Yen Ninh

On my way from Laos to Hanoi I had about 10 hours to kill in Dien Bien Phu. I walked over to this little restaurant and found a little living room that also functioned as restaurant and bookshop. The owner was so lovely and spoke great English, asking me about my journey and helping me write out a little text about veganism in Vietnamese to hand out during my travels in Vietnam. I tried their Pho, fried springrolls and sweet and sour pork and am still baffled by how amazing the latter was. I actually went to the kitchen and asked how they prepared it and if they were sure it wasn't actually meat.
At the end of my day as I was about to leave, they grabbed my huge backpack and handed me a helmet. They drove me back to the busstation on their motorbike.
Unexpectedly one of the most unforgettable days I've had. Thank you so much.

While spending a few days exploring Dien Bien I ate here three times. Everything I ordered was prepared fresh and was delicious. The braised eggplant and cucumber salad were some of my favorites.
The two sisters running the place speak English well and are very welcoming. There is also a small cell phone shop inside in case you need buy a new SIM card and get a phone plan.
So happy that this place exists!

We were so happy to discover, thanks to a fellow cyclist who blogged about it, this cute little restaurant in Dien Bien on our ride to Laos.
We loved the braised 'fish' with galangal - it was fantastic. Forgot to take a picture of it...
The owner / proprietress is sweet, speaks excellent English, and it is very much a family run place (like all small ventures in Vietnam).
We noticed a set menu selection on the way out so this might be a great option and allow you to try a few dishes. Ask about it.
If in Dien Bien you should visit.

It's located on the main road, at 644 Group 1 Tan Thanh ward, around the corner, opposite Truong Chinh street
It opens at 8am to 10pm everyday