A female tourist from China was delighted by a golden, crispy Mekong-style pancake served with a vibrant basket of fresh herbs. The dish was found at a southern Vietnamese restaurant in Hanoi that has been recognized by the Michelin Guide for offering high-quality food at affordable prices.
Tian Hui is amazed by how versatile Vietnamese rice paper can be. Photo: Travelandrice

Tian Hui, a traveler from Taiwan (China), shared several videos of her culinary adventures in Hanoi’s Old Quarter.

In one recent post, she documented a full day savoring Vietnamese dishes made from rice paper. For lunch, she tried pork belly rolls with rice paper; in the afternoon, she enjoyed street snacks such as grilled rice paper, mixed rice paper, and rice paper spring rolls. Her dinner featured a southern-style Vietnamese pancake (banh xeo) wrapped in rice paper.

Tian Hui described the pork rolls as similar to spring rolls without the need for frying, while the hot, grilled rice paper reminded her of a Vietnamese-style pizza thanks to its crispy, aromatic texture.

What surprised her the most, however, was the southern-style pancake wrapped in rice paper, which she found exceptionally tasty.

khách trung bánh tráng bánh xèo
A seafood pancake costs 165,000 VND. Photo: Travelandrice

khách trung bánh tráng bánh xèo
The basket of fresh herbs is vibrant and diverse. Photo: Travelandrice

Tian Hui enjoyed the banh xeo at a southern Vietnamese restaurant located on Hang Dieu Street in Hanoi. The restaurant has been featured in the Michelin Guide’s Bib Gourmand category, which highlights eateries offering excellent food at reasonable prices.

“The restaurant is small but packed with customers,” she said.

According to the restaurant’s owner, most diners come specifically to try the crispy banh xeo, a dish that captures the distinct flavors of the Mekong Delta. The pancake is offered with a variety of fillings, including pork, chicken, beef, and seafood.

Tian Hui opted for the seafood version of the pancake, which costs around 165,000 VND (approximately 6.60 USD). On her table was a beautifully presented instruction board explaining the various herbs served with the dish and how to wrap the pancake with rice paper, making it easy for diners to follow.

When her steaming hot pancake arrived, glowing with a golden hue, she praised its size and appearance: “The pancake is huge. The crust, made from rice flour and turmeric, has a vibrant yellow color.”
The pancake filling is rich and varied.

She was equally impressed by the bountiful basket of fresh herbs served alongside the dish. It included lettuce, mint, perilla, and Vietnamese balm - some of which she couldn’t even identify by name. The filling was generously stuffed with shrimp, squid, and fish.

Following the guide, Tian Hui rolled a large wrap using rice paper, packed with herbs and pieces of banh xeo, then dipped it in sweet and sour fish sauce. She repeatedly nodded in approval, exclaiming: “I never imagined Vietnamese rice paper could create so many delicious dishes!”

The southern-style pancake restaurant has been operating since 2014 and is consistently busy, especially after receiving recognition from Michelin. Each pancake portion is large, with a perfectly golden, crispy exterior that’s not greasy and a flavorful, plentiful filling.
This Mekong Delta-style restaurant is super popular with diners.

Chef and owner Le Trong Quoc, commonly known as “Anh Bay” from Ben Tre province, previously told VietNamNet reporters that many ingredients are shipped directly from the Mekong Delta to Hanoi, such as bitter herbs, sesbania flowers, sesbania sesban flowers, and goby fish. This process is both time-consuming and costly.

However, he insists that using authentic ingredients is essential to capturing the true taste of southern Vietnamese cuisine.

“All our dishes retain the essence of the Mekong Delta, though slightly adapted to suit the general palate,” Anh Bay said.

In addition to banh xeo, the restaurant also serves other popular dishes such as bun mam (fermented fish noodle soup), fried spring rolls, grilled goby fish, and rice paper rolls. Hotpot specialties include goby fish hotpot with giang leaves and Can Tho-style fermented fish hotpot, both rich in southern flavors.

Customer reviews are generally very positive. Many praise the authentic southern taste and the polite, attentive service. The only downside noted is the small space and long wait times, as every dish is made to order. Groups of diners are encouraged to order in advance.

Linh Trang