Discover Hanoi’s Culinary Secrets: Hong Seok-cheon’s Food Journey Through Local Streets and Fine Dining
Daniel Kim Views
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TV personality Hong Seok-cheon wandered Hanoi’s back alleys and upscale restaurants, tasting the city’s best local dishes—from pho to banh cuon.
In a video posted April 21 on his YouTube channel ‘Hong Seok-cheon’s Jewelry Box,’ he moved from hole-in-the-wall stalls to elegant dining rooms, spotlighting authentic Vietnamese flavors.
He brought along a friend from Masan who runs a Vietnamese restaurant, adding culinary expertise to the trip.
He started in Hanoi’s lively back alleys, recalling a visit nine years earlier and marveling at how familiar the scene still felt.
A surprise inspection briefly sent them scrambling to clear tables, but they were soon settled and enjoyed local squid dishes and a variety of street foods.
He easily mingled with locals, soaking up Hanoi’s energetic, everyday vibe.
Next they stopped at Neungon Garden, a spot known for its ornate interior. Decorated with hydrangeas and other flowers, it offered a glamorous counterpoint to the market stalls.
There he sampled banh cuon, the Vietnamese steamed rice rolls. Trying versions filled with pork, shrimp and even banana, he praised the silky texture of the fresh rice sheet—a clear contrast to Korea’s dried rice paper—and highlighted how fresh herbs like mint lift the whole dish.
The culinary highlight was a scallion-heavy style of pho. The Vietnamese food expert traveling with him noted the broth’s clarity and said the method for seasoning the beef differed from more common approaches.
Pho made with fresh noodles stood in sharp contrast to the dried noodles often found in Korea.
He brightened each bowl with lime, cracked pepper and spicy chilies, noting that the generous scallions would especially appeal to Korean tastes.
He didn’t just taste the food—he shared professional observations about ingredients and cooking techniques.
They dug into how Chinese culinary influences shape Vietnamese cooking and talked about the vibrancy local ingredients bring to each dish. Despite the hot, humid weather, Hong energetically explored the city in pursuit of true flavors.
By the end of the journey he was so satisfied he ordered extra pho broth. Slurping the steaming soup and wiping his brow created a laugh-out-loud, sauna-like moment.
This Hanoi visit became more than a food tour—it was a rediscovery of Vietnamese cuisine and a deeper look into local culture. Hong hinted that many more hidden gems await around the city, leaving viewers excited for his next stop.
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