It is 8:15 Monday morning, and I am having a a coffee in the hotel lobby. Last night Zoom had arranged for me to photograph the Restaurant Chim Sáo, so after a short nap, needed from the rice wine incident, we headed there about 5:30. This is a restaurant on a side street and very well decorated with older furnishings and art. On the first floor you have traditional tables and upstairs you eat on the floor, Japanese style. Aunt Hoan was not there last night, fortunately for my liver, but I did miss her. That smile and laugh is contagious. I had a great time shooting in the kitchen. A miniscule kitchen had 5 very busy cooks and a chef. No room to move, greasy floor, sharp cleavers and hot oil was not the perfect combination of graceful photography but I did have a blast. I'm not sure the vent worked very well and I am sure there is no health department inspection. Chest freezers left open all night for easier access and colanders of "washed" produce sitting on the filthy floor, but I got the sense that is just how it works in Vietnam. I got the sense of what I don't know won't hurt me. I shot the exterior, the packed dining rooms, details and the food. Then, we got to eat. The steamed rice cakes with peanuts we dipped in a thin spicy peanut sauce and I found it a bit to sweet overall. Not my favorite. Next, we had these deep fried miniature crabs, a little bigger than a quarter. Now these were pretty tasty but you had to be careful the first bite or two so the claws didn't stab your gums or tongue. They nice a nice crunch and were salty and spicy and came without any dipping sauce. Next was a dish of fried small freshwater fish. I can't remember the name but they are considered a delicacy here. These got dipped into a little fish sauce and chilis. Pretty mild, nice texture but not really a whole lot of flavor.
Then came another bottle of rice wine. Oh no! Well these we got to pour ourselves and did a couple shots with the manager and we were done. Partly because of the smell in the kitchen and partly because the food was just okay, Zoom and I tasted everything but finished nothing and were still very hungery when we left. The answer? Chicken feet!
Zoom knew just the spot across Hanoi. A short motorbike ride later we were down some backstreet sitting on short stools at a short table on the side of the street with 250 other folks craving the same thing. Grilled chicken feet, grilled chicken legs and beer with ice and I was in heaven. Incredible. The location, the ambiance, the smoking grill, the chatter of Vietnamese, the finger licking good chicken, beer with ice and amazing grilled bread with a light honey glaze. Not to sweet and just the right amount of char from the grill... Awesome!
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