This well-spun yarn about a wild-eyed expat in turn of the century Hanoi was first published by Eastlit in 2014. It has been brushed up a bit. Hopefully for the better.
Yes!! The same family, I think, owned it. It might have had a few incarnations in Hanoi but the most ‘iconic’ venue was on Hoa Ma street in the so-called French Quarter. Circa 2000Ad it was the only late night venue in the city.
Yes Apo was possibly Vietnam's first chain/ franchise.. But definitely family run. It opened in Hanoi's old quarter maybe 92? Later moved to Hoa Ma location, where it lasted many years. I think they also tried locations in Vung Tau and Danang? Someone should really put together a photo history ;-) It was a legendary dive in it's day.
Yeah, I think the original Apo in Hanoi was on Hang Vai Street (well before my time). Later on the same house became Toast Bar (run by an Englishman called Kevin with his Vietnamese partner Hang) and then Bamboo Bar, which kept the very hard drinking late night ethos (chaos) alive. And now ... it's a trendy wine bar :))
Years later, I went to the Saigon Apo and met the young guy who had been sent up north to run the Hanoi Apo all those years ago (maybe the Hoa Ma incarnation, not the Hang Vai one). He wasn't so young anymore, but he recognised me and actually said we should sit down and chat sometime about the old days. I'd say he has some stories.
This betrays that I haven’t been here as long as you, but there was (is?) an Apocalypse Now in Hanoi??
Yes!! The same family, I think, owned it. It might have had a few incarnations in Hanoi but the most ‘iconic’ venue was on Hoa Ma street in the so-called French Quarter. Circa 2000Ad it was the only late night venue in the city.
Yes Apo was possibly Vietnam's first chain/ franchise.. But definitely family run. It opened in Hanoi's old quarter maybe 92? Later moved to Hoa Ma location, where it lasted many years. I think they also tried locations in Vung Tau and Danang? Someone should really put together a photo history ;-) It was a legendary dive in it's day.
Yeah, I think the original Apo in Hanoi was on Hang Vai Street (well before my time). Later on the same house became Toast Bar (run by an Englishman called Kevin with his Vietnamese partner Hang) and then Bamboo Bar, which kept the very hard drinking late night ethos (chaos) alive. And now ... it's a trendy wine bar :))
Years later, I went to the Saigon Apo and met the young guy who had been sent up north to run the Hanoi Apo all those years ago (maybe the Hoa Ma incarnation, not the Hang Vai one). He wasn't so young anymore, but he recognised me and actually said we should sit down and chat sometime about the old days. I'd say he has some stories.