Emperor (tel. 04/826-8801): Set in a luxurious, candlelit courtyard of an old-style timber-frame home, Emperor sets the standard for Vietnamese fine dining.
Vine (tel. 04/719-8001): This chic little bistro north of central Hanoi (on West Lake) is a find. The atmosphere is hip San Francisco-style, and the food is a cunning assortment of the familiar, from good pizzas to great fusion.
Restaurant Bobby Chin (tel. 04/934-8577): Atmosphere and location -- like a performance-art space on the south end of central Hoan Kiem Lake -- Bobby's is the place to see and be seen in Hanoi.
Cha Ca La Vong (tel. 04/825-3929): A Vietnamese institution and a tourist right of passage, really. A meal here is a memorable, do-it-yourself affair on the beat-up second floor of a restaurant as old as the hills (and it looks like it has never been painted). The food does all the talking: a unique dish of white fish flash-fried in lots of peanut oil with dill and turmeric.
Mango Rooms (tel. 0510/910-839): The atmosphere is fast and furious as hip young owner Duc slings a unique brand of Asian-fusion fare, heavy on grilled items and delicious light ingredients.
Le Rabelais (tel. 063/825-444): Fine French cuisine served with real panache at one of Vietnam's most luxurious rural hotels.
Ngon Restaurant (tel. 08/829-9449): Its popularity has spawned a number of small offshoots, including a specialty restaurant focused on northern rice dishes and another new outlet for buffet dinners, but the original restaurant near the Reunification Palace is the best. A virtual survey course of authentic Vietnamese cuisine from every region of the country, this restaurant is the town's most atmospheric, friendly, and busy.
