Kiki, a Japanese blogger fluent in Vietnamese, has been living in Vietnam for six years. Known for his deep dives into Vietnamese culture and cuisine, he often shares his discoveries on his YouTube channel. This time, he introduced Masami and Yumika to the traditional and somewhat intimidating dishes of Le Mat village in Long Bien district, Hanoi.

Le Mat village, recognized as a "traditional craft village" by Hanoi authorities since 2011, is famed for its snake farming and culinary expertise. The village specializes in various snake species, including king cobras, horse tigers, and rat snakes, with prices ranging from 1.2 to 1.4 million VND per kilogram.

Upon arriving at the restaurant, the couple was both curious and apprehensive as they observed the snake cages. With the guidance of the restaurant owner, they mustered the courage to touch a king cobra and witnessed its peculiar "playing dead" behavior.

The restaurant offered an array of snake dishes: grilled snake, stir-fried snake meat, minced snake ribs with rice paper, snake spring rolls, and snake sausage wrapped in betel leaves. The meal began with the chef preparing snake gall, blood, and heart in front of the guests, mixing them into wine for a unique tasting experience.

The first dish served was minced snake ribs stir-fried with lemongrass and rice paper. Yumika and Masami, guided by Kiki, found the dish surprisingly delicious, likening the taste to beef.

Next, they braved wine mixed with snake blood and bile, believed to have various health benefits. The strong flavor of the wine masked the typical taste of blood and bile, making it more palatable for the guests.

The culinary journey's highlight was the hot snake porridge. This dish, made with fresh snake meat and various herbs, offered a warm and comforting flavor. The porridge, rich and savory, was a new yet delightful experience for Masami and Yumika.

“The hot snake porridge was surprisingly comforting. It had a rich, savory flavor that was quite enjoyable,” Masami shared.

The adventure continued with more exotic snake dishes: fried snake meat with sesame, snake meat spring rolls, snake meat wrapped in betel leaves, and crispy fried snake skin. The hot, freshly prepared dishes were met with enthusiasm, with the guests constantly praising their deliciousness.

“I understand why Kiki praised snake meat as delicious. Snake meat is not difficult to eat at all, even though it looks a bit scary," Yumika commented, impressed by how all parts of the snake were utilized.

Kiki admired the couple's bravery, noting their willingness to try challenging dishes despite being in Vietnam for only two days. He described the taste of snake meat as similar to fatty white fish, mild yet rich and flavorful.