This was published 4 years ago
Hoi An, Vietnam: Best places to eat - trip designer Nathan Lane's picks
By Julietta Jameson
The Peekin' Duckling dish at Mango Rooms.
THE EXPERT
Having designed more than 100 trips with Butterfield & Robinson since 1991, Conde Nast Traveller named Nathan Lane Vietnam's Top Travel Expert three years in a row. He's ridden a bike from Hong Kong to Hanoi and spends many months of the year travelling to all corners of the country, testing out new experiences. See butterfield.com
BREAKFAST
Nathan Lane is a trip designer with Butterfield & Robinson.
I would wake up early and head to my favourite Mi Quang stall. The days start early for locals in Vietnam so there is an abundance of eating options from as early as 6am. You'll find this place crowded with noodle stands from 6-8am. I prefer the Mi Quang stall on the south-west corner; the lady has been making noodles for years and her dish is a delicious combination of rice noodles, fresh vegetables and herbs mixed together with a small amount of chicken broth and the famous vibrant turmeric.
(22 Duong Phan Boi Chau, Cam Chau, Hoi An)
COFFEE
Just across the way from the Mi Quang Stall is a local coffee roaster named Cy who owns the best little coffee shop in town called Mia Cafe. The shop is a trendy little enclave of expatriates and local families having their morning caffeine hit. The local spin on coffee in Vietnam is known as "sua da" or (cafe da) which is Vietnamese drip coffee served on ice with sweet condensed milk. See miacoffee.vn
LUNCH
Around lunch time I usually find myself out at the beach, escaping the midday sun and finding respite in the light breeze on the coast. At the atmospheric Soul Kitchen, I usually eat the regional dish, Cau Lau noodles, which is a magnificent combination of smoked, chewy noodles, rice noodles, sliced barbecue pork, bean sprouts, lettuce and herbs and finished off with a spoonful of stock. See soulkitchen.site
DINNER
I am an avid fan of Hoi An's Chef Duc and his portfolio of three restaurants in the city; Mango Rooms, Mango Mango, Mai Fish. If I need to eat both dinner and supper I would have a light beef pho early at Mango Rooms. For supper at Mango Rooms it would be the Peekin' Duckling. So yummy. Even though duck is often eaten in Vietnam, it is almost never on the menu for the tourists, so I find it special to be able to have this sumptuous and local dish. See mangohoian.com
DRINK
My favourite cocktail in Hoi An is the Passion Rumba (which is similar to a mojito but with an added specialty of fresh passionfruit) at Mango Rooms. I like to enjoy this drink while overlooking the river and people walk by. See mangohoian.com
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