More than three weeks since the announcement, the Hung Yen fish soup restaurant owned by Nguyen Thi Tuyen, 34, and her husband Nguyen Van Hieu, 36, both from Hung Yen, has become busier.

Many foreign customers have visited to enjoy the dish, though it is not as famous or common in Hanoi as pho (noodle soup served with beef or chicken), or bun cha (kebab rice noodle).

"Many foreign diners come recently. Communicating through a smartphone app is a bit inconvenient, but I’m thrilled. I try to tell them that fish soup is a specialty of my hometown, Hung Yen," Tuyen shared.

Many regular customers congratulated the owner for being named in the Michelin Selected list for 2025.

Tuyen revealed that in May she received an invitation letter from Michelin stating that her restaurant had been selected and requesting confirmation to attend an announcement event in Da Nang.

Unfamiliar with Michelin, Tuyen consulted a relative and was advised to "be cautious of scams." Tuyen put the letter in a drawer, dismissing it as a hoax.

One or two weeks later, she stumbled across articles about the Michelin award on social media. Recognizing the name, she retrieved the letter, which included a phone number, and contacted it to learn more.

"I reached out via Zalo to the number listed in the invitation. The person confirmed that our restaurant made the Michelin list and this would be announced on the night of June 5. Our family could attend the event in Da Nang.

“Even then, I was skeptical and thought our small restaurant couldn’t possibly win an award. That’s why I didn’t attend the announcement ceremony. Looking back, I feel a bit regretful," Tuyen said.

After the announcement, when regular customers congratulated her, Tuyen realized her restaurant had truly been honored by Michelin. "Turns out, the letter wasn’t a scam," she said with a laugh.

Tuyen shared that she’s unsure when Michelin’s inspectors visited or exactly why they honored her restaurant. "Since we started selling fish soup, my husband and I have always tried to do our best," she said.

Bringing HungYen’s specialty to Hanoi

Tuyen said that her in-laws ran a food business, selling pan-fried bread, which they later passed down to her and her husband.

In 2018, when they opened the restaurant on Hai Ba Trung Street in Hoan Kiem District in Hanoi, they noticed that office workers and older customers didn’t favor pan-fried bread, so Tuyen and her husband thought about selling fish soup instead.

Along with PhoHien eel noodle soup, fish soup is an appealing specialty of Hung Yen.

With her husband’s support, Tuyen learned how to make fish soup from a relative and looked for supply sources.

"In the past, people in my hometown used wild-caught fish, but now only farmed fish are available. I usually source fish with three-finger size from My Duc, Hanoi, or Hai Duong. These aren’t as large as tilapia, so the meat is still firm and chewy," Tuyen explained.

Every day, from 4am, staff receive fresh fish, clean it thoroughly, lightly boil it, and separate the bones from the meat. Tuyen marinates the fish with a mixture of ground turmeric, ginger, pepper, fish sauce, salt, and seasoning for a rich flavor. The fish is soaked for 15-20 minutes before being pan-fried.

"At first, I use high heat to sear the fish. Then I lower it to medium so that the fish is crispy outside, tender inside, and stays intact without crumbling," Tuyen said. "The fish must be sold the same day, as it becomes tough and dry if kept overnight."

The broth is simmered for 10-12 hours using 100 percent fish bones, without adding pork or chicken bones. Besides fish bones, she uses 20kg of other fish bones like tilapia or snakehead. The broth is simmered at a low, steady heat to avoid cloudiness. The bones are cleaned, blanched to remove odors, and simmered with ginger and turmeric.

The restaurant serves fish soup with white or red rice noodles or regular noodles, depending on customer preference. The noodles are slightly thicker than usual, and they are handmade.

The fish soup includes essential ingredients like luffa leaves (slightly spicy and bitter), dill, scallions, and fresh herbs. The restaurant also provides chili paste, garlic, kumquat, and fresh chili for customers to adjust the flavor.

Each serving costs between VND40,000 and VND60,000.

Linh Trang