In the middle of the crowd, the shop owner was quickly wrapping steamed sticky rice.

David Hoffmann, from the US, is a content creator with a YouTube channel attracting 1.3 million followers. He posts videos showing his travel experiences in many countries.

David came to Vietnam for the first time last September and stayed in Hanoi for several days to enjoy street food.

When he was led by a Vietnamese tour guide to a xoi xeo (Vietnamese steamed sticky rice with mung bean) at the crossroad of Hang Bai – Ly Thuong Kiet, he was met with a big surprise because the shop was crowded and he saw many people waiting patiently for their turn to be served.

This is a well known address for many Hanoians who love xoi xeo. The steamed sticky rice is impressive with the harmonious flavor of rice, fatty sauce, smooth green beans and fried onions. In addition to sticky rice, the shop sells corn sticky rice.

The shop became famous for foreign travelers after it appeared on a South Korean TV program and was introduced on social networks. Also, the shop owner’s skill of wrapping xoi xeo caught attention from the public.

David said, “So crowded, so packed!"

He noted that the shop owner wrapped sticky rice quickly and before knowing the name of the dish, he noted it was similar to mashed potatoes.

The tour guide then explained about the ingredients to make xoi xeo. The American YouTuber even enthusiastically learned how to order food in Vietnamese: "Em oi, cho anh mot xoi xeo full topping (One xoi xeo serving with full topping)".

David had to wait minutes to get a serving. He was surprised by the eye-catching appearance of the sticky rice, served with fatty sausage, braised pork, dried pork floss, fried eggs and fried onions.

“The sticky rice is so delicious, the braised pork is so soft, it tastes like pork ribs. This is truly a unique dish, with many ingredients. I like this fatty braised pork the most,” David said.

The YouTuber said he was excited not only because of the delicious dish, but also the atmosphere where people queue up for xoi xeo.

Thao Trinh