Tag Archive: Egg Coffee
We are back in Hanoi and still seriously in search for the best egg coffee — and where else should we look but where it all started? First discovered, or rather concocted in 1925, when an ex-bartender of the famous 5-star Metropole Hotel thought of substituting fresh milk with egg to make Hanoi’s “cappuccino”. It was the perfect solution at a time when milk was a luxury and scarce. Only problem then was that it took an entire half hour to beat the high-quality free-range eggs to make a cup of egg coffee! Thankfully, the egg blenders have made this tedious process a thing of the past now. It can only be expected that the man — Nguyen Van Giang — who created and introduced the egg coffee runs the best egg coffee place in Hanoi. Still in the same unpretentious building and yes, still the same recipe but likely using egg blenders. For the life of me, I was kind of hesitant to try raw egg yolks in my coffee but Mr. Giang’s recipe reportedly uses only eggs from free-range hens fed on natural food! They say there’s a secret ingredient but I bet Mr. Giang shared that with his daughter who now runs the 2nd best egg coffee shop “Dinh Cafe”.
Since we’ve already tried the iced coconut coffee of Cong Ca Phe when we were in Sapa, Northern Vietnam, we skipped their Hanoi outlet and instead booked another grab ride to arrive in the Hidden Gem Cafe. Truly hidden! The narrow alley snaked past a garage and two flights of stairs. But we’re so happy to be here. Amazing how the owner recycled so much stuff and seamlessly put them all together here. Here, we tried the sticky rice iced coffee, a good looking lemonade with blue tea and an iced coconut coffee. Their bahn mi and rolls may not be the best but they’d do if you’re hungry. It simply is exciting to be in this spot which we found bohemian and artsy. Just be sure you beat the crowds by coming real early or at odd hours. I’m sure it gets busy and because it’s not air conditioned, you may not get the spot we had where there’s a breeze to ward off the heat.
This coffee place didn’t waste any walls nor corners. There was always something going on on some walls — a mural, a garden, something both artistic and odd. The 2 flights of stairs get you on the 3rd floor that’s more “al fresco”. Better than the 2nd floor which we found more stuffy. I am not sure we’d find this place on our own. Booking a grab ride was easy and real cheap! So install that app if you haven’t.
But in case you haven’t tried Iced Coconut Coffee — that modern-day concoction of coffee, coconut cream, milk and ice cream — there are several outlets of Cong Ca Phe in Hanoi. Choose one nearest you, and have that iced coconut coffee fix! This time, feel the communist vibe here with the cafe’s military-green walls, a server clad in military uniform and comm posters straight out of the 1970s to instill that vibe! Mind you, we had the best iced coconut coffee here. Oh, there’s the green rice coconut coffee too which I particularly liked. More like a dessert. Enjoy ☕️ 🧋
On our last full day in Sapa in Northern Vietnam, a rainbow adorned the skyline amidst the mountain range and terraced rice fields. It’s like a reward for us braving and enduring the more than 6 hour drive from Hanoi just to check out the highest mountain peak, hill tribe folks in Bac Ha Market, glass-bottomed suspension bridge, Ta Phin village with Red Dao herb bath, as well as the lively coffee scene and interesting garden parks in the “boondocks”.
Two of the touristy activities here are visits to the Moana Park beside our hotel or to Heaven Gate and to experience the red dao bath in Ta Phin Village. Not exactly my preferred outings but if you’ve got time, it would be an experience to meet more hill tribe folks who seem quite at home with tourists curious about their costumes and handicrafts. I think the red dao baths would be a good experience. The folks in Ta Phin Village claim these herbal baths have healing powers. Interestingly, each bathing house has its own “family recipe”, with an assortment of medicinal leaves, roots and herbs foraged from the forests.
Some hotels such as where we stayed offer similar healing baths in a more convenient setting. And you may check out the spas too which combine herbal baths and massage for a total experience. And while you’re checking out the medicinal baths in our hotel, go visit the nearby Moana Park too for some photo opps. 😜
While the tourists go crazy with healing baths, hill tribe markets and mountain trekking, many locals seem to enjoy these parks offering photo opportunities with a variety of installations like a Balinese gate, suspension or hanging mini-bridges, grand piano scenes inspired by some Korean dramas, art sculptures, etc. Amusing, if you ask me. If it’s not your cup of tea, there’s shopping and the coffee scene! Or simply go around town to visit the church, town plaza and pond.
The Coffee Scene in Sapa