The 2nd Sin, Hanoi

We're in Hanoi right? Right. They have a great tradition of French cuisine right? Right. They are the true originators of fusion cuisine right? Right. Which is why we have turned to the web in search of some guidance from above to help find a fabled dish... The Vietnamese creme caramel, we've yet to see one in our daily fossicking. A quick search and thanks to stickyrice's photos we're sure this is what we want .. the picture looks glorious. Easy enough then, just take the address and walk to the place, it's in the old city so shouldn't be to far, or so we thought...... you see Hang Than isn't on any of the maps we have, we looked and looked at the maps, researched the web again and again only to find more tantalising blurbs of the greatness of this caramel and more vague directions, so once again it's back to Cafe Hue for some more local wisdom. As soon as we said where we wanted to go they knew the place and as fast as you could say 'two iced weasels to go please' we were off.

What follows next is a tale of savage gluttony, be warned.....

We follow the directions that lead us to Hang Than (it is there, just not named on our maps) then we see it, a small doorway with a cake stand out side, (don't be put off buy the cakes we weren't that impressed with the look of them either but that's not what your here for). We take a sit on one of the many microstools that litter this section of the side walk and ask for the kem caramel. It takes about fifteen seconds to arrive and really is a thing of beauty ... you could just sit and stare into it's glossy surface for hours, it's the kinda dessert you take home to meet your parents.

We gently probe our spoons into it's surface and a small creme glacier sheers off from the side to drop in to the caramel sea pooled around it...

Lifted into our mouths we have one of those moments where angels sing and the world evaporates away from you. Our whole world became the silky creme, the perfectly balanced bitter sweet caramel for a second time stopped and we were in heaven. And then all snapped back into sharp focus and spoons were dueled sword like and with quite some savagery to get at the remains of the custard. No really, it was that good! So what else have you got hidden away ?? we managed to get across. Next in quick succession we had a set yogurt laced with a jellied mango pudding..



a drinking yogurt with sticky black rice..



and a pannacotta...



All fantastic but we couldn't stop our mind from straying back to the caramel in the end we had to round off our binge with another. We then had to face the walk home heads swimming with endorphins and dairy overload, it's an interesting mix. As we walked past Cafe Hue the enquiries came did we find it? Yes. Did we think it was good? Yup. Did we go to the bun cha place opposite? Bun Cha? Fantastic, an excuse to be back on the same street tomorrow. Now if you'll please excuse us we have some serious lying down to do.

Duong Hoa Kem Caramen
29 Hang Than St
Hanoi