Hanoi Embraces the Colonel

Travel Blog  •  Terry Ward  •  06.26.06 | 6:50 AM ET

Last week, American fast-foot giant KFC opened its first outlet in Vietnam’s capital city, Hanoi. It was a huge hit. “The line was so long Phan Huyen Trang, 26, had to wait 25 minutes for chicken, coleslaw and mashed potato and gravy,” according to a Deutsche Presse-Agentur report. “‘You have to wait for a longer time to have a KFC meal than to have pho,’ Trang complained, referring to the Vietnamese national dish of beef soup with rice noodles.”

I remembering visiting Hanoi in 2004 and buying the most delicately wrapped fresh spring rolls from a street vendor for about 20 cents—the non-fried version, with a sprig of green onion sticking out the end and a neatly filleted shrimp wrapped inside, glowing pink through the opaque rice paper (side of peanuty sauce for dipping). Then I headed to the market to sit on a low stool surrounded by produce and slurping locals to follow up with a steaming bowl of pho bo. I can’t imagine swapping that culinary foray for the Colonel’s powdered potato and pre-packaged version. But I can picture the young north Vietnamese lining up for an experience that might seem equally as exotic to them as their markets were to me.

Tags: Food, Asia, Vietnam, News and Briefs

Terry Ward

Terry Ward is a Florida-based writer and a long-time contributor to World Hum.


4 Comments for Hanoi Embraces the Colonel

Binh 07.28.06 | 10:48 AM ET

I live in Hanoi but have never been to this restaurant. Where is it?

Chris 12.24.06 | 9:10 PM ET

I found the KFC but I souel not recommend it.

There is enouhg other food around.

Regards

Chris Voegeli

Adam in Mui Ne 08.13.07 | 11:55 PM ET

Pizza Hut has also moved into Saigon recently. While I don’t care for these places myself, there’s no doubt they are popular with locals. As the economy in Vietnam grows, there’s no doubt that Dunkin Doughnuts and Starbucks will make the jump from Thailand to Vietnam as well. Whether they will be as successful however, remains to be seen. I think they’ll have a much bigger cultural hurtle.

Christoph Voegeli 04.18.08 | 8:34 AM ET

Do not miss the Sunday Brunch at Horison Hotel fantastic spead - excellent value for money- great for families with small kids

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