David Hoffmann, from the US, is a YouTube content creator with a channel boasting over 1.3 million subscribers. He often posts videos sharing his travel experiences in the countries he visits.

A few months ago, David came to Vietnam and chose Hanoi as his first stop to explore street food.

Beyond popular dishes like beef pho, banh mi, bun cha, and banh cuon, he also tried some unusual foods not every foreigner dares to taste in Hanoi, such as pig intestines, snake meat, balut, and beer-can ginseng chicken.

Among them, one dish left the American YouTuber both impressed and shocked when he discovered its ingredient: cha nhai, or little frog patties.

David experienced this dish at a well-known sidewalk beer joint on Dao Duy Tu Street.

At first, unaware of the ingredient, he enjoyed its tasty, unusual flavor. When his Vietnamese guide revealed the patties were made from frog meat, the Western tourist froze for a few seconds.

He even asked, "Really?" in disbelief.

"it’s hard to believe these patties are made from frogs, but the flavor is truly delicious and rich. I taste the spice of chili, the aroma of herbs, and some soft, crunchy bones inside," David said.

The American YouTuber also shared that he loved dipping the frog patties in fish sauce, saying they were perfect for sipping beer on the sidewalk while watching street activity.

Cha nhai is one of Hanoi’s unusual specialties. The dish originated in Khuong Thuong village (now Khuong Thuong ward in Dong Da District) and has become a signature delicacy of the locals.

Today, cha nhai is more widely known, appearing on the menus of many restaurants and pubs across Hanoi.

Hong, the owner of a specialty cha nhai business on Ton That Tung Street in Khuong Thuong, said she has been in the family trade for nearly 30 years.

"Since my grandparents’ time here, they have made frog patties. Later, I followed the family trade and have kept it going for nearly 30 years," Hong shared.

She said making tasty, authentic frog patties require fresh, high-quality ingredients. Her family sells them year-round, sourcing fresh frogs from various regions depending on the season.

"We buy fresh frogs from different areas. In the cold season, we get them from the south, while in summer, we prefer northern frogs," she revealed.

Fresh frogs are sorted by size upon arrival. Small ones are used for patties, medium ones are fried crisp, and large ones are coated in batter and turned into appealing dishes.

Thao Trinh