Xoi Yen Restaurant

Xoi Yen at Old Quarter

After our Halong Bay trip, we went hunting for Xoi Yen restaurant which I had read so much about. They are famous for sticky rice and they are opened 24 hours. 

Busy day and night at Xoi Yen

We found it about 200 metres from our hotel. It was our first experience dining in a restaurant with low and small size furniture. There were tables at the road side and upstairs. We did not ask for any advice from our hotel staff and just thought to try it out ourselves. Well, we regretted soon after as we had no idea how to order when we were there. 

We stood for a while and no one entertained us. Eventually, we approached the staff but not many of them spoke English here. Then, someone told us to go upstairs if we were looking for English menu. We climbed up their spiral, steep and narrow staircase to the first floor but there were no available tables. 

Slicing the bean paste (left)

Xoi, bean paste topped with meat of choice

Busy preparing xoi

So, we climbed up to the second floor but there was no customers. We found ourselves a table but I did not like the look of the place at all. It was real filthy; the place was thrown with used tissue papers on the floor and tables were not wiped at all. There were traces of food and chilli sauce on the table. My appetite went away immediately. 

The Vietnamese menu and low stools and tables

The menu on the table was in Vietnamese. Plus the young waiter who came to take our orders could only speak some English. Therefore, to our disappointment, he could not answer our questions about the details of the food. Anyway, we just ordered something which was common: two bowls of xoi with chicken.

Our bowls of xoi with chicken served with slices of Japanese cucumber

We had mixed feelings of the xoi. Obviously, I did not like it as I had lost my appetite earlier but it was okay with hubby. The xoi (or sticky rice as commonly known in Vietnam) is glutinous rice. Therefore, it is very filling. I was full after eating only half bowl. The boneless chicken meat was not much and they were topped on the bowl of xoi. There was also a layer of bean paste that tasted like potatoes to us and fried shallots on top of the sticky rice.

The layer of bean paste that tasted like mash potatoes 

Xoi is actually glutinous rice 

Overall, the hygiene of the place is a concern. The low furniture which is typical of Vietnamese street style is uncomfortable for us. Anyway, we came here for the experience. Try it, maybe you will like it better than I do.

The details of the restaurant:

Address: 35 Nguyen Huu Huan, at the Old Quarter

Beware, there are two shops that look alike on the same street and near to each other. This one is the corner shop and there are many customers while the other one looks empty.