TNH

I once reviewed this place a long time ago, upon its birth...
Then I overused it and got bored. But upon returning today: wow! Love the new look. New rooms, new hidey holes, great decor, more places to sit each unique in style and great painting exhibit too. Nola has just got better.
Staff are still super friendly and the granola is delicious.
I will come back to you once more Nola. I am sorry I ever left you.

F is for fantastic space. Who would think that such a narrow alley entrance would lead to a huge and multi-level space that just seemed to go on forever? Our large group was herded upstairs to pretty much the top where everything was rearranged to accommodate us. Looking around, there were numerous small and large clusters of people enjoying various spaces. A very exciting and eclectic space with heaps of talking points.

U is for unbelievably steep stairs! Tall people in particular should take care and watch for steel beams and concrete lips as you go up. This cafe is not for the immobile but effort on the stairs is rewarded with comfy chairs!

N is for no-need-to-hurry. There are so many alcoves and seating areas that once you find your space you can settle in and enjoy. Relax, wind down, turn off any noise around you and chill. Will be a great option for an afternoon of a good book, drinks and snacks.

K is for künstlerisch. There is something quirky and random and crazy about the cafe set-up that gives it an artistic bent quite different to most other Hanoi cafes. You are surrounded by the new and the old, French colonial architecture, steel, concrete, glass, cane, timber... it works, odd, but it definitely works!

Y is for yummy food. Sure, the food is not amazing or outstanding, but it is predominantly yummy as attested by our clean plates. We had no complaints, felt well looked after and reluctantly left with full tummies and smiles - what more could you ask for?

I love this place since the first time I walk in :)
I still remember there was more than a year ago, when I was at Biahoi Corner with some friends, someone came and say "there is a new place opening today and free everything" so then we decided to come and see.
First thing I think of when I see it, I think "how small!" because when you just walk pass a very small alley you will see a small room with a bar and something up stair, but then someone said "pls go inside", I followed them and seriously, feel like I'm going to an old palace :) It was a very interesting place with weird design, great music and good foods.
Now, after more than one years being a weird customer there, I can say that it's my second house. They take me from this surprise to other surprise. I can tell how much the owner love this cafe by the way they take care of it. They are trying to make it better everyday. Every month you can see something new, sometime just move stuff -change the position of something, sometime is new painting, new pictures...
The place is almost quiet all day, even they are in the old quarter. If you looking for somewhere that you can working or relax around day time, you got it. They have excellent music which from 1930 to 1970 and get on very well with the space make you feel like you are sitting somewhere in the pass :)
Oh, I'm missing it now :) Bye everybody, I'm going to Nola!

Don't let the rating fool you, this is a decent place, the ambiance is excellent, it is very quiet and it is one of the few places outside of the US (and possibly France) where you can get Jambalaya.

However there are three severe drawbacks that make it a two star establishment. First, though they have Jambalaya on the menu, they are often out of it, which means I walk out half the time I go there. Second the service sucks and it usually takes more than an hour from the time you walk in until the time you leave. Third they have one of the most horrible bike set ups in all of Hanoi... how horrible you ask? let me tell you.

The restaurant is located in the back of a few buildings which makes it quiet, but also means that bike parking is a bit tricky.

Even though they could have a set up like Kaiser Kaffee, in which you COULD park you bike in the entrance way (there is more than enough room at the end for at least three or four bikes) they have some woman who runs a tea stand in front of it deal with the bikes.

The woman is a god awful human being, and I don't know about you but I am not about to leave my bike with someone who is not even an employee and doesn't give a ticket in the heart of Hoan Kiem.

I always insist on locking it and this always pisses her off, but I just ignore her and go in.

One day I went there and she was nowhere to be seen and all the spots in front of the restaurant were taken. Not wanting to leave my bike in the street and seeing that there was another bike in the entrance way I hopped the curb and attempted to park behind the aforementioned bike.

At this point the woman appeared and started screaming at me in Vietnamese. I started screaming in her in English and eventually someone told me she wanted me off the side walk.

In the process of all this my bike got stuck on something and I tried to get it unstuck, all the while the woman continued screaming.

Then she went for my keys... this is a no no.

When she grabbed for my keys I instinctively pushed her away, and she fell to the pavement.

Then all hell broke loose.

All I remember from the ensuing brouhaha is; a lot of screaming, a crowd gathering, engaging in a shoving match with a rotund mustachioed man and knocking over a bike to get the hell out of there.

I have not been back since.

Hmmm...Is that what it was? Ownership change? I had assumed that it closed for a little while for remodeling and then no one noticed when it was reopened.

I'm actually in Nola right now, using the free wifi. It's huge now, with all sorts of nooks and crannies - you might even be able to find one to spend the night in without them ever finding you. I've only been here a couple times since the reopening, and although no one seems to come here anymore, I still like it. The food is the same - pretty good - the staff are nice, and the quiet, arty space is a great respite from the city madness.