The Son Tinh Guide To Winter In Hanoi
Fear not though, for here at Son Tinh, we’re committed to keeping you happy and lubricated with libations all year round, rain, shine or even snow. Northern Vietnam is a wondrous land, even if we are forever at the mercy of the mercurial weather, but with the onset of colder months, Son Tinh is here to warm the spirit and the body, along with a whole host of tried and tested Vietnamese eats and treats to help you battle the freeze to come.
HOT POT
There’s never much of a reason needed to go for hot pot. Even in the sweltering days of summer, we’ll still find any occasions to suffer through the mind-numbing heat to enjoy this colossal brew. Come wintertime however, this is when the legendary communal meal that brings family, friends and even complete strangers together over a nice steaming pot of delights seems most palatable.
Fellas, there’s no need to hike up your shirt above the mid-riff any longer. The weather seems perfect as we gather around the iconic steel cauldron, bubbling over with boiling broth.
It’s no coincidence that hot pot can be seen spilling over onto any given street of the city. In Vietnam this festive gathering is more than just a meal, it’s an institution. The food may be good, but the conversations are often better.
So, crowd around the gas-lit flame with a bottle of Nep Phu Loc, which is perfect digestif for the assortment of meats, vegetables, spices and tofu found in a pot of lau thai.
If lau thai isn’t what the party is craving, try all the frog you can handle at Lẩu ếch Hà My at 70 Ngõ 36 Giang Văn Minh, Đội Cấn, Ba Đình, Hà Nội, or the delicious chicken hot pot found at Nhà Hàng Ngự Miêu 195 Nguyễn Khánh Toàn, Quan Hoa, Cầu Giấy, Hà Nội.
And if you can’t make it all the way to Hanoi, but are still affected by the creeping chills of winter, pop into Lẩu Bò Thanh Tâm, 14 Nguyễn Thị Định, Phường 1, Thành phố Đà Lạt for the beefiest of broths, or for the Sapa specialty of salmon, get yourself to Cơm Hoa Đào on 48, Lê Văn Tám, TT. Sa Pa, Sa Pa.
BARBECUE
As the nights grow longer and the days get colder, most people wouldn’t think that sitting outside on a plastic stool would be the way to warm up, but then again, most people don’t see traffic lights as advisory. This is Vietnam. This is how things work.
Boasting a wide array of barbecued brilliance, 10 Lý Văn Phức – affectionately known as BBQ Chicken Street is home to a specialist enclave of restaurateurs who were born to grill. Everything from chicken feet to pork spareribs and beef makes it onto the barbecue, but definitely don’t forget to check out the honey-grilled bread.
With the barbecues roaring to the sound of sizzling meat, it’s the perfect place to grab a drink, huddle round and breathe in the vibrant street life that makes Hanoi so unique. Tucked away just off the arterial road of Nguyễn Thái Học, BBQ Chicken Street is a calm corner in the palpitating heart of Ba Đình district, Hanoi.
For DIY enthusiasts, try Nhắng Nướng at 81 Đại Cồ Việt. With two floors of BBQ paradise, you’ll be given your own personal charcoal grill and a bevy of raw meats to cook at your own discretion. It’s simple and caveman-esque, but there’s no better way to enjoy BBQ than with generous slices of meat and your own fire. Just try not to be the unlucky one who get the seat that faces the wind, unless you like a face full of smoke.
To further enhance your dinner experience, pair your charcoaled-delights with a bottle of Son Tinh Mo Vang. With its light sourness and mild astringency, Mo Vang’s apricot flavour perfectly compliment spicy, grilled meat dishes.
CHRISTMAS
For reasons that are obvious to anyone with a basic understanding of history, we don’t officially celebrate Christmas, but even out here, thousands of miles from where it’s the be all, end all of celebrations, it’s hard to ignore that mushy warm feeling you get in your stomach around the festive period. Even when there’s no snow in sight.
They say that Christmas-time is the gift of giving, and out here, the Santa makes house calls via motorbike. Perhaps you could have him deliver a bottle of Son Tinh? We do deliver after all.
Son Tinh is a big splash of Vietnamese cultural tradition, but bottled with the precision and professionalism of a high-end spirit, making it the perfect present for anyone with taste buds.
So cheers to new traditions. If you can’t manage to find an oven-roasted turkey with all the trimmings, stuffing, cranberry sauce and gravy, rest assured at the very least there’s always chicken. So you can take “comfort and joy” in knowing that Son Tinh Minh Mang is a great accompaniment for white poultry dishes.
Even if there’s nobody you’d like to treat, let the Son Tinh flow freely through your Christmas parties here – it is a time that comes but once a year, so you should at least treat yourself.
VIETNAMESE LUNAR NEW YEAR
With Tết on the horizon, we finally catch a glimpse of the winter’s end, but it’s not over yet. Tết might be a spiritually nourishing time of year and the warmth of the whole family coming together for an annual feast is a beautiful thing to behold, but the weather still has a frosty bite to it.
We’re dedicated to keeping the whole family – well, the adults at least – in good spirits for this special time of year with our own unique spirits. Son Tinh takes the traditional Vietnamese character of rice liquor and preserves those traditions through applying modern techniques, which means it’s something you can impress the father-in-law with during the countless mot, hai, ba zo’s to come.
Whether you’ve got a boss to impress, need to make multiple stops to multiple households or you just want to cure some nerves with a good stiff drink, before you meet your significant other’s family for the first time, we know that Tết is a lot of things to a lot of people.
Even though everyone’s family does something different, let Son Tinh be the unifying force that flows through the family with tastes that will echo through the generations. Luxurious and inherently Vietnamese, Son Tinh fits neatly into the traditions of Tết – a culturally revered celebration deserves a culturally relevant bottle on the table.
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