Other street food in Hanoi

1. Bún ốc
Bún ốc (“snail noodles”) is a Hanoi’s speciality. It is famous for its red broth and its unique, sour taste called “bỗng”. The ingredients are tangled white rice vermicelli noodles (similar to regular white rice vermicelli noodles but thinner) and boiled Helix Snails. Bún ốc can be served in two different ways: in its broth (called “hot snail noodles”) or with broth in a separate bowl (called “cold snail noodles”) with vegetables. The broth is made from stewed bones, tomatoes and other ingredients. “Cold snail noodles,” which are eaten by dipping the noodles in the broth, is the favourite type during the summer.

2. Bún riêu

Bún riêu cua (crab paste vermicelli) is Vietnamese vermicelli, served in a tomato broth and topped with crab or shrimp paste. In this dish, various freshwater paddy crabs are used, including the brown paddy crab found in rice fields throughout Vietnam. These freshwater crabs are pounded in the shell until they consist of a fine paste. This paste is strained and the crab-infused liquid is a base for the broth called “riêu cua” (along with tomato). Other ingredients include: fried tofu, mẻ (ferment) or bỗng (fermented grains), Garcinia multiflora Champ., annatto seeds (hạt điều màu) to redden the broth, pig’s blood, split water spinach stems, shredded banana flower, rau kinh giới (Elsholtzia ciliata), spearmint, perilla, bean sprouts and chả chay (vegetarian sausage). It is one complex dish.

3. Bún Thang
Bún thang (vermicelli with egg, chicken, and pork) is a Hanoi delicacy. Making Bún thang involves a sophisticated consisting of no less than twenty ingredients. The ingredients include things like rau răm (Vietnamese coriander leaves), Eryngium, shredded fried chicken egg, shredded chicken, shredded pork, and white rice vermicelli served in a clear broth. Originally, tinh dầu cà cuống (Lethocerus indicus) was added to provide a unique aroma.

4. Bún bò huế
Get your sinuses running with a bowl of this spicy beef-noodle soup that hails from Huế, Vietnam’s last imperial capital. You can cut the fire with some fresh herbs or a squirt of citrus.

5. Bún bò nam bộ
Bún bò nam bộ (southern beef vermicelli) is a special dish which is popular in Hanoi. Despite the name, it’s not originally from the south. It’s a dry type noodles dish that includes dried beef, beansprouts, dried onion and other raw vegetables; served in sour and sweet sauce made from fish sauce.

6. Bánh cuốn
Bánh cuốn (“rolled cake”) is dish made from a thin, wide sheet of steamed rice batter rolled and filled with seasoned ground pork, minced wood ear mushroom, and minced shallots. It is eaten with a dipping sauce and usually served with chả lụa (Vietnamese pork sausage). Traditionally, bánh cuốn has cà cuống (Lethocerus indicus) essence added to the sauce.

7. Gỏi cuốn
The cool, fresh summer rolls are made with rice paper wrapped around herbs, vermicelli noodles, shrimp, pork or whatever vegetables and protein you have on hand.

8. Chả cá Lã Vọng
Chả cá (grilled/fried fish) is a Hanoi delicacy. The main ingredient is catfish which is marinated, grilled on charcoal, and then fried in oil. Different restaurants have their own secret methods to marinate the fish and serve it with different vegetables and herbs, white rice vermicelli noodles, rice crackers, peanuts or shrimp sauce.

9. Nem cua bể
Instead of a tube, these flaky, deep-fried spring rolls are shaped like a square. What’s inside is equally surprising: ground crab, pork, mushrooms and more. Eat them with fresh herbs and lettuce, which ably cut through the greasiness.

10. Bánh Tôm Hồ Tây

Bánh tôm Hồ Tây (“West Lake shrimp cake”) is a type of batter-dipped shrimp patties that were originally made and served by a state-owned restaurant next to West Lake in the 1970’s. Originally, freshwater shrimp that were caught from West Lake were used to make the dish, hence geographically inspired moniker. Bánh tôm Hồ Tây is served with sweet and sour fish sauce, green papaya and carrot slices.

11: Bánh gối

Bánh gối (“pillow cake”) is a popular cake which has crispy, golden brown shell. It is often stuffed with pork, shrimp, some vegetables (and sometimes glass noodles and hard-boiled quail eggs). It has a shape roughly resembling that of a taco. It’s served with sweet and sour fish sauce for dipping.

12: Bánh Xèo

Bánh xèo (“sizzling cake”) is savoury fried pancake made of rice flour, water, turmeric powder and stuffed with slivers of fatty pork, shrimp, diced green onion and bean sprouts. It is eaten by being wrapped in mustard leaf, lettuce leaves or rice paper. It’s served with mint leaves, basil, fish leaf and/or other vegetable and sweet and sour diluted fish sauce.

13: Bò Bít Tết

Bò bít tết (beef steak) is the Vietnamese adaptation and interpretation of two Western stables: meat and potatoes. Sizzling skillets of thin local steak, sausage, green onion and chips arrive at your table steaming and crackling with menace. They are very hot. You can get burned. Everything is swimming in grease

14: Nem Chua Rán

Nem chua rán (fried sour roll) is a speciality of Hanoi and believed to be first made by the Hong Chien Roll Shop at 11 Le Dai Hanh Street, Hanoi. The roll is made by putting cured pork with shredded pork skins, covering the combination with flour and then deep frying it all in oil. It’s eaten with chili sauce and raw vegetables.

15: Ốc

Ốc luộc (“boiled snails”) are local snails prepared with fish sauce, ginger, chili, salt, and lime leaves. They are often sold in specialty shops (but sometimes also with other bivalves such as steamed oysters).

16: Nộm Bò Khô

Nộm bò khô (“dried beef salad”) is Vietnamese “sour salad” with papaya, dried beef, carrots, and marjoram. Vietnamese sour salads, or “Nộm,” are made by mixing peanuts, raw vegetables, garlic, chili and spices. There are many types of nộm.

17: Bia hơi

18: Cà phê sữa nóng/sữa đá

19: Nước mía
Attention, sweet tooth; Get your fix with fresh-pressed sugarcane juice served over ice. It’s oddly invigorating. Or maybe that’s the sugar talking.

20: Hoa quả dầm (Mixed Fruit with milk)
Take advantage of Vietnam’s fruit bounty to savor a smoothie made with sweetened condensed milk, crushed ice and your choice of, say, strawberry, mango or lychee. Just whatever you do, stay away from us if you opt for the rank, custardy durian.


Source: TNH Hanoi


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