadian Breakfast 27 000 VND ($2.25 AUD, $1.70 USD), American Breakfast 27 000 VND ($2.25 AUD, $1.70 USD), Omelette 13 000 VND ($1.07 AUD, $0.81 USD), Hash Browns 10 000 VND ($0.82 AUD, $0.63 USD), Orange Juice 10 000 VND ($0.82 AUD, $0.63 USD).Cafe 129
129 Mai Hac De
Hanoi
Open early till late
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