Sidewalk dining on small blue chairs is a hallmark of life in Hanoi. (Alison Bowen/Chicago Tribune)
Street food isn’t as scary on a guided food tour in Hanoi.
A woman uses a bamboo stick to make steamed rice pancakes. (Alison Bowen/Chicago Tribune)
Bun Cha Ta, like many restaurants, is named after its main dish, bun cha. (Alison Bowen/Chicago Tribune )
Egg coffee is a favorite drink in Hanoi. (Alison Bowen/Chicago Tribune )
Banh mi sandwiches come with a wide variety of fillings in Vietnam. (Alison Bowen/Chicago Tribune)
The peanuts add some crunch to this papaya and beef salad. (Alison Bowen/Chicago Tribune)
A mix of fried foods, including an egg roll and a doughnut, at one of the stops on a food tour of Hanoi. (Alison Bowen/Chicago Tribune)
A bowl of crab noodle soup, and the best part was the broth, according to our food guide. (Alison Bowen/Chicago Tribune)
Steamed rice pancakes with filling were enjoyed in a small room behind the sidewalk cooks. (Alison Bowen/Chicago Tribune)
An eight-stop food tour of Hanoi kicked off with a bowl of bun cha, a pork and noodle dish. (Alison Bowen/Chicago Tribune)
