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Kurtz's Posts
10 reviews or comments posted; 1 questions asked; 6 answers given.
Reviews / Comments (10) see all
This place is a big outside restaurant not far from My Dinh stadium. There's a huge garden which has plenty of space but it is surrounded by Vina kitsch heaven/hell. There are the tennis courts with guys flapping around quaffing crates of red bull, a totally dilapidated kids play area, a fishing area with secluded huts, a crocodile pit (for some reason) and the grand fromage wedding room.
To be honest the food and service were pretty crap but good spot for kids to be able to run around and play (just stay away from the actual play area itself) in a city which doesn't offer much on that front.
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First time I came here many moons ago I expected a raw liquor drinking den but was surprised to find a fully fledged restaurant with an extensive and original menu.
Even now I think Highway4 still has something very unique in Hanoi and the Son Tinh liquors easily keep me away from western shots. Could spend all day (and, er, actually have spent all day) drinking the apricot and apple liquors, a wee dram of Bo Sapa liquor bursts the cobwebs away, and Ghekko liquor is a natural replacement for a tequila moment.
As for the food I would say keep digging through that menu. Still manage to find something I haven't tried before and I'm rarely disappointed.
Like the fact that this Highway4 is really spacious (much more than Hang Tre restaurant) and the central atrium area makes the place feel very open.
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Probably the most regularly top rated place on this site and deserves it as in its field it's well above the rest. Usually only been there for curry and cricket sessions but went for lunch the other day and spent an hour chatting with Gopi, the manager. Interesting guy who really does care about giving a top service.
Besides the food next time you're there ask him about his invigorating Indian tobacco complete with aluminium shavings. Classic stuff.
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If this place was a tad closer to where I lay my helmet then I think I'd be a pretty regular customer. Nice surroundings, fantastic Ukrainian food and the best range of vodkas in town. Tee-totallers would be missing out.
They do the classic dishes such as shashlik (barbequed meat)and borsch (beetroot soup) really well and there is plenty more to dive into in the menu. Probably a decent starting point for a stag party but doubles up as a chilled spot for dinner too. Upstairs there's also a nice bar room with a large screen, perfect for watching footy.
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Definitely good location overlooking the roundabout of death. Makes it possible to escape the tinny sounds of the rickety speakers (which apparently "can't be turned off") and fill your ears with traffic tunes instead. May have got them on a bad day but the lemon juice, despite being in a nice glass, tasted like it had come out the washing-up bowl and the sandwich was bland. Give the waiter some credit for attempted enthusiastic service but wish he hadn't tried quite so hard. Sorry Mr.Joe.
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Questions (1)
I have been in a running discussion with the French Hospital in criticism of their maintenance of a dual pricing policy for Vietnamese and foreigners in the present socio-economic climate.
The general manager, Mr Lucien Blanchard, initially only proved able to respond by email that "Our hospital has instituted a 2 tier tariff policy from the beginning to help Vietnamese patients access to our services." So do we assume the higher price for foreigners could thereby be interpreted as a deterrent?
After failing to respond to my email asking for just one reason to justify the price structure I decided to call up directly. On the phone with Monsieur Blanchard today he refused to make any comment or provide any justification for this 2-tier structure. Instead I was ushered off the phone.
So what do you think? Dual pricing for medical services - immoral or our duty to shell out more?
Answers (6)
Posted Friday June 13th, 2008.
Interesting but let me counter.
SOS is not a hospital. It's more a clinic. They are not able to perform surgery or a host of other activities but instead operate more as a postage & packaging service to Singapore/Bangkok or wherever else your insurance company/pain barrier may request/demand. After all there's a stack of cash to be made in international medivac or repatriation, n'est ce pas?
These private medical services are (naturally) businesses first but compassionate medical services by a distant second although it would be nice to see the 2 sides on more of a par. This is no direct attack on the medical staff as such but more a staunch criticism of the decision making body at the so-called top of the heap.
The French Hospital claimed to me that 90% of their clientele is Vietnamese in which case that's a small minority being laden with a financial burden to provide for a wider group. However, the French Hospital is not a charity but a company making profits and paying extremely fat salaries in order, in my opinion, to extend the scope of La Francophonie rather than to reach out and "heal the masses".
If these "immoral" financial imbalances caused the so-called subsidising group to dwindle to nothing then pray Sir where would the support then come from? Asterix and Obelix?
In response to the question: I have been in a running discussion with the French Hospital in criticism of their maintenance of a dual pricing policy for Vietnamese and foreigners ...
Posted Tuesday June 24th, 2008.
Besides pickpockets I've come to know of a recent rise in muggings of (not by) taxi drivers at knife point in recent months. All happening late at night. Guess taxi drivers may be getting a wee tad more concerned about wasted rabbles piling into their cars late in the night now.
Actually talking with nurses at the army hospital (108) there has also been a massive rise in Vietnamese youths stabbing each other. Guess something finally has to replace motorbike related head injuries in the stats department.
Still on the bright side Hanoi is still one of the safest capital cities in the world. You gotta appreciate that.
As for Mr.Ahinger these days it's easy to get a new licence plate for bikes. Used to be a complicated process but now you can order any licence plate you want/need along Tran Nhat Duat St (near Chuong Duong Bridge).
In response to the question: Was VERY skillfully pick-pocketed of my iPod in the Church Street area about a week or so ago? Any other had similar experiences? Am wondering if this...
Posted Sunday July 6th, 2008.
Anybody can buy a bike, plant themselves on it and drive it here.
All vehicles need a registration card (frame and engine numbers listed) - it's credit card size. In effect if you hold that card then you own the bike. If you buy the bike from somebody then you should get a sales paper (can be hand-written or can follow the official sample) as proof of purchase.
If you're a tourist then you cannot get your name on a registration paper. If you have official employment - and therefore can get an official company red stamp - then you can get your name on there.
Not as complicated as it used to be and not that expensive, but you need to know who to contact. However it's not at all necessary to get your name on this paper unless you like the look of it. Foreigners registering vehicles is now quite normal, just most don't bother and it's not a major issue.
As for licences you should get one. Full stop. Again tourists cannot get a VN licence but they should have an International Licence (which whatever you've heard to date is legally valid in Vietnam) at least. Fair enough to say you'll always get away with it as a foreigner but if you wait until the day when you need one then you'll wish to heaven you'd done it before. And when you need one you really bloody need one, believe me. At the moment this is usually in the accident scenario, but don't think you're infallible as you're not. Accidents include some other drunk geezer planting his vehicle full pelt into your passive stationary bike.
Licences are neither complicated nor expensive. Accidents without them are both complicated and expensive, and I imagine a bit harrowing.
In response to the question: How easy will it be for me to get a scooter when I arrive in Hanoi? I've driven scooters for the past 4 years in Taiwan and would love to purchase on...
Posted Monday July 21st, 2008.
There are glass suppliers all over town and they can all do the job. The only place I've used repeatedly is 71 Hang Thiec. They do a sound job with decent price and have every type of glass.
In response to the question: where to get thick glass cut for tabletops, anyone know please?...
Posted Wednesday August 13th, 2008.
http://www.squeakieice.com/ have got a good reputation in Hanoi.
In response to the question: i need a website constructing for my new sports supplement business can anyone recommend a good web designer...
Posted Monday August 18th, 2008.
Contact Quan on 0912.907.175 or 01696.896.686
He has classes at a temple on the west side of West Lake. He's a really sound guy.
In response to the question: Hi, I'm looking for Tai Chi lessons here in Hanoi, but it's proving harder than I expected. I've tried google and New Hanoian searches without ...
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