After having a cuppa at Highlands Coffee, a popular Vietnamese cafe chain, I was even more determined to hunt down a specialty cafe that offers more than just run-of-the-mill coffee.
I got to know about Cafe Giang when I was looking for places that serve up the famous ca phe trung or egg coffee which is a must-drink beverage in Hanoi. The cafe was founded in 1946 by Mr Nguyen Giang (hence the name) who is said to be the godfather of egg coffee in Vietnam. Their recipe has not been changed at all and their egg coffee today is still made the same way as it was during its early days.
Cafe Giang
39 Nguyen Huu Huan Street
Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
Vietnam
Tel: +84 98 989 22 98
Opening hours: 7.00am to 10.00pm daily
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/cafegiang.vn
Website: http://cafegiang.vn/en/
It is easy to miss Cafe Giang as it’s hidden in a nondescript alleyway off Nguyen Huu Huan in the Old Quarter.
I took this picture when I was inside the narrow, dark lane. Yes, it did look a bit dodgy from the outside but you just have to walk all the way in…
…and you’ll see this seating area with low wooden tables & chairs.
Just a little bit more further in and you should see the counter/kitchen and a staircase. Go up the stairs where there’s better ventilated seating space.
Packed with locals and tourists alike. There was a constant flow of tourists on street food tours.
This is the menu that’s available on every table (either stuck on the table itself or on the wall) with English description on the right column for easy ordering.
By the way, there’s also free wifi here (password is provided next to the table).
We ordered a hot Egg Coffee (30,000 VND) that came with hot water in the saucer below for keeping warm. Apparently, this egg coffee was made by mixing a blend of chicken egg yolk, condensed milk, butter and cheese with freshly brewed Vietnamese coffee. Could also hear the sounds of blending machines from downstairs.
Mr Nguyen Giang had developed the recipe during a time when milk was scarce in Vietnam so he substituted with egg yolks instead.
This was a sweet coffee with a creamy topping. It wasn’t very eggy and in fact, we could still taste the aroma of coffee in it. It was more like a dessert than a coffee drink and it did remind me of a tiramisu in a cup. Yummy.
We also ordered their new Egg Matcha (35,000 VND). It was like a green tea latte with the same creamy topping as the Egg Coffee. The deep aromatic flavour of the matcha really stood out. Nothing artificial or fake – it was all real matcha powder.
I really have to try making this at home since we can’t get egg coffee in Singapore. Hopefully it doesn’t take me too long to nail it, lol. And if I’m happy with the recipe, I’ll definitely share it with you all. 🙂 Fingers crossed!
Well, Cafe Giang had seamlessly combined both coffee and dessert in a cup. That definitely brought coffee drinking and sweet treat enjoyment to a whole new level. An ingenious invention that pleases the palates of many. Definitely a must try.??