A Sanctuary in Hanoi

Hanoi, September 24 2009

Eventually, in the hectic Old Quarter I found serenity in a small but rather romantic restaurant. I treated myself with a dish of beef steak and a glass of Blue Coffee. Total, 52.500 VND. It was Blue Butterfly Restaurant. I was given a name card and told that the next time I dine there and show the name card, I would get a 50% discount. Of course I would love to. I would love to come back again, and again, to Vietnam. But, Old Quarters? I don't think I would like to return to these hectic streets anymore. I have more than enough, every day, on my way back and fro the office.

Anyway, back to Blue Butterfly. The vegetable looked like what we call “daun kemangi” in Indonesia, but tasted very much like mint. And steak with rice? Hahaha... I wonder whether the Vietnamese have the same saying as in Indonesia (especially the older generation). It can't be considered a meal unless there's rice. So no matter how many loaves of bread you've eaten, if you haven't eaten rice, then you haven't eaten. Such people are strongly not adviced to travel to Europe :))

Coffee with milk and kahlua. Hmmm… I can’t tell which I love more, coffee or bicycles. May be it's the kahlua that made the coffee look blueish on the bottom. Therefore, it's named Blue Coffee. Or is it that because this is Blue Butterfly Restaurant? In Black Butterfly Restaurant, I think, it would be called Black Coffee. Don't you think so? :D