"Vietnam" a Vietnam Travel Page by Anthony_Bourdain

I’m standing outside the Hotel Metropole in the capital city of Hanoi. It’s where writers, spies and the infamous have always stayed, for decades. I’m waiting for my always-busy friend, Linh. He’s a man with multiple agendas. And figuring them all out can keep a man busy. I have no idea what Linh has planned for this trip.

It’s no surprise we’re on a motorbike. So is the rest of Hanoi, all at the same time, it seems. We’re in a god-awful hurry to get somewhere. We are going to enter the ancient quarter of the city. We go to a place where [Linh] often has Bun Cha. Ah, lunch. Okay, easing into things over Bun Cha sounds sensible and smells delicious. We are the last guests of the day. We’re also lucky to be here in one piece. This is the place where [Linh] always comes for lunchtime, after work. Yeah, what is Bun Cha again? Bun = rice noodles, Cha = grilled pork.

Deceptively simple. A makeshift hibachi right on the sidewalk, a dark, soot-encrusted storefront open to the street. The Bun Cha master fans the coals red to just the right temperature for grilling the outside of the pork without drying the inside. Fat drips from the marinated pork, sizzling into smoke which penetrates the meat with its own flavor. With the aid of a trusty fan, the rest of the smoke is free advertising, luring each passersby with its alluring scent. Cha is cooked in sauce. The sauce is papaya with garlic, a little bit sweet, a little bit sour. Into your Bun Cha you add a mixture of crunchy greens, some hot peppers along with condiments like pickled garlic and lime juice. One could say it’s a suspiciously democratic dish. It’s not Bun Cha without all of these elements.

Because it’s so good. Nearly every lunch after work hours, [Linh] comes here and eats silently. Well, not exactly silently. Above the sounds of the cooking, the city and even the motorbikes can be heard the sounds of two happily slurping Bun Cha fans. To the Vietnamese as with many Asian cultures, loud slurping of noodles is not rude at all. In fact, it’s a sign you’re enjoying your meal, and I can slurp with the best of them. Oh this is delicious.

I’m up and out of the Metropole early. All I know is we’re headed for the mountains and a tribe called the “White Tai.” I’m pretty nervous about these people. They didn’t let Americans come up to areas like this for a long time because these groups had a history of collaborating with Americans and before that with the French, because they were never too fond of central government. [My friend and guide] Linh says not to worry. After all, he’s got his foreign ministry credentials. [He] lets a few details slip about what we have to look forward to — ready for that two-hour road trip through the mountains, [with] treacherous roadways to a village of ethnic minority, But there’s a complication. We’ll have to meet with the local honcho from the sinister sounding Peoples Committee. No way around it. This could put a real damper on the party.

Surrounded 360 degrees by breathtaking, magnificent mountains, a tribe referred to as “White Tai” are largely sheltered from the outside world. There’s a huge amount of food being prepared. And when I asked Linh if we can help out, he reminds me that we’re not the only guests of honor, and I’ll be needed elsewhere. I present the chairman of the local Peoples Committee, or more accurately, the central government’s man. This guy is no bundle of fun. In fact, he’s sucking the fun right out of the room.

The chairman is not pleased we’re late. Worse, far, far worse an even more terrifying danger looms. Peoples Committee guy tells Linh we have to make things right. It turns out all the chairman wanted was to take us to dinner. And afterwards, he adds, he will join me in a test of skill. Linh says it involves dancing. Dancing? No way.

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Special VT Contributor Anthony Bourdain
Author and chef Anthony Bourdain travels the world seeking the authentic experiences and food that flavor the world’s cultures. Join him on his journey, on No Reservations, his new series on the Travel Channel. Meet Anthony, talk about the show, and view Anthony’s photo journals. Visit travelchannel.com/AnthonyBourdain