At a small restaurant nestled in Yen Lang Street, Hanoi, the sizzling sound of rice batter hitting cast-iron pans fills the air as lunchtime approaches. For more than three decades, this has been the daily rhythm of Luong Van Chinh, 61, and his wife Nguyen Thi Tham, 57, who brought their family’s traditional Quang Ngai-style banh xeo to the capital city.

By 11:30 AM, the restaurant is buzzing. Customers arrive steadily, eager for a taste of the crispy pancakes. Mr. Chinh, moving quickly and with practiced hands, pours rice batter into six cast-iron molds, brushes each one with oil, and adds shrimp, beef, pork, and bean sprouts. Depending on the customer’s preference for a crispy or soft pancake, he adjusts the cooking time precisely.

“I started helping my parents make banh xeo when I was a child. Thirty-one years ago, my wife and I brought this craft to Hanoi. It’s a skill that’s become second nature to me,” he said.

From humble beginnings on the sidewalk of Thai Ha Street with just a few plastic tables, the couple used their pancake stall to support their children’s education. Years later, they managed to rent a storefront and open a more spacious and permanent restaurant in Yen Lang.

Unlike the Southern version, typically cooked in large pans with shredded cassava, mung beans, mushrooms, coconut milk, and a medley of herbs, Quang Ngai-style pancakes are cooked in small cast-iron molds about the size of a hand (approximately 20 cm in diameter).

The ingredients are simple: freshly ground rice flour (no turmeric), chopped scallions, shrimp, pork, beef, and bean sprouts. The meat is lightly seasoned, but its freshness is key.

“In the past, we used tiny shrimp from our hometown, but now we use peeled shrimp to suit customers’ preferences. We’ve also adjusted the dipping sauces. One resembles the popular bun cha dipping sauce, while the other is a traditional, strong fish sauce with garlic, chili, and heat,” Mr. Chinh explained.

Paired with the hot, crispy yet slightly fluffy pancakes are fresh vegetables: lettuce, mint, herbs, bean sprouts, sliced cucumber, carrot, and pineapple.

Each serving, which includes four pancakes and assorted sides, costs about 70,000 VND (approximately 2.85 USD).

The rice paper wrappers are ordered directly from Quang Ngai. These are not too thin or thick and have the perfect softness and elasticity. During dry weather, the couple wraps them in banana leaves to keep them moist.

Linh, a 41-year-old Hanoi resident, and his wife have been eating at the restaurant since their dating days, nearly 20 years ago. Now, they often bring their children, relatives, or friends for a change of pace.

“I’ve tried banh xeo in many places, but I love this spot for its consistently crispy, not-too-greasy pancakes. The traditional dipping sauce is my favorite,” Linh shared.

In addition to banh xeo, the restaurant serves grilled beef, grilled pork belly, bun thit nuong, nem lui, and Mi Quang - all in the distinctive Quang Ngai style.

Their grilled beef is another customer favorite. Fresh beef tenderloin is sliced and marinated with seven different spices using a family recipe. It is left to marinate for two hours.

Unlike before, they now use infrared grills to reduce smoke. The meat is grilled in batches for 10 to 15 minutes, with each portion made to order to ensure tenderness and juiciness.

Despite its modest appearance, the grilled beef is flavorful, tender, and fragrant.

It is served with fresh vegetables, cucumber, thin pineapple slices, and a thick dipping sauce made from stewed bone broth and minced meat.

The Mi Quang offered here differs from the traditional Quang Nam version. It includes shrimp, grilled pork, sausage, meatballs, and a rich sauce also made from bone broth.

During peak hours, Mr. Chinh handles both the kitchen and front-of-house service, ensuring each guest receives a freshly prepared meal.