Hanoi has a time-honoured culinary tradition, with many elaborate dishes. Hanoians are known as connoisseurs of fashion and food.
Today's Hanoi not only includes the ancient Thang Long area but has also expanded to include the entire space of the Doai cultural region, part of Kinh Bac (Northern Region and Son Nam region). Therefore, Hanoi cuisine has become more diverse, integrating the sophistication of the ancient Trang An with the rustic specialties of the regions.
Vu Thu Ha, Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee, said that four dishes of Hanoi have been named in the National Intangible Cultural Heritage List, namely Me Tri’s young sticky rice flakes, Phu Thuong’s sticky rice, Quang An’s lotus-scented tea (traditional craft), and Hanoi's pho (rice noodle soup).
This recognition is of great significance, providing a source of honour and pride for the host community and gourmets.
The acknowledgement is also an important legal basis to implement measures to protect and promote the value of intangible cultural heritage.
The annual Hanoi Culinary Culture Festival aims to honour, preserve and uphold the traditional cultural and culinary values of the capital city of Hanoi while contributing to developing its cultural and culinary brand.
The festival also promotes the image of Hanoi as a unique tourist, cultural and culinary destination, and provides a venue for Hanoi, the foreign embassies of countries, localities, organisations, and individuals to show off their specialties and exquisite dishes.
Themed ‘Ha Noi ket noi nam chau’ (Hanoi connects the World), this year’s festival was held at Thong Nhat Park in Hai Ba Trung District with the participation of 16 embassies, alongside eight neighbouring provinces, with a total of over 80 booths.
The 16 foreign embassies included Algeria, Argentina, Azerbaijan, Brazil, India, Iran, Japan, Mongolia, Laos, the Russian Federation, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Korea, France, Italy, and Venezuela.
Festivalgoers could sample typical dishes of Hanoi such as Hanoi pho, shrimp cakes, Phu Do vermicelli, Uoc Le pork sausage, Vong Village young sticky rice flakes, Phu Thuong sticky rice, Tranh Khuc ‘banh chung’ (square glutinous sticky rice), Quan Ganh ‘banh day’ (round glutinous sticky rice), and more.
Unique cuisines of other localities, including Ha Giang, Son La, Lang Son, Hung Yen, Bac Ninh, Khanh Hoa, Thanh Hoa, and Quang Binh were also introduced at the event.
In addition, people and tourists could explore the making of dishes though exchanges with famous artisans and chefs.
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Visitors to the Digital Pho space had the opportunity to experience typical traditional pho dishes of Hanoi and 'digital pho' prepared by smart robots. (Photo: hanoimoi.vn) |
The three-day festival also included photo exhibitions, seminars on developing culinary culture, folk games, and traditional and modern cultural and art performances delivered by Vietnamese and international artists.
A space entitled ‘Pho So Ha Thanh’ (Ha Thanh Digital Pho) was installed at the event as a unique creation that blends traditional cuisine with cutting-edge technology.
Visitors to the space had the opportunity to experience typical traditional pho dishes of Hanoi and 'digital pho' prepared by smart robots.
Le Manh Cuong, a visitor from Nguyen Luong Bang Street, Dong Da District, Hanoi, said that the festival offered an opportunity for his family to sample many new dishes that they haven’t tasted before.
“We have really enjoyed our time at the festival, and I’m glad to see that many international guests are also enjoying dishes of Hanoi as well as other Vietnamese regions.”
