Jimmy Pham.
JIMMY PHAM Hanoi
Vietnamese-Australian Jimmy Pham, AM, founded KOTO (Know One, Teach One), a social enterprise with hospitality training centres for disadvantaged young people in 2000.
KOTO has restaurants in Hanoi and Saigon, an online bakery and a cooking school. See koto.com.au.
WHERE IS THE BEST TABLE IN HANOI?
The best table is downstairs at Koto, where we have an open kitchen.
THE LOCAL FOOD DISCOVERY OF THE PAST YEAR?
Saigon che - sweet dessert-like glutinous rice on coconut milk and black beans. On the opposite side of the Temple of Literature to KOTO, you'll find Che Saigon at 2 Cat Linh, Ba Dinh.
WHAT IS HANOI'S BEST-KEPT FOOD SECRET?
Frog hot pot. Truc Bach street, next to the lake of the same name, is where you find it, and Ngan Beo at 43 Truc Bach is one of the best.
WHERE DO YOU GO FOR A BIG NIGHT OUT?
A cyclo and walking tour, eating street food in the old quarter. See hanoistreetfoods.com.
PLACE TO HEAD ON A DAY OFF?
Head to Mai Chau to walk among the rice paddies and meet the Hmong and White Thai hill tribes. Or a one day cruise on Halong Bay.
FAVOURITE INDULGENCE IN HANOI?
Bia hoi: the fresh beer that Hanoi is famous for. Beer Corner is a nightly event where hundreds gather at footpath bars on the corner of Ta Hien and Luong Ngoc Quyen streets to socialise and drink beer.
WHAT'S HOT IN THE CITY RIGHT NOW?
Lemon green ice tea and Korean culture and style. Gimbab Han Quoc is a good Korean barbecue restaurant. See gimbab.vn/gimbab.
WHAT SHOULD A VISITOR AVOID, FOOD-WISE?
Dog meat!
BEST TIME TO VISIT?
Spring - the weather is nice and locals are back from their New Year break and fresh and relaxed.
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