When it comes to hotel room service, we generally have a couple of things to look out for in determining if that particular hotel’s room service is worth it. First, we do expect the prices to be quite high, as with most five-star (or otherwise similarly-ranked) hotels. Correspondingly, in terms of taste, the food should be similar to what one can find in good restaurants in the country. Based on the above, we rate Pan Pacific Hanoi’s room service!
I decided to enjoy some lunch when I first checked in at Pan Pacific Hanoi on the first day. I had fond memories of indulging in some delicious grilled fish when I last visited Hanoi. I decided to order something similar and got the Cha Ca La Vong.
Coming with a generous amount of grilled fish, noodles, and an assortment of vegetables, it tasted delicious. I loved how perfectly grilled the fish was; it came with just the right amount of oiliness. I seriously enjoyed this dish a lot. Perhaps loving fish has got something to do with it. Soaking the noodles into the bowl of dipping sauce and finishing it off with a huge chunk of grilled fish was just perfect. Before long, I finished the entire dish.
Of course, no meal is complete without dessert. I ordered an Old-fashioned Apple Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream to go with my Vietnamese black coffee. It was a well-balanced end to my meal. The apple pie was all right. It was not the best I have tasted, but it was sufficient to make me satisfied with the meal. The vanilla ice cream helped to balance out the apple pie. Black coffee was a great standard offering that is just necessary after a delicious meal.
The next day, I decided to order something I have not tried before. I have always heard how Banh Xeo is a must-try when in Vietnam. Hence, I went with this dish for lunch the next day. Really a crispy pancake with vegetables stuffed within, it comes with beansprouts and tofu, and a dipping sauce. It was a little too oily for my liking. However, it could be because I did not eat it while it was hot. Leaving it in an air-conditioned room to snap multiple pictures could have affected the dish. Make sure you eat your food while they are still hot!
I mistakenly thought it was an appetiser of sorts and felt I had to try the pho as well. Of course, I had to order a bowl of pho to go along with my pancake.
It was a large bowl of goodness, one that gives you warm feelings of enjoying some comfort food, much like what a bowl of chicken soup can do for you. The broth was delicious and I basically finished the entire bowl of soup.
Dessert was next. Having tried the apple pie the previous day, I went with everyone’s favourite: tiramisu. It can do no wrong. It was not too sweet but just the right amount of coffee and sweetness within. It was a great ending to the meal.
Once again, I wanted to try something unique while at Pan Pacific Hanoi. It boasts a Chinese restaurant at the hotel and guests are able to order food from the restaurant straight to their hotel room. Hence, I decided to go Chinese this time and ordered some Chinese favourites.
First up, I really went with something luxurious. I do not really see bird’s nest on offer for room service meals. Hence, I ordered a bowl of double-boiled bird’s nest with consomme. It was an appetiser to start off my Chinese meal proper. As usual at Pan Pacific Hanoi, the amount of bird’s nest given was generous. It also came separately from the soup so that guests can add it on their own when they receive the meal. The broth was delicious and the bird’s nest complemented the soup well.
Next, I ordered the barbequed meat plate. It consisted of smoked goose breast, roasted duck, and barbecued pork. While the menu stated it is meant as a single portion, I definitely had trouble finishing the entire plate all on my own. I have to admit that the meat tasted a little like it was reheated. However, the meat somehow did not taste tough and was adequately tender.
For sure, I needed some vegetables to have a well-balanced meal. I ordered the sauteed spinach with salted egg and century egg. It surely helped my body as it had both greens and protein. It was simply delicious. I basically drank up the vegetables that came with the broth. Mix some of it with your bowl of white rice and you do not need anything else.
This dinner was arguably the best room service meal I enjoyed at Pan Pacific Hanoi. Perhaps I was just starting to miss home, and having a Chinese meal allowed me to think of the home-cooked food I enjoyed back in Singapore. However, I would still recommend enjoying a meal at this restaurant, the Ming Chinese Specialty Restaurant. Alternatively, order room service from the comfort of your hotel room!
Overall, I enjoyed my room service meals at Pan Pacific Hanoi. The price point was reasonable for most dishes while there are also unique dishes you just have to try while on a holiday. Make sure you order a room service meal when you are at Pan Pacific Hanoi!
Total cost: VND 3,179,736.00 (approximately S$190.00) (inclusive of all government taxes)
Worthiness: Yes.
Please note that this article may contain links to websites, where any subsequent purchases made may provide straitstravellers with a referral commission. This in turn helps support the running of this website. We appreciate your support thus far. Thank you!
Comments