Hanoi is a major foodie destination and many like myself come equipped with an appetite, ready to try almost anything and everything (although I draw the line at eating Vietnamese dog, which I learned is still common amongst the elders). Every foodie traveling to Hanoi should already know that street food is a way of life here. A life which many tourists don’t dare to try. And while I was daring and ready to sit down at any of the many small street food stands, traveling with a physician prevented me from doing so. I was constantly reminded of all the reasons I should not be eating street food including parasites and traveller’s diarrhea to name a few. But how could I ignore all the smells and aroma permeating the Old Quarter. So, I took the risk and dragged the physician along with me (he refused to try but instead stared at me in horror while I sat down to eat).
Street food is central to the life and culture of the city. At any time of day, you will see crowds of people crouched on street corners slurping away on fresh pho (literally fresh, the chicken was alive only a few hours prior to cooking). While I was excited to try some phở, I ended up sitting down on my first day for a mystery meal. Mystery because each stand only serves one dish. And I did not know what dish it was I would be eating, having selected the spot based on the crowds of people munching away. All I know is that it was good. Very good. And I wanted more. But what was it? No one spoke English. So I took a photo and decided to investigate later.
I later learned that the mysterious and delicious meal I had (all less than a dollar) was the popular and quintessential bún chả dish. A serving of crispy, caramelized slices of pork (although at the time I could swear it was chicken), along side a a bowl of bun noodles, and a bowl of warm light fish sauce based broth with small slices of pickled green papaya. A plate of fried spring rolls –nem cua bể was served alongside the bún chả. Probably the most delicious spring rolls I’ve yet to taste in my quest for Vietnamese food. A combination of minced pork, glass noodles, mushrooms and bean sprouts wrapped in egg roll and fried. All this was served with a basket of fresh herbs and vegetables.
Once the dish arrived, I was not sure what to do with it or how to do put it together. In such a scenario, imitation is essential. I looked around and noticed that all the localers (who were eyeing me suspiciously) dumped the grilled pork patties (thit bam) into the broth. Next, the noodles were dipped in the broth picking up a piece of pork on the way before gently placing in the mouth.
