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Hoan Kiem District
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1 Phuc Tan
Atmosphere
Phuc Tan (City) is the home of some of the most interesting characters you'll meet in Hanoi; it's usually the first stop for migrants to the city from the countryside, and is thus the home of the Vietnamese Dream: make it to the other side of the dyke road into the city proper and you've made it; fail and you return to the countryside with your tail between your legs; Phuc Tan bia hoi is the best place to watch them to the stuff that they do between coming and going.
It's run by a couple who've lived here for 20 odd years: Tien (who has the most interesting facial hair you'll see in hanoi) and his wife Oanh have converted the ground floor of their house into a lively haven for bia drinkers, with a small outside sitting area.
You are not guaranteed a quiet time, but there is a constant stream of local life passing you by, including street vendors on their way home, motorbikes taking the karaoke girls to and from their places of work, slightly dazed looking people who would appear not to know what they are doing there, trucks laden with dubious goods, and of course private buses delivering the latest groups of countryside hopefuls.
Food and Drink
The service is excellent, you'll often find a fresh, cold, Viet Ha Bia in front of you before you've asked for it, and you never have to wait for more than a moment for a refill. They usually only close up when the last barrel is empty, meaning you are always guaranteed fresh bia. There's not much food served but the quail eggs are superb, as are the herb omelettes.
Other
They open at 6 am, so that workers can grab a quick couple before heading to work. Recently it's become popular for certain members of the foreign community to use as a Sunday morning stop-off after a cheeky all-nighter in The Lighthouse Club. This has breen frowned on my the proprietors, so a bit tact is required...
Review by Derek - Minsk F.C.
