Eating Vegetarian in Hanoi

View Photos (3) Image © 2000 A. R. West

When Dang Hong Diem decided to open a vegetarian restaurant she wanted "to create a relaxed atmosphere without the loud music that so many others have now. I also wanted simple and elegant service." Anyone who has been to Nang Tam, the latest addition to Hanoi's gourmet scene, knows Diem has succeeded. The restaurant shows off a wide range of Vietnamese dishes while answering the demand for vegetarian food in Hanoi. And all in a setting that reflects the constant care and attention of Madame Diem.

Diem, a fifty-one-year-old retired electrical engineer, had long been urged by friends and family to start a restaurant and announced her plans when she left the Ministry of Commerce. She settled on a vegetarian restaurant because her foreign friends said there was not a good one in Hanoi. As the menu explains, she then named her establishment Nang Tam after the Cinderella-like character in a Vietnamese fairytale who wins her prince with her home cooking.

Diem originally spent months touring the country collecting recipes and ideas. The menu includes the regional specialties she tasted as well as a blend of Vietnamese and Western favorites. There are thirty vegetarian dishes to choose from and daily specials made with pork, fish or chicken for meat-eaters. All of the dishes are made without MSG.

Carrots, tofu and mushrooms are used to replace the meat in dishes like roast duck and beef salad. For a first course, we recommend the creamy potato soup (7,000 dong or about seventy cents). Popular main courses include snowballs or tuyet hoa (8,000 dong), a deep-fried combination of grated potatoes, chopped mushrooms and croutons. Also popular are the spring rolls (6,000 dong), a vegetarian version of the traditional nem. The breaded chicken croquettes or ga tam bot ran (9,000 dong) are actually cauliflower bouquets dipped in a batter and deep fried. The stuffed cabbages or bap cai nhoi (8,000 dong) are another favorite. You can finish your meal with a fruit tart (4,000 dong) and a cup of coffee (3,000 dong).

In addition to the food, clients are impressed with the helpful service and hospitable attitude. Classical music and a working fireplace add to the ambiance as ambassadors and students mix with Vietnamese businesspeople. "It's one of those hidden treasures," says American tourist Nancy Howe. "The portions are just right and the prices are reasonable."

Nang Tam is not easy to find, though it is definitely worth the trouble. Just down the street from the Cambodian Embassy, a sidewalk sign advertises Com Cay Nang Tam or Vegetarian Restaurant. Located at 79 Tran Hung Dao, Nang Tam is set off the street behind a yellow French colonial building that is now home to the Financial Times. The restaurant's ten small tables are usually full so reservations are required, especially for dinner.

Info:
Nang Tam 79A Tran Hung Dao, Hanoi, Vietnam. Monday through Saturday, 11am-1:30pm and 5pm-10pm, Tel. 826-6140

Published on 8/1/96