‘If only Japan had this’: Japanese tourists praise Hanoi’s duck delicacies

On their first evening in Hanoi, a Japanese family headed to Hang Thiec Street to try the famous garlic roasted duck (ngan cháy tỏi). They found the dish so delicious that they couldn’t help but wish such flavors were available in Japan.

A family adventure

Kazuki Matsumoto, better known as KiKi, is a 38-year-old Japanese YouTuber who has lived in Vietnam for six years. On his YouTube channel, which has over 150,000 subscribers, KiKi regularly shares his experiences exploring Vietnamese culture and cuisine.

Recently, KiKi welcomed his extended family to Hanoi, including his parents, younger brothers Kenji and Mitsuki, their spouses, and two nieces and nephews. "There are nine of us in total today," KiKi explained, as his family members traveled from Osaka and Hiroshima to reunite in Vietnam.

The group stayed in a fully equipped apartment near Long Bien Bridge, offering picturesque views of the historic structure from their second-floor balcony. Before dinner, KiKi and his youngest brother took a quick tour around the area, returning with portions of fresh, steaming rice rolls (bánh cuốn) to snack on.

KiKi’s father and Kenji were particularly taken with bánh cuốn, praising its delicate texture and flavor. Their enthusiastic eating amused KiKi, who reminded them to save room for dinner.

Duck delicacies on Hang Thiec

For dinner, the family, except KiKi’s mother who stayed back to rest, visited a bustling restaurant on Hang Thiec Street known for its duck dishes, particularly garlic roasted duck. The restaurant was so popular on that Sunday evening that the family had to wait for a table.

Once seated, they ordered an array of dishes, including boiled duck (ngan luộc), duck feet salad (nộm chân ngan rút xương), bamboo shoot soup (canh măng), and, of course, the signature garlic roasted duck. The dishes were served with vermicelli and fresh herbs, accompanied by a dipping sauce of garlic and chili.

Kenji’s first bite of boiled duck left him exclaiming, “Delicious!” He was also pleasantly surprised by how well the dish paired with herbs like cilantro and Vietnamese balm (húng chó).

He found the duck feet salad reminiscent of Thai papaya salad, while the garlic roasted duck impressed him so much that he wished such dishes were available in Japan. “If only we had this in Japan,” he mused, savoring each bite.

Even KiKi’s father expressed fondness for the boiled duck, appreciating its tender, mildly sweet flavor that suited his taste as an older diner. Mitsuki, on the other hand, was so engrossed in eating that KiKi teased him for his silence. “Why are you so quiet?” he joked. Mitsuki later commented that while both the boiled duck and garlic roasted duck were equally delicious, each offered its own unique appeal.

The family ended their first evening in Hanoi feeling satisfied and full. On the way back to their apartment, KiKi stopped to buy banh mi and sweet mixed dessert (chè thập cẩm) for his mother, introducing her to more of Hanoi’s culinary treasures.