Kazuki Matsumoto (Kiki) is a well-known Japanese blogger who has been living in Vietnam for six years. On his YouTube channel, Kiki regularly posts videos about travel, food and culture of different localities in Vietnam.

A fluent Vietnamese speaker with a passion for travel and discovery, Kiki sometimes works as a free tour guide for Japanese travelers when they stay in Vietnam.

Most recently, Kiki received a Japanese couple from Hiroshima, Masami and his wife Yumika. Kiki told the couple that in order to enjoy food like real Hanoians, they should eat pho in the morning and nibble chicken feet in the evening.

Pho is a traditional dish which has become popular all over the world in recent years, while chan ga nuong is a popular street food.

Kiki gave a lot of suggestions about pho shops in Hanoi. But finally, Kiki decided to lead the Japanese couple to a well-known pho shop on Lo Duc street.

As soon as she entered the shop and smelled the pho, Yumika noted that it was similar to Nagahama ramen in Fukuoka, Japan.

Kiki advised them to put some slices of chili and a little of vinegar into the pho bowls. If they wanted a more sour taste, they could use some lemon juice, then mix well and enjoy.

The couple said the broth was both attractive and delicious.

Yumika said this was the first time she tasted pho in Vietnam and found that the taste in Vietnam is quite different from that in Japan. She was lavish in her praise, saying that she could eat pho every day and never get tired of it.

Yumika was curious about the ingredients for the broth, and Kiki explained that the broth is meticulously prepared from many different spices, including herbs grown in Vietnam.

“Cow bones are simmered for many hours. But this is not enough. The quality of the broth also depends on other ingredients and spices,” Kiki said.

That evening, Kiki and the Japanese couple enjoyed grill chicken feet on Ngo Gach Street. Kiki said this street food is favored by both adults and children. They ordered a serving of grilled chicken feet, bread toasted with butter, and some fruit.

Phan Dau