A Vegan's Guide To Eating In Hanoi

As a vegan, I was skeptical of the ability to maintain my dietary lifestyle upon arrival to Hanoi. I had come to terms with the fact that, more likely than not, I would be required to consume some form of animal byproduct during my stay. Nonetheless, with 10 days passed since my arrival, maintaining my vegan lifestyle in Vietnam has proven to be easier than I had originally thought.  

Hanoi has no shortage of restaurants, and thanks to its large Buddhist population, vegetarian food is of ample supply.  The trick is to know where to look.  The word chay (meaning 'vegetarian') is regularly displayed on restaurant menus, with some restaurants even having a separate vegetarian menu all together. And if by chance there is nothing listed on the menu, restaurant staff are always willing to accommodate. With a few simple phrases such as "khong nuoc man" (no fish sauce), and "khong trung" (no egg), you're sure to find a true vegan meal!

    

Photos taken by Mia Chiappetta McCannel

Although I've kept most of my meals pretty simple (mostly consisting of tofu, rice, and vegetables) many restaurants also offer "mock meat" dishes. Now, for all of you skeptics assuming that vegan food in Vietnam must be bland and boring... Boy, are you wrong! The flavour found in vegetarian Vietnamese cuisine would have any omnivore drooling.  

I was lucky enough to stumble across Zenith Cafe, a strictly vegan restaurant with an attached yoga studio. After an early morning yoga class in Zenith's treetop studio, I devoured a delicious mixed vermicelli noodle dish. For those seeking more traditional Western food, the menu also offered a caramelized zucchini & black bean burger, which undoubtedly was the best vegan burger I've ever had.  

 

                                                            Mixed Vermicelli Noodle Dish

    Yoga Studio at Zenith Yoga

                                  Zucchini & Black Bean Burger with Freshed Pressed Carrot Juice

To finish off a meal, Hanoi offers an array of delectable fruits. Dragonfruits, longan berries, and papaya are seemingly popular; however, for those adventurous types... be sure to try durian! It is a true delicacy in Vietnam, and is certainly not for everyone. A durian's creamy texture and nutritional benefits provide clear examples of why the fruit is commonly known as the "King of Fruits".  Just as long as you can get over its distinctive odor and pungent smell, durian is surely a must try when in Vietnam.       

                                                           Fresh Durian & Dragon Fruit

Being vegan in Vietnam does require some extra precaution and regard. Nonetheless, over the short time I've spent in Hanoi, I have already sampled some of the most robustly flavourful dishes I've ever had! My mouth is salivating simply at the thought of my next meal.  And with that being said, its time for me to head out and discover a new place to eat. Bon appetite!  

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Vietnamese? Yes Please!

Today, Kyle, Mia and I (Megan!) decided to expand our culinary horizons and try out some Vietnamese food together! We visited V Nam in North Vancouver. After much deliberation over the menu, the food arrived, piping hot and ready to eat.

Kyle, about to dig in!

Kyle, despite his love of chicken, opted to try something the waitress recommended to him. He ended up getting a beef dish, called Pho Tai Bo Vien. This dish looked so good, I am definitely going to have to try it when I get to Vietnam, if not sooner!

Mia is ready to chow down!

Mia is a vegetarian, and had the vegetable stir fry with vermicelli. Before we head over to Vietnam, we are going to try to get her to eat meat, because it is such a staple food in Vietnam. Mia and I won’t be heading over until August, so for now she gets a pass with the veggie dish.

Here's hoping I don't have food stuck in my teeth while I pose with my delicious food.

I had the Chicken Chow Mein, which was delicious. The sauce had just enough kick to it and the vegetables tasted so fresh. The noodles were rich and flavourful. I realized that I may need some more practice using chopsticks after Kyle and Mia finished eating much faster than I did.

Over lunch, we talked about places we are hoping to travel and what we want to do with ourselves once we've finished school. It was such a pleasure getting to know the people that I am going to be working on this amazing project with. I think our personalities complement each other really well and I can’t wait until our next meeting.

Near the end of our meal, Chris stopped by! We further discussed some of the exciting initiatives that we are going to be putting forth soon to get the project as much exposure as possible. I have a feeling that this won't be the only time we go out for Vietnamese food together. The only thing that will make our future lunch dates better is the lovely Marina joining us! 

