The New Puku

As much as it’s good for my cred to pretend I eat nothing but streetfood the reality is quite different.

In the end I probably eat Vietnamese food as much as I ever ate English food in the UK.  That’s probably around one meal in four.

When I lived in Hanoi, first time around, Puku to me was the place that did the great bangers and mash.  Served in a bowl, Asian style, they were phenomenal.

Legend has it that the original owners were so keen to keep it solely as an expat and locals place that they were deliberately rude to the Lonely Planet compiler.  Going as far as begging for it not to be included.  It was so good it made no difference and in the book it went.

Puku was also one of those places that started off with a 100% expat clientele before moving towards a pretty equal local/foreigner split. It also, I believe, went from foreign ownership to local ownership to, more recently, a local and foreign partnership.

When I returned to Hanoi it was probably fair to say that Puku had seen better days.  It was still much loved but looking down at heel.  As so often turns out to be the case it was as a result of landlord problems and the inability to continue a lease.

You don’t invest in a property that you’re about to be turfed out of.

And now this…it’s re-opened at 16/18 Tong Duy Tan Street – that’s Food Street to you and me. That has the added bonus of being the only street in town with a 24 hour license.

You can read my full thoughts on the new place at the New Hanoian.  But they’ve done good. Very good.

This place is going to fill Hanoi’s hangout void.

*See the rest of the pics here.