• 2
• You've probably eaten here already

If you've been to Hanoi, odds are you've been to a Gecko. Or at least seen one. The Old Quarter is full of Gecko restaurants, some clearly part of the chain, some trying to hide the fact, going by different names. The identical menus and Happy Hour signs tend to be a bit of a giveaway. Anyway, the food is absolutely bog standard Western guesthouse stuff, definitely nothing special. They stock mock meat as well as tofu, which is rare for these kinds of places, but otherwise it's cornflour sauces, frozen mixed veg, and bland bland bland. After a point we swore off going to them. The convenience they offer (English menu, guaranteed vegan options) can't make up for the vague melancholy you feel eating some of Asia's most boring food in one of Asia's most exciting cities. I can't speak for Le Gecko in Sapa. They have table cloths and the waiter wears a fancy suit, maybe the food is a real treat for the senses.