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It's official...I love Vietnamese food!

So last night I ventured back to my new favorite Vietnamese restaurant to try another delicious meal. I waved to the owners as I came in and they recognized me (probably thinking there’s that crazy girl again). She came over, said hello and asked if I wanted to try something different than last time.  I, loving this new adventurous side of me, happily accepted the challenge.

I went with this delightful dish called Bun Thit Nuong, or Grilled Pork with Vermicelli. My taste buds were swirling. The dish had grilled pork, veggies, green onions, peanuts and was all on top of vermicelli noodles. They even threw in a spring roll just for me! It also came with a side of sauce, which I assumed was for the spring roll. The owner came over (next time I’m in there I’ll be asking her name) and told me to take the sauce and pour it over everything and mix it up! I’m not sure if you remember but I’m a sauce-on-the-side kind of girl…but I just did it and OMG! SOOO GOOD! I LOVED IT!

And, here's the proof:

I can’t imagine what it’s going to be like having this food in Vietnam! So many different flavours to challenge my taste buds.

Just so you know, I haven't just been eating out. I've also been checking off tasks on my list of things to do! There are a lot of things to get done before our departure date mid February. Today I got my vaccinations (OUCH!) and travel insurance. I came home and felt even more excited so I surfed through the pictures on the CBT Vietnam facebook page. Seeing the images of the villagers, the friendships, the colours and the landscapes made me realize that these  little windows into experiences I never thought were possible, are possible! I keep having to tell myself that this is happening - an amazing opportunity that is so real I can taste it!

We can do anything we put our minds to! 

What are your dreams? Let's make them happen too!

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The beginning to a whole new world

It’s been over ten years since I’ve done any international travelling. Ten years! Well, it’s time for me to step out of my comfort zone, dust off my back pack, kiss my hubby goodbye and step into my next adventure; I’m going to Vietnam!  Okay, so maybe that’s a little dramatic for a 13 day trip but I’m excited!

Being selected as a volunteer on the CBT Vietnam Project is both one of the most exciting and terrifying opportunities I’ve ever had. The program is a partnership between PATA, Capilano University and Hanoi Open University focused on delivering sustainable community based tourism (CBT) to villages in the Sapa Region of Northern Vietnam. I’ve never travelled to Asia and getting familiar with Vietnamese culture is what everyone is telling me to do; research the history, familiarize myself with the geography, try the food, understand some of the language, learn all about this amazing CBT project. It’s a long list but I'm excited!

I have been having a hard time knowing where to start so I decided to start with what I love most: food! Some people eat to live but I live to eat! And, Vietnamese cuisine is one that I’m not familiar with in the slightest. 

A few nights ago I decided to take myself out for pho - a traditional Vietnamese soup. I went to this lovely restaurant a couple blocks from my house, Kim Penh Xe Lua Cambodian and Vietnamese Noodle House. My husband and I have gone there many times but we’ve always ordered the same thing, Vietnamese subs or banh mi! 

I told my waiter that I was traveling to Vietnam in a month and that I’ve never had pho before. I asked her what she thought I should try which isn’t something I normally do because as much as I’d like to be that person that just goes for it with their orders, it just doesn’t work for me because I'm picky. I can’t do spicy, can’t do dairy, don’t like mushrooms, sauce on the side...you get the idea. For those of you who have seen When Harry Met Sally, I’m a bit of a Sally when it comes to ordering! The waiter suggested the beef pho and, accepting this new courageous side of myself, I just went with the flow. 

Five minutes later she brings me a steaming bowl of soup with a side of greens and spring rolls. As soon as the bowl was placed in front of me the aromas hit and my senses were swirling. I had no idea what to do with the plate of sprouts, basil and lemon. Was there a special way to do it? I looked around in hopes I would see someone who, unlike me, actually knew what they were doing.  No one. I ended up just putting it all in the soup and it was AWESOME! The rice noodles, green onions, and the broth were delicious mixed with the sprouts, basil and lemon. How have I not had this before?

Tomorrow I will be returning to my new favorite restaurant, Kim Penh Xe Lua Cambodian and Vietnamese Noodle House, for some more culinary adventuring. Not sure what I’ll try next but I know it’ll be a first and I’ll be sure to let you all know how it goes!

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