Who is credited with creating Vietnamese egg coffee in Hanoi in the 1940s?

Nguyễn Văn Giảng is credited with creating Vietnamese egg coffee in Hanoi in the 1940s.

According to the commonly reported account, Giảng worked as a bartender at the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi during a period when milk was scarce or expensive. He whipped egg yolk with sugar to create a creamy substitute, then used it in coffee. The resulting drink became known as cà phê trứng, or egg coffee.

Giảng later opened Café Giảng in Hanoi, which became closely associated with the drink. Egg coffee is generally made by beating egg yolk with sugar and sometimes condensed milk before placing the mixture over hot or iced coffee. The topping resembles a light custard or meringue-like cream.

Egg coffee is not an omelet-like coffee beverage: the egg is incorporated into a sweet whipped topping. It is especially associated with Hanoi, although cafés elsewhere in Vietnam now serve their own versions. Café Giảng remains a major reference point in the drink’s history.