Hanoi Supermart finds

I love rummaging the supermarts for local produce and Hanoi is no exception. The thing about Hanoi is, they still operate on a Mom and Pop shop style i.e. provision shops, hence the lack of variety and definitely the monopoly of prices.



The hotel folks pointed us to Intimex near Hoan Kiem for the nearest supermart.



Along a modern street of upmarket fashion...spotted charles and keith there!

 

Peanut candy

I have lost track of which Asian country did peanut candy originate from – seems that every other place seems to be laying claim on it from China to Taiwan to Vietnam even. These peanut candy rocks are sold at different prices across the country. Slightly dusty at the tourist trap saw it going at 30,000 VND but the very same packet was going for half price in what I call a Mom and Pop shop. What started out as usual peanut candy did get addictive towards the end but I still cannot quite tell the major difference of peanut candy all over. Perhaps a difference of handmade versus machine made then!




Vietnam's version of Lay's. Both flavours were barely any different. I suppose chips are chips, and I wonder why they even bother with flavours.



The equivalent of pringles, only more powdery.



Fruit chips in a bag!



Fruit chips fried so crisp, risking a bad throat is well worth it. These taste so much like the real thing, right down to the starchy after taste.



Rice crackers to rival Want-want, these are dryer than the ones we have here. Liked the grainy finish though! A cheapo alternative but not too bad replica!

Another peanut candy that would need some jaw exercise but moderately sweet!

Coconut Milk

Too sweet and milky for what I thought was coconut juice.

Birds Nest “White Fungus” Drink

A healthy mildly sweet dessert drink with chunks of white fungus. This had a home brewed taste and would pass off as one quite well!

Caprisonne Grape Drink

I just could not resist this childhood fruit drink!




Beef Jerky

Smelt like potpurri and tasted odd. It could be the spices used that made it really queer.



For a weather with temperatures soaring to 37 degrees, icecream of any sort and form is always welcome.



Soggy cone meets vanilla chocolate icecream, nothing to yell about but it quelled the heat momentarily.

 

My favourite Vietnamese brand of icecream in my favourite flavour too!



Green rice icecream, I missed you so! Right down to the coconut flakes, this asian dessert was nailed so right. Says who treats like these have to come expensive?



Coconut milk flavoured icecream too!




 

Double happiness. Milky and very refreshing