Forget everything you think you know about hotel restaurants – and traditional izakayas, for that matter. Two floors below the Capella's marble lobby, behind a velvet curtain that smells faintly of binchotan smoke, sits Hanoi's most sophisticated Japanese kitchen, where 70% of ingredients arrive on twice-monthly cargo flights from Japan and the sake selection is Vietnam's largest.
The vibe: No red lanterns and tables sticky with spilt Asahi here - this is an izakaya in name only. Choose from a variety of seating options, depending on the level of intimacy you're after: the sushi counter for solo dining, semi-private booths separated by sliding screens, or the beautifully lit, spaciously appointed main dining room.
Service operates on an almost telepathic level - your water glass never empties, your wasabi is grated fresh without asking.
The food: The menu is vast and at times intimidating, with the grill section living up to the izakaya promise – from yakitori to premium wagyu, all kissed by charcoal. Don't miss out on the unagi. Lacquered in a tare sauce that's been coaxed and reduced until it tastes like the very essence of umami, the eel is soft enough to cut with chopsticks.
If you’re among friends, focus your mind further and go for their shabu shabu set, which features premium Yaeyama Kyori beef from Okinawa. Swish it briefly in kombu broth until it melts into silk.
The drinks: Skip the wine list and surrender to the sake selection. Their house-exclusive Izumi by Koki is dangerously smooth, while the connected Akio bar stocks a huge scope of bottles. The bartenders can talk you through rice polishing ratios until your eyes glaze over, or simply pour you something that makes you understand why people write poetry about fermented rice.
Time Out tip: Order a round of the teppan-grilled koki wagyu; it comes straight from the grill of the Michelin-starred kitchen next door. At these prices, you're already in deep; might as well see how far the rabbit hole goes.