Chris and Steph, a couple from Canada, are currently traveling the world while documenting their culinary adventures on a YouTube channel with over 250,000 followers.

They have developed a deep affection for Hanoi, which they consider a “street food paradise.” Recently, they released a video featuring six unique and flavorful noodle dishes they discovered in the Vietnamese capital.

“Hanoi isn’t just about pho. The city offers a wide variety of noodles, each with its own cooking techniques, flavors, and ingredients. When in Hanoi, you should try pho, but don’t miss out on other noodle dishes,” the pair shared.

As part of their food journey, Chris and Steph sampled six iconic Hanoi noodle dishes: crab and snail noodle soup (bun rieu cua oc), stir-fried eel glass noodles (mien luon xao), chicken and egg vermicelli (bun thang), duck vermicelli (mien ngan), mixed flat rice noodles (banh da tron), and herbal black chicken noodle soup (mi ga tan). Among these, the last dish left the strongest impression.

They stumbled upon a small street-side eatery on Hang Bo Street in Hanoi’s Hoan Kiem district. To their surprise, the dish used instant noodles instead of the more traditional rice vermicelli or flat rice noodles. The broth was a deep black and was served with black chicken and young eggs - ingredients they had never encountered before.

The noodle shop that Chris and Steph visited is a popular local spot, consistently packed despite offering only a few small tables on the narrow sidewalk. The broth is simmered from chicken bones and infused with medicinal herbs such as mugwort, jujube, lotus seeds, and goji berries, resulting in a mildly sweet, slightly bitter flavor with a rich, smoky aroma and dark color.

Diners can choose between regular or black chicken. Notably, the instant noodles are not pre-cooked. Instead, they are placed directly into the bowl with the chicken, mugwort, and bean sprouts, then doused with the boiling broth to preserve a slightly chewy texture.

At first glance, the herbal chicken noodle soup may not look especially appealing and can be a bit of an acquired taste due to the strong herbal scent.

Chris and Steph ordered the version with black chicken and young eggs. When the steaming bowl was served, they were immediately drawn to the fragrance of the herbs wafting from the broth. Upon tasting it, they were surprised by the subtle bitterness balanced by the overall harmony of flavors, noting how well it paired with the instant noodles.

They were also impressed by the tenderness and rich flavor of the chicken. Trying the cluster of immature eggs for the first time, they described the texture as similar to holding a bunch of grapes. When eaten, it reminded them of a firmer, more flavorful egg yolk.

“With so many traditional herbs, this dish is not only unique but also nutritious and beneficial to health,” they emphasized.

The bowl of herbal chicken noodles costs approximately USD 2.85.

During their noodle tour in Hanoi, the couple also enjoyed stir-fried eel noodles on Nguyen Tu Gian Street and mixed flat noodles on Ly Thuong Kiet Street. It was their first time trying banh da - a broad, flat, brown-hued noodle made from rice flour that becomes silky smooth when cooked.

“I love dry noodle dishes in Vietnam because they’re often served with a flavorful side broth. The chefs here use a variety of ingredients so skillfully. The tender noodles mixed with bean sprouts, fried shallots, and crispy peanuts create a perfectly balanced bite,” Steph commented.