Ha Hoi Restaurant @ Ha Hoi

Tucked away in a small quiet corner is an exquisite Vietnamese restaurant that L and I went to try yesterday. When we arrived, the restaurant was pretty quiet and we got a corner seat on the first floor. The interior decor of the restaurant was nicely done, and even the plates and cutlery used were beautiful. I was fairly impressed.

A welcoming atmosphere

A snapshot of the interior decor

Since there were only two of us, we ordered 3 dishes: stir-fried chicken in lemongrass (which turned out to be deep fried), grilled eggplant and clam soup.

From left: Clam and vegetables soup
Top right: Fried chicken with lemon grass
Bottom right: Grilled eggplant - Yummy!

The eggplant was my favourite! Grilled till slightly soft, it was coated with a layer of stir fried garlic, chilli and herbs like basil leaves. It was a little bit oily though. The soup was clear broth of clam soup with vegetables. Tasted so-so to me. The chicken was a disappointment. I don't fancy fried stuff and the chicken meat was a tad too hard - perhaps due to over-frying. The fragrant taste of lemon grass didn't save the dish too.

Overall, I would rate the food as average but the ambience is nice. Perfect for friends who want to catch up over long conversations while enjoying local Vietnamese food. The service of the staff was excellent. Our waitress was friendly and even spoke to us in Mandarin when she realised that we could speak the language. Thumbs up for her effort!

Ha Hoi Restaurant
4 Ha Hoi, Hoan Kiem District
Open for lunch and dinner only