Taking place at Hanoi’s Thong Nhat Park over three days (from December 1 to 3), the Hanoi Culinary Culture Festival 2023 has drawn a diverse crowd of locals and tourists alike. Traditional dishes from various regions became instant hits as soon as the festival kicked off.
At the Quang Nam booth, staff members revealed that Cao Lau, a local specialty, was sold out within the first 1.5 days of the festival. Approximately 3,000 servings were swiftly served, prompting the need for local suppliers to transport additional batches to Hanoi, though it remains uncertain if they can meet the demand. Despite the wait, the booth continued to offer alternative dishes, but many patrons opted to wait for the signature dish.
Booths attracted a substantial number of food enthusiasts.
Even lesser-known specialties like Chao Go, a kind of porridge from Ung Hoa experienced overwhelming demand. Chefs tirelessly prepared dishes, yet at certain intervals, apologies were extended to customers, promising them a return visit once the porridge was fully cooked. The Me Linh booth, having exhausted most items, managed to salvage only Nem Chua and promptly arranged for additional shipments to cater to the festival.
Booths representing participating countries faced similar challenges, with staff and chefs engaged in continuous service. Several international booths also attracted visitors with a fusion of traditional costume exhibitions.
According to the Quang Nam booth staff, Cao Lau had run out by noon on December 2.
The Hanoi Culinary Culture Festival 2023, organized by the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports, boasts the theme “Hanoi International Culinary Culture Exchange.” Featuring nearly 80 booths categorized into product showcases and culinary delights, the festival includes 9 booths from embassies, including India, Iran, Mongolia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Malaysia, Azerbaijan, as well as 10 booths from provinces such as Ha Giang, Son La, Bac Ninh, Ha Nam, Ninh Binh, Quang Binh, Quang Nam, and 60 booths from districts, towns, and cities within Hanoi.
The festival showcases the culinary culture of exemplary craft villages through performances by artisans, presenting distinctive dishes, and highlighting representative products from traditional craft villages in Hanoi. Examples include Me Tri young sticky rice, So Village rice noodles, Bao Phuong traditional mooncakes, Uoc Le pork sausage, Thach Xa nutty ginger sticky rice bars, Ngau Village rice wine, Quang Phu Cau porridge, Hoa Nam rolled rice pancakes, Tam Hiep soybean paste with pickled eggplant, Hong Van Nam bananas, and Ha Mo porridge.
Booths from various countries exhibit traditional costumes to promote their cultural heritage and tourism.
A section dedicated to presenting culinary specialties from different regions includes Ha Giang with Gu square sticky rice cakes, kitchen air-dried beef, and peppermint honey. Bac Ninh showcases chrysanthemum wine, wedding cakes, steamed rice cakes, Bui spring rolls, peanut candy, nutty ginger sticky rice bars, and fish sauce seasoned with belostomatid essence.
Within the event framework, exhibitions and displays featuring images of notable cultural, tourism, and culinary aspects from both domestic and participating foreign countries are also taking place.
Hoa Nguyen
According to CAND Online