Vietnamese tea, Japanese tea, Chinese tea … all have their own characteristics in terms of taste and how to enjoy them. Today, duongsrestaurant.com will help you discover Vietnamese tea.
The Vietnamese tea drinking habits has been started since the period of 13th to 15th century. In the past, it was believed that tea could help improve one’s character, polish one’s manner, and assess one’s personality. Thus, reading book and drinking tea had been chosen by most of Vietnamese scholars back then since it was thought that the habits could achieve enlightenment and peace of mind. Through times, tea gradually has its own place in everyday life of Vietnamese living either in the city or in the countryside.
Not only at home but also on the street, Vietnamese do drink tea. Tea is sold commonly in “quán cóc” – the street vendors – which can easily be found in many Hanoi corners. “Quán cóc” with hot or iced green tea is an interesting piece of Vietnamese street culture, where people, especially workers and students, often come to have some rest in short breaks of utterly exhausted working time, waiting for friends or for picking up children after school. “Quán cóc” connects people, from strangers they become friends, sharing stories and hearing latest news happening while smoking cigarettes or having some peanut candy.
Recently, young Hanoian have had a new trend: gathering around and drinking fresh lime tea – “trà chanh”. A few plastic short-legged stools, a small dish of roasted sunflower seed, and certainly, a glass of “trà chanh” for each; those are enough to have a great time with friends at a very low price. The most boisterous and exciting place to drink “trà chanh” is at the area around Saint Joseph Cathedral or in Dao Duy Tu street (an Old Quarter’s corner), where you will get a chance to have a close approach to daily life of young Hanoian life style.
It takes about 2 minutes to walk from Duong Restaurant Ngo Huyen to the Saint Joseph Cathedral then you can enjoy a cup of “trendy” Trà Chanh.
