Bánh Tôm Hồ Tây

Bánh Tôm Hồ Tây is a lakeside restaurant at 1 Thanh Niên in the Quảng An ward of Tây Hồ district, Hanoi, Vietnam, on the Thanh Niên causeway between West Lake and Trúc Bạch Lake. It serves bánh tôm, a Northern Vietnamese speciality of whole shrimp fried into a sweet-potato batter and eaten with herbs and diluted fish sauce. The dish has been associated with this stretch of water since the 1930s, and the restaurant trades on that history. The signature dish is the deep-fried sweet-potato and shrimp fritter. The menu also lists nem rán, fried spring rolls, and bún ốc, a snail noodle soup, for diners who want something beyond the fritters. The cuisine is straightforward Northern Vietnamese fare, and the attraction is as much the lake setting as the food. The terrace looks over West Lake, and terrace tables fill at sunset, when the light and the breeze off the water make the location most appealing. The dining room is casual and open, with a mix of local families, couples and visitors, no formal dress code and moderate noise from the causeway traffic. There is no notable wine programme; beer, soft drinks and tea are standard. The restaurant opens daily from 9:00 to 21:00 and is walk-in, with no reservations, although groups may want to ask ahead. Prices are modest, at about 60,000 to 150,000 VND (USD 2.30 to 5.75) per person. The location is north of the Old Quarter and is normally reached by taxi or ride-hail, or as part of a lake walk. The fritters are best eaten hot, while the batter is still crisp, and they are wrapped in lettuce and herbs before dipping. The causeway also makes the restaurant a natural stop on a circuit around the lake.