Bun Cha – Hanoi Street Food – Special style of BBQ

By Angelic Anh

Bun Cha is one of the best Hanoi’s Street Food and is also the first destinations to start Hanoi classic Tour.
If you try Bun Cha once, you surely will be itching for another dish. When walking for 10 minutes through Hanoi, you will see Bun Cha is as ubiquitous as conical hats. With an insatiable appetite for the small pork patties and dipping sauce, and amazing smell of BBQ, tourists will be easily distracted at some points in their trip.

Bun Cha

How to order

Take a seat by yourself – don’t wait to be asked to sit down. This is stre.eet food and things move quickly so you won’t be waiting for long. . If things are busy you can wait, or just move to the next plac
When you have your seat the next step is how to order a dish
How many? One or two? (Mot or Hai) If noone understands, just hold up the right number of fingers.
Only word that you just need to say Bun Cha
Just ask for Nem, if you would like to try fried spring rolls and then use your numbers again.
You also must order special drink – Tra Da – is ice green tea.

The way to order in Vietnamese:
“Hai Bun Cha, hai Nem, hai Tra Da” means “Two Bun Cha, two Rolls, two Ice Tea”

How to eat?

Noodle, sauce, vegetables, and speacial BBQ

The dish is divided in three parts – firstly, the meat served in the dipping sauce, secondly the cold noodle is on a separate plate, and the last one is a bowl of fresh herbs. Actually, Fresh herbs are a great part of Vietnamese cuisine and add a lot to the flavor. If experiment a bit at first, you will soon find your favorites.
1. Add little herbs to your bowl and some chilli if you like a bit of spicy. For all street food dishes, the chilli (fresh or sauce) is kept separately so you don’t have to fear first degree burns.
2. Don’t put all noodles in the bowl at once. Tear off some noodles with your chop sticks and dip them in the sauce
3. If you have ordered Nem you can also dip them in the sauce.

How much is it?
You don’t need to pay much money as BBQ in restaurant, here is about 30,000 – 50,000 VND for a portion of Bun Cha, Nem and a Tra Da.

Top Places to eat Bun Cha in Hanoi Old Quarter
1. 75 Ma May Street – this narrow shop serves cheap, tasty Bun Cha in the centre of town with a smile.
2. 59 Hang Ma Street – let’s head to this small street side shop, if you are looking for classic dish but less garlic than your usual Bun Cha!
3. 1 Hang Manh Street – The local institution is possibly the most famous shop in Hanoi. You should get here early to avoid the lunchtime rush.
Here is a map that guides you to these Top 3 Bun Cha Places in Hanoi Old Quarter. Click on the map to zoom in and find your own way around!

Simple – Tasty

Although McDonald’s haven’t yet come to Vietnam, there are rumours that the first outlet will be coming to Saigon in the next few months. Frankly, Hanoians do not need the processed burgers with barbecued pork patties because Bun Cha is the quintessential Vietnamese dish – simple, quick to eat and mouth wateringly tasty. ‘Bun’ is one kind of noodle and ‘Cha’ is the fatty pork is grilled in a metal net or between two pieces of bamboo, the trick seems nearly get the slightly burnt and crispy surface meanwhile keeping the centre moist.
The right way to eat is to dip in a fishy sauce and a liberal array of fresh herbs in your bowl. One portion of Bun Cha includes meat, noodles and herbs. The meal usually goes together with a portion of ‘Nem’ – fried spring rolls, and a cold glass of Tra Da (Ice Green Tea) helps to swallow it all down.
Where to sit, how to order and what to pay probably are disadvantages when you enjoy Hanoi’s street food. But they are just small problems because things may on the day. Importantly, you experienced what you want in your trip – you will not be disappointed.

——

If you want to experience street food in Hanoi there is no better way than starting Viet Expert’s street food Tour. Your guide will show you the whole host of Hanoi dishes . Book now !!!

Don't be shellfish...

Facebook

Twitter