Highlands Coffee Great Lunch Offer

If you are thinking that all Highlands Coffee outlets are the same, you are wrong.

I have been patronising Highlands Coffee outlets around Hanoi, including the ones at Hoan Kiem Lake and Vincom Tower.

Most people come for coffee. Not surprising. Afterall, Highlands Coffee aspire to serve the perfect cup of coffee.

However, one of the reasons I have been patronising this particular Highlands Coffee outlet on the 3rd floor of Trang Tien Plaza is the set lunch, which comprises one main dish, one soup and your choice of coffee or lime juice, for only VND55,000.


If you have been to Vietnam, you will know this is a fantastic offer. Only from 11am to 2pm. Not sure weekends are included, though the promotional banner does not put any limitation clauses.

Mind you this offer is only specific to this specific Highlands Coffee outlet, as confirmed by the one of the staff. There may be also lunch set promotions at other outlets (e.g. at Vincom Tower), but these outlets do not offer a complimentary drink, and the set lunches are more expensive.


Address:
3rd Floor, Highlands Coffee (Trang Tien Plaza)
24 Hai BA Trung street,
Hoàn Kiếm District, Hanoi.

Truly Refreshing Experience at Gecko

I can only say it was a pleasant surprise.

It is not the first time that I am eating at Gecko today. I have previously visited the outlet on Luong Ngoc Quyen Street on 2 occasions.

My first experience left me with a dread for the long wait it takes for the food to arrive on the table. Admittedly, the food was good, and it was one of the tastiest steaks I have eaten in Hanoi. But the wait was enough to kill me. It took close to 1.5 hours before the steak finally arrived on the table.When I threatened to cancel my order, that was when finally some action was taken, and my steak arrived on my table 10 minutes later. I remember another couple continually asking about the status of their order too.

I believe in giving second chances before I write my feedback on the restaurant. I resolved to go to the restaurant only when I had plenty of time to kill.

On my second visit to the Luong Ngoc Quyen outlet, there were fewer people that day. I can't remember how long I waited. But I have been conditioned to wait. The 2 backpackers seated on the adjacent table asked the waitress to expedite their orders as they were rushing for the train. I also recall that the smoked salmon steak with wasabi mashed potato tasted absolutely smashing.


Smoked salmon steak with wasabi mashed potato

What a surprise I had at the Hang Bo Street outlet today! I had a most scrumptious grilled beef with mustard sauce, tasty Bart Simpson (mocktail), and crepe chocolate - all served in triple quick time, for the price of VND152,000 (USD1=VND20,000). I also enjoyed the conversation with the co-owner, a Mr. Thomas Viet, who extolled on the importance of good service in his line of business.

Finally, Gecko is living up to the mantra 'Good Service - Inexpensive Price', that appears prominently at the bottom of the namecard.

Gecko Bar - Cafe - Fasfood is a chain of restaurants in Hanoi, with outlets at the following addresses:

(1) 89 Hang Bo Street, Tel: 043 9234000
(2) 22 Luong Ngoc Quyen Street, Tel: 043 9262382
(3) 86 Hang Quat Street, Tel: 043 8288773

It is also featured in the Lonely Planet Guide to Vietnam.

If you want to try Gecko, do try the Hang Bo outlet...unless, of course, you are prepared to wait.

State Bank of Vietnam

This stately-looking building is home to the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) (Ngân Hàng Nhà Nước Việt Nam).



It is located close to the Old Quarters at 46, Lý Thái Tổ, Q.Hoàn Kiếm, Vietnam.

It is becoming difficult to take a nice picture of this building, with tall skyscrapers of BIDV Tower and Vietcombank Tower sprouting in the streets behind and dwarfing the building.

I resorted to squatting on the street corner opposite the building, and angling the camera upwards to capture this image. If you look closely, you can still see the Vietcombank Tower jutting out just slightly above the top of the SBV building as a backdrop to the Vietnamese state flag fluttering on top of the SBV building.

You can read more about SBV here.