Do me a favour, if you go to this restaurant please try the local menu. I felt that the Vietnamese food here was way superior than the Western Menu on offer. We went back twice and we tried the snakehead finish in banana leaf and the beef on a bamboo, both were incredible. Springrolls were well done, not greasy or bland like you usually get in Hanoi. Bun Cha is highly recommended too. The staff were friendly and will show you show to eat Bun Cha if you dont know.

First the food was very very good. Service was excellent with an attentive waitress who showed us how to assemble the food in the traditional way. The room serves maybe 30 diners. It's quiet and comfortable with attractive appointments. I can see why the restaurant gets a high Trip Advisor rating (#3 in Hanoi). I'd eat there again in a flash.

I NEVER eat in hotels, believeing that I can far eat better and more cheaply elsewhere, but I arrived in Hanoi this week too tired drag to myself out for dinner, so I tried the Cafe at the Essence Hotel where I was staying. What a find! The Vietnamese food was delicious and inexpensive, the setting was quiet and peaceful and of course the delightful staff of the Essence couldn't have been more helpful. In the end I had two out of three evening meals there and both were first class. If you are staying at the Essence it's well worht having a couple of meals there and if you are somewhere else and want a peaceful night with excellent food, this is well worth coming out for.