Nick, an American YouTuber with nearly 300,000 subscribers, recently made his first trip to Vietnam.

In his latest video, Nick shared that he had traveled to Hai Phong and spent time sampling some of the city's famous street food. One dish, in particular, left a lasting impression on him: crab noodle soup, known locally as "banh da cua."

This noodle soup is a signature dish of Hai Phong and was named among the Top 100 Vietnamese Specialty Dishes for 2020-2021 by the Vietnam Record Organization (VietKings) and Vietnam Top Organization (VietTop).

In 2025, it was also featured in TasteAtlas's list of the "100 Best Broth-Based Dishes in the World."

To try this dish, Nick visited a sidewalk eatery on Tran Phu Street, recommended to him by a friend in Hanoi.

At first glance, he noted that the eatery had a very local vibe, tucked away in a narrow alley with a few plastic tables and chairs.

The food counter was set up on the sidewalk, with ingredients neatly arranged in trays behind a glass case.

Nick was impressed by the cleanliness, despite it being a street stall. The tables were spotless, and everything was neatly organized.

"In Vietnam, if a place is in a small alley, it’s almost always guaranteed to serve good food," Nick remarked.

At the eatery, the American YouTuber ordered a mixed crab noodle soup.

When the dish arrived, he was surprised by how appealing it looked.

The bowl was packed with a variety of toppings, including shrimp, grilled betel leaf rolls, fried fish, fish cakes, and mantis shrimp. The portion was so generous that Nick commented on its weight, saying it looked filling even before tasting it.

His first spoonful of broth left him astonished, as he nodded repeatedly in delight.

"The broth is amazing - clear, mildly sweet, and naturally flavorful with a distinct taste of field crab. The restaurant also serves fresh herbs on the side," he said.

The foreign guest continued tasting the components, noting that the grilled betel leaf rolls reminded him of a kind of sausage he'd had before. The crab roe was rich and creamy.

The fish cake was flavorful, and the wide rice noodles were chewy, tasty, and soaked up the broth beautifully.

“There are so many elements in this bowl, and they’re all delicious,” Nick shared.

He also appreciated the addition of morning glory, a type of water spinach, which balanced the flavors and added a refreshing touch.

"This is definitely one of my favorite dishes I’ve ever had," he added.

Besides the taste, Nick was equally surprised by the price. A heaping bowl filled with seafood cost only 35,000 VND, approximately $1.40 USD.

He was also impressed by the friendly and welcoming attitude of the vendor, which made the experience even more enjoyable.

During his time exploring Hai Phong, Nick also tried other popular street foods such as caramel pudding, grilled pork baguettes, grilled chicken wings, and steamed rice rolls.

He revealed that he found these eateries randomly, but the food was consistently fresh and reasonably priced.