Hanoi (VNA) - Inaddition to infrastructure facilities to serve operations of reporters comingto cover the DPRK-USA Hanoi Summit Vietnam, the International Media Centre(IMC) has provided them with free lunches and dinners, making it a chance topromote the hospitality of Vietnamese people and traditional dishes.

At lunchtime right after the IMC wasopened for reporters on February 26, the food court attracted a crowd of foreignand domestic reporters. A wide range of European and Asian foods, includingVietnamese dishes such as ‘gio’ (pork-pie), ‘cha’ grilled chopped meat, ‘banhcuon’ (steamed rolled rice pancake), ‘nem ran’ (fried meat rolls) and cakes,were served at the buffet lunch.

In particular, Hanoi city’s food court sawthe participation of many cuisine artisans coming from restaurants andcentury-old craft villages, offering ‘Pho thin’ (Thin noodles served withbeef), ‘bun cha’ (noodles and grilled meat), ‘bun thang’ (noodles in chickenbroth), ‘xoi Phu Thuong’ (steamedglutinous rice) and ‘banh khuc’(cake made of glutinousrice mixed with everlasting gnaphalium leaves.

Nguyen Thi Tuyen, an artisan from Phu Thuong steamedglutinous rice village, said: “Foreign reporters liked the Phu Thuong steamedglutinous rice very much. Despite language difference, their happy eyes,friendly smiles and repeated nods showed that they enjoyed the food.

Tuyen said she and her villagers werevery happy when the city’s authorities invited them to serve at the IMC becausethey would have a chance to introduce the Phu Thuong steamed glutinous rice tointernational friends coming from all parts of the world.

Being proud to serve ‘bun thang’ (noodles in chicken broth) atan important external event for the first time, Doan Van Nai – a thirdgeneration descendant of Ba Am Bun Thang Restaurant at 37 Cua Nam, Hanoi, saidthe brand of Ba Am ‘bun thang’ appeared in the city more than 100 years ago.

Nai hoped that the serving of ‘bun thang’at the IMC would contribute to the success of the DPRK-USA Summit and promoteHanoi’s traditional unique dish to international friends.

Having been in Vietnam for the firsttime, Lee Paai Fung, a reporter of Hong Kong-based Ta Kung Wen Wei Media Group,said he has heard about well-known Hanoi ‘pho’ – the favourite dish of many people.Therefore, Lee decided to try ‘Thin pho’ and he was very pleased with hischoice.

Lee said he would taste alltraditional dishes of Vietnam while working at the IMC and by doing that hewould learn about further the Southeast Asian nation’s culture.

Highlyappreciating the conditions for the journalists’ work at the IMC, AlbertoSalazar, correspondent of the Hanoi–based Prensa Latina News Agency said thefood serving journalists are very good and this is a chance for many internationaljournalists who come to Vietnam for the first time can taste its traditionaldishes.

“It’s a goodidea to help international media know about Vietnam through local food,”Kamonrat Wichiankoo from AFP said after finish his first meal at the IMC onFebruary 26.

He is alsoimpressed with the diverse variety of foods and drinks served for free for the journalists.

Nguyen Quoc Hung, Deputy Director ofthe National Convention Centre who is in charge of the food court at the IMC,said the IMC serving the DPRK-USA Summit has differences as compared to thoseat big international events hosted by Vietnam. This time, the IMC is muchlarger with the higher number of reporters, he said.

Senior leaders of the government andHanoi have also paid great attention to the logistic work, including theprovision of free lunches and dinners for reporters at the IMC, he said.

To serve a large number of reporters,the IMC has made careful preparations in selecting material suppliers, ensuringfood safety and hygiene and inviting cuisine artisans, Hung stressed.

In the coming days,the food court’s staff members will continue trying their best to serve internationalreporters with traditional and special dishes, helping to bring Vietnamesecuisine culture to the world.-VNA