NEWS & EVENTS

Vietnam’s capital is among seven famous Asian "food paradises" mentioned in the newspaper’s listing of 20 best food tours in the world. The six others are Bangkok, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Vientiane and Mumbai.

The Guardian said "the fascinating mix of Vietnamese cuisine with Chinese, French and American influences is part of Hanoi’s considerable charms."

Don’t forget to try Hanoi’s signature dishes like banh da ca (soup made with tea-colored noodles from the northern city of Hai Phong) and banh cuon (steamed rice paper roll) dipped in a sauce that balances salt, sweet, spice and sour flavors, it recommended. 

"Hanoi is where one can take to the streets and eat like a local," it said.

The city offers some of the most popular Vietnamese dishes like the iconic, fragrant rice noodle soup, pho, the banh mi, a baguette usually filled with grilled pork, meatballs or cold cuts, cucumber, cilantro, pickled carrots, liver pâté and a swipe of mayonnaise, or com tam, broken rice with grilled pork, pig skin, egg and fish sauce.

To quench your thirst, try a cup of dracontomelon juice which can be found at many streets corner in Hanoi; or cool down with a dessert of chewy black fermented sticky rice with yoghurt, the newspaper added.

The Guardian’s list also covers many cities in Europe and South America, including Lisbon in Portugal, Barcelona in Spain, Copenhagen in Denmark and Lima in Peru.

U.S. news site Business Insider last October published a list of 50 must-try attractions, foods and experiences in Asia, and among them was "a steamy bowl of pho in Hanoi".

Last December, UK lifestyle magazine Tatler ranked Vietnam’s capital city among top 10 food destinations.

Hanoi received around 3.3 million visitors in the first six months of this year, up 10.6 percent year-on-year.

Last month, city officials signed a memorandum of understanding with CNN to continue its tourism promotion campaign on social media and air documentaries on the popular cable news network for the 2019-2024 period.