Xôi Yến

Xôi Yến is a corner sticky-rice house at 35B Nguyễn Hữu Huân in the Old Quarter of Hoàn Kiếm district, Hanoi, Vietnam, near the junction with Hàng Mắm. It serves xôi, glutinous rice steamed and topped to order, from early morning until late evening, which makes it one of the more flexible places in the Old Quarter to eat a cheap, filling meal at almost any hour. The counter on the ground floor holds the steamed rice and a row of toppings, and diners choose their own combination: mung bean paste, braised pork belly, chicken, Chinese sausage or pâté. The best-known order is xôi xéo, turmeric-coloured sticky rice with mung bean and crisp fried shallots, a classic northern breakfast. The braised pork belly and the chicken and pâté combinations are heavier options, commonly eaten as a full meal rather than a snack. Portions are filling and prices stay low, at roughly 30,000 to 60,000 VND (about USD 1.15 to 2.30) per person. The ordering system is simple. Guests order and pay at the counter downstairs and then carry the food up to seating on low stools across two narrow floors. The mood is that of a busy neighbourhood eatery, with quick service, close tables and steady traffic of office workers, students and visitors. Reservations are not taken, and there is no notable beverage programme beyond tea and soft drinks. The shop opens daily from about 6:00 to 22:00, so it works as an early breakfast stop before a walk around Hoàn Kiếm Lake, as well as a late-evening snack after exploring the Old Quarter. Its position in the trading streets east of the lake keeps it close to the night market area and to many other Old Quarter street-food addresses.