|
Bánh Rán - Bánh Gối |
|
|
|
In addition to all of Hanoi’s delicious noodle dishes, fresh seafood and grilled treats, there are is also a world of tasty fried treats to be picked up and snacked on as you walk and wander the city. These are particularly welcome during the winter chill, but these crispy, chewy, savory, sometimes sweet treats are to be enjoyed any day. Bánh Rán - Bánh Gối  Bánh rán are crisp, brown, fried glutinous rice balls in the shape of a large egg. The savory kind are stuffed with glass noodles, mushrooms and little minced meat bits (bánh rán mặn) while the sweet ones are stuffed with mung bean paste (bánh rán ngọt) and sometimes, shredded coconut. The sweet fried balls can be identified with a sprinkle of sesame seeds on top. Bánh gối is the cousin of bánh rán. Instead of a thick chewy glutinous rice outer shell, the similar stuffing of minced pork, glass noodles and mushrooms are packaged into a half moon shape within layers of a denser, flakey wrapper.
Where to find it?
Bánh gối and bánh rán can be found in a bustling spot just west of St. Joseph’s Church (Nhà Thờ). Coordinates: No. 52 Lý Quốc Sư, on the south side of the street. This place has been around for decades and serves of bánh gối for about 2,500 Dong, bánh rán ngọt for 1,000 and bánh rán mặn for 1,500 Dong a piece. |
|
|
Bánh Chuối - Bánh Khoai |
|
|
|
 These two little batter fried morsels are usually sold together and most often found in the cool weather months. Small vendors will set up a fryer and line up the finished goods in a basket parceled out in little napkins. Bánh chuối are small local bananas, smooshed flat, thickly battered and deep fried. The end result is a piping hot, fragrant, chewy and gooey package. Alternately, choose the bánh khoai, not to be confused with bánh khoai in Central Vietnam, which are small crispy pancakes filled with egg, shrimp and bean sprouts. In Hanoi, these bánh khoai are much like the bánh chuối but with a dense sweet potato filling instead of banana.
Where to find it?
If you are wandering north of Hoàn Kiếm Lake, or have just had a tasty bowl of snails (ốc) and are looking for a tasty chaser, wander down Đinh Liệt toward the lake and look for a tiny table with some old people gathered around. It’ll be on your right side, next to (just north of) #66 Đinh Liệt, frying up bánh rán (both savory and sweet), about 1,000 each. Only set up in the afternoons for a short window. Many of the local markets will also have a bánh rán station that sets up in the afternoon hours.
A pretty regular spot to hunt up bánh chuối and bánh khoai is at the intersection of Hàng Điếu and Bát Đàn streets. There are Phở Bò Gà shops on 2 corners, with a lovely yellow temple “Nhan Noi Linh Tu” on the southeast corner. During cold weather, on the corner wedged between a phở shop and the temple, is a small sidewalk setup serving up palm sized fried banana and sweet potatoes fritters. |
|
|
