Tamarind Cafe, Hanoi

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I'm not vegetarian but I went to this restaurant twice and both times were culinary experiences of deliciousness wrapped up in unique flavour combinations and a comfortable atmosphere - the menu even lists the available board games you can play while eating your way through the menu.
It's more expensive than other restaurants, but back in North America, food this original and delicious would have cost way more.

Favorite Dish: I would recommend anynumber of the dishes, but definitely check out the peanut butter or wasabi flavoured mashed sweet potatoes, the teriyaki tofu sandwich, the desserts, and the malay quesadillas, which were so filling it took me way too long to finish them.

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Tamarind Cafe is the perfect place to take a break from all the shopping and sight-seeing. We lounged on throw pillows while we sipped smoothies and coffee, and ordered cake and ice cream, all to share of course.

Meat lovers be warned: it only serves vegetarian meals. This cafe best known for it's smoothies and fruit juices offers free wifi internet access and guide books on Vietnam are also available for browsing while you dine.

Tamarind Cafe is open from 6:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m. daily.

Never actually ate in here but drank quite a few of their great shakes and smoothies. It is supposed to be one of the best vegetarian restaurants in Hanoi though.

Favorite Dish: A smoothie called the Indian Cooler, flavoured with a mixture of friuts and ginger.
Delicious

This restaurant in the backpacker`s area is frequented by tourists mostly and is one of the more "expensive" restaurants in town. You can buy a delicious bowl of pho for US$.50 in restaurants around Hanoi & be full but at Tamarind prices are more tourist standard. Prices are in US$ (although you can pay in either US$ or VND). My friend & I had stuffed tomatoes, stuffed cucumbers with sticky rice, tofu with eggplant & tomato ragu, & mashed sweet potato (3 flavors: garlic, peanut, & wasabi). For dessert we ate a mango roll & sticky rice with mangos. (Can you tell we love mangos??). It was alot of food but everything was delicious. They have a wide variety of menu items & drinks (Don`t try the Indian Cooler-with ginger, papaya, & soy milk. Not good & it had no flavor).

Western style vegetarian cafe/restaurant - comfy surrounds (lots of cushions!), decent music, great coffee. Usually had brekafast here (didn't eat main meals so cannot pass judgement).

Also has the enormous advantage of being the office for Handspan Adventure Travel - check their brochure while eating breakfast, compare notes with other travellers, then go book your trip. Handspan come highly recommended - a little more expensive than some, but high in quality and also tend to be smaller groups.

Favorite Dish: Muesli was excellent.