http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/ Welcome to Been there. Your tips on the places you know - that you love, live in or have just visited - are what make this guide. http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/32950 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/32950 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/22241
2. I couldn't find Baguette and Chocolat. I think it may be closed and replaced by a clothes retail outlet. But Golden Land (No. 15 Cha Ca) was a good afternoon coffee stop on the same street.

3. Apsara in Danang (recommended in LP) was very disappointing! It's expensive and food was average at best.

4. However, Cafe 43 on Van Cam in HoiAn (also in LP) was the best food we had in Vietnam. Absolutely excellent. Can't rave enough about it - we even took photos of the food and went there for dinner and lunch, despite only being in Hoian for two days.

Other tips:

1. In Hue, Mr. Pho from Pho's Cafe, one of the little shops and cafe's opposite the train station exit was a God-send. He sorted out taxis and tours for us despite the heavy rain. He speaks good English and was reasonable in his price. (USD$25 for a private car to take us to Hue's main tombs and pagodas - Tu Duc, Thien Mu, the Purple Citadel...etc) for an entire afternoon.

2. HoiAn - If you are planning on visiting My Son, stop off at the Cham Museum in Danang first. Many of the best sculptures and statues from My Son are now kept here, and visiting both will give you a much better understanding of the Cham culture.

3. Go to My Son early (leave before 7am). You'll need an hour to get there and 2 hours to soak up everything, and the tour buses arrive at 9.30am. It's worth the effort! (USD$16-$20 return by private car).]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/22241 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/21146 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/21146 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17389
Recommended dishes: Nem Cá, or famous Highway 4 spring rolls with fried catfish and wasabi soy dipping sauce. But tell them to go light on the mayo inside the rolls.

Grilled chicken with lemon leaves (Gà Nương Lá Chanh) and the Bò Xào Dưa Chua (beef sautéed with local pickled mustard greens—translated as sauerkraut but it’s quite different).

A unique and wonderfully textured green that’s only available seasonally is Hoa Thien Lý Xào (sautéed Thien Ly vegetable/flower).

For seafood, try the soft shell crab roasted with Tamarind or Salt (Cua Dong Rang Me/Muoi) and Ca Kho To (fish simmered in clay pot). Also good: Green mango (Xoài Xanh) marinated with salt and chili; and for the pork lover—Thịt Kho Tộ (pork carmelized in clay pot with coconut—tourist places tend to use lean sliced pork, while more traditional places like Hwy 4 will use pork belly). Try the sampler set of their Son Tinh liquor.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17389 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/14806
When we got more confident we sampled the local 'bia hois' where a glass of beer is available for less than 10p!

Also recommended is Highway4 restaurant where we were either ultra-confident or drunk on their rice wine and tucked into local scorpions, bugs, ostrich and crocodile!]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/14806 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/14612
The most delicious ice cream, and the biggest variety of flavours I've ever had!]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/14612 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/14474 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/14474 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/14460
One food seller noticed our apprehension of the local dish and after her comments we couldn't refuse trying them: "Don't try, don't know".]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/14460 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/14028
OK, so Bill Clinton's been here, but it's really very down to earth.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/14028 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13373
The restaurant serves French-accented Indochine cuisine in a lovely garden courtyard.

Seemed popular with diplomats when we were there.

Food is excellent and we felt very very full when we left, but very virtuous as we had helped people just by eating!

They also have a cafe and bakery called Baguette et Chocolat]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13373 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/12274
Pho looks like a simple dish, but it actually takes a lot of skill and experience to prepare properly. A good bowl of pho calls for sweet and pure bouillon, soft rice noodles that are soaked in boiling water for just the right duration, and of course, tender and fragrant meat (chicken or beef).

Pho Bo is noodles with sliced beef while Pho Ga is noodles with shredded chicken.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/12274 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/11619 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/11619 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/11196 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/11196 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/8814
They're incrediably cheap: three of us ate our fill for £1 in total.

Failing that, try the local cafes (where you sit inside - with the kitchen at your elbow). Cost me £1 for a massive plate of stir-fry beef & Chinese cabbage (delicious) & two beers.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/8814 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/5762 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/5762 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/2427
The food is fantastic, trust me. Would we have had the likes of Bill Clinton and John Prescott dine with us if it wasn't?

If you like the concept and want to find out more - ask staff and we may be able to provide you with a short guided tour of the training centre too which is near Westlake.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/2427 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/2297 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/2297 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1824 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1824 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1595 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1595