Pub Crawl, last night in Hanoi

After bun cha (rice noodles, barbecue pork, greens) with my father-in-law's family, he, my wife and I headed out for the pubs. Our original plan was to drive to Red Beer microbrewery first, but a night market got in our way, so instead we hit Finegan's at 16a Duong Thanh for draft Halida. Nice spot in the old quarter, pool tables in back. Apparently the women are the pool sharks in Vietnam. Some will bet their clothing against your money. They generally keep their clothing. We didn't test the theory....

On to Gambrinus (now Gammebeer) at 198 Tran Quang Khai, for microbrew golden ales and stouts. Not bad, but a bit sweet. The beer hall is enormous by Hanoi standards. Easily seats 200-250 people or so.

Last was Bobby Chinn's on the west side of Hoan Kiem lake. We met Bobby. He is half-Chinese, half-Egyptian, so no surprise he has become a restauranteur in Hanoi. Good guy, nice place. This spot has become THE expats bar over the past several years, and I can see why. It could be in NYC or L.A. if you changed the window scenery. Prices are western. Wish we had had appetite to try the food, but there is always next time.

This was a great trip. Off to the airport!