Clockwise from left: Lotus seeds act as a sort of boba in this jasmine iced tea; lighter options like green papaya salad balance Tam Vi’s heartier dishes; Braised Loach is slow-cooked in clay pots and speaks to a longstanding culinary tradition in Northern Vietnam.

Stop 1: Tam Vi

Elevating comforting Northern classics

It’s no surprise that Tam Vi is filled with fellow travelers. In 2023, the restaurant was among the first Vietnamese concepts to receive Michelin stars (two of the other three, Gia and Hibana by Koki, are also in Hanoi). This accolade plus the social media buzz (influencers hawk it as “The World’s Cheapest Michelin-Starred Restaurant”) have catapulted it into culinary stardom. But unlike its fellow inductees, Tam Vi isn’t fine dining, but rather an upscale presentation of northern Vietnamese comfort food.

Surf, turf, snail and other proteins share menu space with lighter fare, including the iconic green mango salad, and a la carte sides like the region’s ubiquitous morning glory, also known as water spinach. Almost like a cross between broccolini and green beans, these veggies are typically stir-fried in the north (Tam Vi sautés them with garlic), but can be found raw and chilled in the hotter south.

Michelin praised Tam Vi for its ham with periwinkle snails and crab soup with malabar spinach, but I wanted to try cá kho to, braised fish prepared in a clay pot and served alongside rice. The fish in question, loach, is a small, freshwater bottom feeder not found in the Americas, with a firmer texture that can handle the braising process. While loach is said to have a subtly sweet, eel-like taste, Tam Vi’s use of fish sauce, peppers and fresh herbs makes the flavor profile bold and extra savory. As sustainability becomes increasingly top of mind for U.S. restaurants, rethinking preparation techniques could open the door to fish species previously considered too tough or “muddy.”

And while the beverage menu includes plenty of alcoholic options, Tam Vi, like all of Vietnam, excels in offering non-alc quaffs, such as the Jasmine and Lotus Seed Drink. Neither bitter nor overly sweet, the iced tea boasts smooth flavor plus textural depth, with the lotus seeds reminiscent of boba and chickpeas.

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