American YouTuber explores Hanoi’s unique street food

David Hoffmann, an American content creator with over 1.3 million YouTube followers, is known for documenting his culinary experiences worldwide. A few months ago, he visited Vietnam, making Hanoi his first stop to explore its diverse street food scene.

Beyond well-known dishes like pho, banh mi, bun cha, and banh cuon, David ventured into the world of more adventurous Vietnamese delicacies - sampling pork intestines, snake meat, balut (fertilized duck egg), and herbal-braised chicken cooked in beer cans.

However, one dish truly surprised him - cha nhai, or fried frog patties.

From curiosity to delight: A taste of cha nhai

David tried cha nhai at a popular bia hoi (draft beer) street eatery on Dao Duy Tu Street in Hanoi’s Old Quarter.

At first, unaware of the main ingredient, he found the dish savory, crispy, and full of flavor. However, when his Vietnamese guide revealed that it was made from frogs, David froze in shock for a few seconds.

"Really? Are you serious?" he asked in disbelief.

Despite his surprise, he continued eating and was pleasantly surprised by the taste.

"It's hard to believe this is made from frogs, but it's actually delicious - spicy from the chili, aromatic with herbs, and the bones are soft and slightly crunchy," he described.

David particularly enjoyed dipping the frog patties into fish sauce and pairing them with a cold beer, calling it the perfect Hanoi street food experience.

The origins of cha nhai – Hanoi’s unique specialty 

Cha nhai is considered one of Hanoi’s lesser-known delicacies, originating from Khuong Thuong Village (now Khuong Thuong Ward, Dong Da District).

Today, the dish has gained popularity and is served in many restaurants and beer halls across the city.

At a well-known cha nhai shop on Ton That Tung Street, Ms. Hong, a second-generation cha nhai maker, has been in the business for nearly 30 years.

"My grandparents started this trade, and I have carried on the family tradition," she shared.

According to Ms. Hong, high-quality fresh frogs are essential for an authentic cha nhai. Since the dish is available year-round, she sources frogs from different regions depending on the season:

Southern Vietnam during colder months

Northern Vietnam in summer

The process of making cha nhai involves:

Cleaning and finely grinding the frog meat

Seasoning with a secret blend of spices

Shaping the mixture into small patties

Frying them in hot oil until golden brown

To enhance the flavor, cha nhai is served with:

Lime leaves

Fresh herbs

A balanced dipping sauce of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy flavors

Ms. Hong’s shop produces around 10kg of cha nhai per day, selling at VND 400,000 ($16) per kg.

Thao Trinh

Photo: Davidsbeenhere