(VOVworld)-Hanoi’s Old Quarter, also known as The 36 Old Streets, contains many streets whose name starts with the word ‘Hang’ or ‘Merchandise’. Each street specializes in either making or selling a certain kind of product, like a miniature craft village. Hanoi’s Old Quarter attracts foreigners with its historic architecture and colorful daily life. Ancient pagodas hidden down dim alleys, street markets, sidewalk restaurants, and shockingly narrow tubular houses typify this neighborhood. It’s fascinating to sit in a two or three-storey café and watch the human circus stream past. Alan, a first-time American visitor says: "I think it was so warm and there were so many people on the streets. It was so aloud and crowded too. But after a while, I got to know some people here, very nice people".

Pho (Noodle soup)

Foreign visitors to Hanoi’s Old Quarter seem to be lured by Vietnamese specialties like Pho – noodle soup served with beef or chicken – and fish soup with rice vermicelli. Sidewalk eateries and itinerant vendors lure visitors with their tasty dishes. Kathy is a Canadian teacher: "It’s very good Pho and I like it. It’s very good, very fresh, and tasty. I like its smell and spices".

Cha Ca La Vong restaurant-14 Cha Ca Street

There’s a dish that no foreign visitor should miss when they come to Hanoi - Cha Ca, or grilled fish. Cha Ca La Vong is an unassuming two-story restaurant about half-way along Cha Ca Street which was called Hang Son in the past. Some say the restaurant is over 200 years old. Others put its age at a mere 130. Whatever is true age, the restaurant has become famous for just one dish. The creation of this dish has been attributed to the Doan family, who for hundreds of years have lived at Number 14 La Vong  Street. To draw attention to the restaurant, the Doan family erected a statute of La Vong - an old fisherman with a fishing rod in one hand and a bamboo creel in the other - hence the name Cha Ca La Vong.

Bui Hang