Xin chào again, food fans!
Francesca here — finally reporting in after a little “blogging break” (a.k.a. serious pool time 🏖️). We’ve been soaking up the sun, rain, noodles and markets in Da Nang and Hoi An, and it’s been SO GOOD I almost forgot how to type.
But don’t worry — I’m back on the blog, bringing you the highlights reel from the past few days. Spoiler: there’s a lot of deliciousness, a few crafty moments, and one banana that might have changed my life.
🛫 Day 14: Da Nang Arrival & First Beach Feast
After our quick flight from Hanoi, we landed in Da Nang and headed straight for lunch at Nha Hang Viet Xua, a cute Vietnamese place right next to our hotel. We shared:
- Thai chicken curry (warm and creamy),
- Bánh xèo (Vietnamese pancakes) — crispy and stuffed with goodies,
- Fried tofu (surprisingly yum),
- And beef noodles (classic Ted move).
Then it was off to the beach for a splash, where Lucia tried to swim to the horizon and Ted buried his own legs in the sand like some kind of noodle worm. Success.
🚗 Day 15: Off to Hoi An & A Champa Dinner Gem
We made the short drive to Hoi An and checked into The Pearl Resort — fancy name, fancy vibes. That night we headed into the Old Town for dinner and found a tiny treasure called KariChampa & Gourmet Lab.
It only had four dishes, which made choosing easy:
- I had the beef noodles (yum),
- Ted, Luci & the grown-ups shared beef and goat curry with rice and potato salad (double yum).
After dinner we wandered the glowing lantern-lit streets, then grabbed dessert at Tiem Che Xiu — a five-scoop coconut ice cream tower that lasted approximately 8.3 seconds. Lucia made friends with some local toddlers and tried to join their game. I think she won.
🛍️ Day 16: Shopping & A Seriously Sensational Dinner
We hit the tailor shops and markets in the afternoon (Mum may now own half of Hoi An), then had dinner at Grandma’s Kitchen, and OH. MY. TASTE BUDS.
Check out this line-up:
- Deep-fried fish of the day with rice paper, noodles, herbs & sauce
- Grilled beef in bamboo
- Minced beef in betel leaf
- Hoi An chicken & rice
- Coconut heart salad with grilled chicken
It was beautifully presented, full of flavour explosions, and officially the best meal of the trip so far.
Dessert? Don’t mind if we do:
- Ramie leaf rice cake (“husband and wife cake” – I just like the name)
- Banana flambé with vanilla ice cream — and yes, I ate banana. And LOVED it. Who even am I?
We walked it all off with a little gift shopping. Let’s just say the suitcase situation is… tight.
🎨 Day 17: Rainy Day = Lantern Day
The sky opened up, so we went full craft mode and did a traditional lantern-making class.
- We each picked our own lantern style and fabric.
- Ted finished first (obviously — he’s a speed demon with zero chill).
- Mine is going straight in my room.
- Lucia’s… well, hers is super cute (thanks to some help from Mummy 😅)
If we can wedge them into our luggage, these babies are coming home.
🛍️ Day 18: Pancakes, Passionfruit & the Markets by Night
After a lazy pool day making new friends (shoutout to the water slide crew 👋), we hit the Old Town Night Markets for:
- Tailor pickups (Mum’s clothes = approved ✅),
- More shopping (I may have bought a new ring. And a fan. And… other things),
- And dinner at Madame Hien — another absolute gem.
On the menu:
- Exotic seasonal salad with passionfruit dressing
- Chicken with lime & honey
- Duck breast with mango & green tea sauce
- Pho Bo (beef noodle soup, because someone cough Ted cough always orders it)
We devoured everything. Ted ate a whole chilli (classic Ted 🌶️🌶️). And then, to top it off, we grabbed banana & Nutella pancakes from a street vendor for the ride home.
- Ted went full banana-Nutella combo 🍌🍫
- I kept it classic with just Nutella. Sophisticated.
🌟 Final Thoughts from Francesca
Hoi An has been colourful, tasty, rainy, lantern-lit, and kind of magical.
We’ve had so many incredible meals, made our own lanterns, and somehow still found space for ice cream every night. The food here is seriously on another level — fresh, flavour-packed and full of surprises.
Can’t wait to see what the next few days bring… but first, another dip in the pool. And maybe another pancake. Or two. 😉
Until next time,
Francesca (plus Ted, the noodle boss, and Lucia, Queen of the Pool Floaties) 🍜🏮💛
P.S. Ted says he wants to open his own food tour called “Scoot & Slurp.” I’d join.
Ted Tastes Francesca Feasts 
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