Hotel Sofitel Metropole, Hanoi, Vietnam

Fancy food in Vietnam was born at the Metropole now serving up Vietnamese Food Porn. Chef Didier Corlou, much applauded by the international food crowd, the Vietnamese Ministry of Culture, Hanoi Society and guests of the Metropole is a major draw-card to the countries oldest hotel. His thing; French ingredients cooked with Vietnamese flavours and vice versa brings both a local and international crowd salivating to the door. Fried shrimp with squeezed orange sauce, stuffed frogs legs fried with sesame seeds, Dry Seaweed Salad with Flower Crab and Tamarind, Sauteed Oysters with Tumeric and Lemongrass and Foie Gras with Lemongrass and Ginger Juice surprise the palate. For pudding think about Sticky Rice with Caramelized Lotus Seeds and Papaya Sorbet, Lime and Red Chili Sorbet or Roast Banana with Banana Sorbet and Puffed Young Rice.

I was staying at the Metropole specifically to meet this Courlou, of whom I’d heard tales the length of Vietnam. I wanted him to teach me some secrets of the Vietnamese kitchen and I’d heard of his dedication to sharing. His renowned cooking classes start with an early trip to the market where he shops for produce to serve in the restaurant that evening. Into the basket went a clear eyed grouper and some fat translucent scallops still in their shell. We students gathered around to hear his explanations of the plethora of aromatic herbs and green vegetables that define Vietnamese cuisine and to watch the linguistic salad of the French Vietnamese exchange between the chef and the vendors. His passion for his adopted nation, his produce and his people and their obvious respect for him both inspiring and indeed infectious. Later back in the restaurant and after the class, I would sit down to several fabulous meals from the Metropole kitchens; every one of them a delight and well worth the multiple visits a stay in the hotel will ensure.

When you book, make sure to take a room in the original ‘Metropole’ wing of the hotel, which has by far the most atmospheric quarters in Hanoi. Dark wooden floors and shuttered windows keep the rooms cool in the tropical heat without need for the air-conditioning. A standard room is not massive, but a generously proportioned bathroom makes up for the smaller size. High ceilings and lush drapes with a touch of chinoserie complete contemporary colonial styling which is both charming and comfortable. The service is amongst the best you’ll experience in Vietnam. Moreover, the hotel has executed their expansion well, adding a tower block behind the original in keeping with the charm of the property. The swimming pool, outdoor dining area and gardens form a courtyard between the two buildings and maintain a serenity usually found only in smaller hotels. The Metropole despite having 232 rooms feels small and intimate and probably a lot like it did when it opened in 1902 with 48 rooms. It’s a winning combination.