there is something magical about the smell. the minute you touchdown here, it grabs you, captain vindicates you, and chances are, it holds you forever. i m not the first to feel this way. there is no better place to entertain the leader of the free world, in my opinion, than one of these classic funky family-run noodle shops you find all over hanoi. dinner and a beer costs $6. i m guessing the president doesn t get a lot of state dinners like this. how often do you get to sneak out for a beer? very rarely. first of all, i don t get to sneak out period.