Hanoi House
| Cuisine | Vietnamese |
|---|---|
| Price | $$$ (31-50) |
| Rating | 7/10 |
| Last Visit | June 26, 2019 |
| Location | New York: East Village |
General Notes
A nice little Vietnamese restaurant situated in the East Village. I feel that my knowledge of Vietnamese food has been fairly limited, mostly just to pho. The food at Hanoi House was incredible, and really opened my eyes to just how good Vietnamese food can be. The dishes are vibrant and do a great job of layering acidity and providing contrasts in texture. Certainly one of my best experiences with Vietnamese food so far, and I would absolutely recommend giving this place a try!
Positives
> The dishes are very vibrant. Each dish layers acidity really well and makes the dishes very bright, whether this be through a wedge of lime or acidic sauces. Many dishes also use fresh ingredients to create a texture contrast. For example, the summer roll does this really well with the herbs, lettuce, and cucumber, while also not having any of these components dominate or detract from the flavor.
> I don't know much about Vietnamese food, but it's kind of interesting that Google Maps lists this restaurant as serving "imaginative Vietnamese dishes", because most of the dishes seem relatively traditional. The menu is concise and they execute those dishes really well. I'd love to try the Bun Cha (lemongrass pork) sometime!
Negatives
> The table that we were seated at was very cramped, although this was mostly our fault. We came on a Wednesday night without a reservation at around 7pm, and it just so happens that a party of 2 cancelled their reservation last minute, so we were able to snag the table. Unfortunately we were a party of 3, seated at a 2-person table. If we didn't get this table though we'd have to wait much longer, which speaks to how popular this place is.
Dishes Tasted
- ★★★☆ Turmeric & Dill Monkfish -- Pan Seared monkfish, morning glory, charred onions, rice vermicelli, peanuts, funky fish sauce. The monkfish was cooked nicely (maybe just a tad overcooked), and the other components were good as well. Vibrant and flavorful, though I would have liked maybe a touch more sauce.
- ★★★★ Crispy Spring Rolls -- Crab & pork spring rolls with classic nuoc cham, lettuce & herbs. I just tried a little bit, but both the texture and flavor are amazing. Nice and crisp on the outside, and the flavors are on point.
- ★★★☆ Summer Rolls -- Grilled sweet pork sausage rolled with mint, thai basil, crispy wonton & peanut hoisin sauce. The contrast in textures works well, and the flavors, particularly in the sauce, are bright and vibrant.
