Van fish noodle soup, Quan Thanh Street

Van's fish noodle shop on Quan Thanh Street in Ba Dinh Ward was once featured by CNN as one of the five must-try dishes in Hanoi besides pho. The shop opened in 2009 and remains a popular destination for diners.

The broth is simmered with fish bones for three to four hours. An essential ingredient in the broth is fermented rice wine residue, along with a small amount of peanut worms (Sipunculus nudus), which give the broth a clean, naturally sweet flavor. 

The fish comes in two varieties: one is fried until golden and crisp on the outside while remaining soft and flaky inside; the other is sliced raw and dipped directly into the piping-hot broth until just cooked. Tilapia is carefully prepared and treated with fermented rice wine residue to remove its fishy smell.

In addition to fish, the shop serves shrimp, fish cakes and seasonal vegetables such as mustard greens, water celery and water mimosa (Neptunia oleracea).

Luyen fish-head noodle soup, Hong Phuc Street

Luyen's fish-head noodle shop on Hong Phuc Street in Ba Dinh Ward has been operating since 2001 and is a familiar destination for diners who enjoy fish heads, particularly grass carp.

At first, the owner sold noodle soup with fish meat, fish innards and fish roe like many other shops. Later, the restaurant became popular for its fish heads.

The fish heads are meticulously cleaned and split in half. They are fried in hot oil until golden and crisp on the outside while the bones become soft enough to eat, then placed in a basin to drain the oil. 

The fish heads, flesh, innards and roe are all marinated according to the restaurant's own recipe. Diners say the dishes have no fishy smell, while the innards are crisp and chewy, the roe is flavorful without being too dry, and the fish heads contain plenty of meat with crunchy bones that give them an unusual texture.

The broth is simmered with fish bones and pork bones. Luyen she adds a mixture made from apple juice, pineapple, tomatoes and fried shallots to give the broth a light, naturally sweet-and-sour flavor.

Tuyet Bun Cha 34, Hang Than Street

This grilled pork with noodles restaurant has been included in Michelin's Bib Gourmand selection, which recognizes good food at affordable prices, for four consecutive years.

A full bowl of bun cha comes with minced pork patties and sliced pork belly richly marinated with spices and charred over charcoal braziers. The patties are wrapped in Blumea lanceolaria leaf, balancing lean and fat content so the meat remains juicy during grilling.

The bowl is generously filled with grilled meat and topped with a dipping sauce made according to the restaurant's own recipe, balancing sour, spicy, salty and sweet flavors. Green papaya and carrot slices are added to cut through the richness. 

“Princess” beef noodle soup, Kim Ma Thuong Street

This beef noodle soup restaurant was visited by Swedish Princess Victoria Ingrid Alice Desiree in 2019. The visit later earned the restaurant its nickname, “Princess” beef noodle soup.

The restaurant serves three main dishes: chicken pho, bun thang and southern-style beef noodle salad. Of these, the beef noodle dish is the most popular. It combines stir-fried beef with noodles and herbs and vegetables such as basil and lettuce. The beef is carefully marinated according to the restaurant's recipe before cooking. The accompanying fish sauce is mixed with a little fried shallot to enhance its aroma.

Thiep's crab noodle soup, Hong Phuc Street

This is also a long-established restaurant familiar to many Hanoi diners. It serves generous bowls of noodles for those with hearty appetites, with a variety of toppings including freshwater crab, fried tofu, Vietnamese pork sausage and snails. The clear broth is made with freshwater crab, vinegar and tomatoes, giving it a light sour taste followed by natural sweetness.

The stuffed snails are carefully selected and fresh, with plump shells. They have a distinctive crisp texture and aroma when eaten. After being cleaned, the snails are soaked in salted water to remove impurities and reduce their fishy smell before cooking. The tofu is fried until puffed, with a golden, crispy exterior and a soft, rich interior.

Khoi Vy