The
dishes I have mentioned above are just some of the many options. And my
recommendations are just for reference, in case you are lost in a city with a
lot of happiness and an adventurous spirit. Come to Hue with a happy mind and
an empty stomach.
Come to Hue and Eat
like a Local
Hue
City is the old capital of Vietnam. Despite its location – next to Da Nang –
the new economic center, Hue is calm and peaceful in a unique way. If you want
to have a truly relaxing travel experience, Hue is definitely the city you must
visit.
The
lifestyle of the people here is different from other places in Vietnam. Are you
afraid that you don’t have enough time and language skills to see this
difference? Do not worry! Try Hue food, as the way Hue people do! The way they
make and eat food represents the way Hue people live their lives. In this
article, I will introduce a list of Hue dishes which you should enjoy when you
come to this old capital and where to find them.
Hue Rice Dumplings
Banh Beo, Banh Nam,
and Banh Loc are the 3 most typical
dumplings of Hue. As you might guess, they are all made from rice flour. To
have a perfect dish, the food should be meticulously made by the locals. These
are sophisticated dishes, from the selection of raw materials to the
processing; you will enjoy the rich flavors. These should be eaten with style,
at your discretion, just like the way the sellers prepare and give the food to
you.
From
3:00 PM to 5:00 PM, a lot of women sell these dumplings on all streets. Hue
people like these treats and they often have them for light snacks instead of
the main meal.
Banh Beo –
“Water-Fern Cake” – Rice Savory Dumpling
Some
people have coined Banh Beo as
“water-fern cake” – even though “cake” is not really the right term to call
this savory dumpling. The shape of the dumpling literally looks like a water
fern, Beo in Vietnamese. Also,
another meaning of Beo is “very
cheap”. So please just have Banh Beo
as much as you want without worrying about your budget.
Banh Beo Hue. Photo source: YesVietNam
You
can choose between different flavors: shrimp paste, green beans, and pork rind,
just to name a few. The fish sauce accompanying with Banh Beo is different from the regular one, it is quite sweet and
not too salty.
Banh Nam – Steamed
Flat Rice Dumpling
Banh Nam is made with rice flour, shrimp
paste, and wrapped in banana leaves. They have to steam the dumpling for about
10 minutes before serving. You should enjoy them with salty fish sauce and hot chili
sauce.
Banh Nam – Source: Wikimedia.
Open
slowly, savor the fragrance of the cake, shrimp infused with the essence of the
banana leaf, and enjoy this delicacy with a spoon.
Banh Loc, or Banh
Bot Loc – Tapioca Savory Dumpling
The
shade of Banh Loc is different from the two above-mentioned dumplings, it is
translucent. You can use your hands to eat them, just peel the leaf, dip the
cake into the fish sauce, and taste the deliciousness in your mouth.
Here
are some of my recommended restaurants that serve all these three yummy
dumplings:
- Hang Me: 45 Vo
Thi Sau st., Phu Hoi Wd., Hue City
- Ba Do: 8 Nguyen
Binh Khiem st., Phu Cat Wd., Hue City
- Thuy: 16 Pham
Hong Thai st., Vinh Ninh Wd., Hue City
- 2 Truong Dinh st.,
Vinh Ninh Wd., Hue City
If
you want to try it in a very local way, wait until 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM, and
wander through the streets of Hue. You will see a lot of women carrying heavy
loads with bamboo carrying poles (a symbol of Vietnam), high chance they sell Banh Beo, Banh Nam, and Banh Loc. Squat or sit on the low
plastic chair and try the food as they feed the masses.
Please
comment below to share with us your experience!
Bun Bo Hue
You
can find this dish all across Vietnam, but trust me, try it in Hue, it will be
a precious experience. Bun Bo made by Hue people in Hue city is more spicy,
tastier, and people here use vermicelli noodles. Local people usually have Bun
Bo Hue for breakfast but you can also find many restaurants serving this dish
all day.
Bun Bo Hue – Source: Wikimedia.
Bun
means noodle, Bo is Beef, and Hue is the name of the city. The funny thing is-
you can also find this noodle dish served with pork. Whether you use beef or
pork, people still call it Bun Bo Hue. You can also expect cubes of coagulated
pig’s blood. Although it may sound unappetizing, give it a try!
Here
is a list of my favorite places to get bowls of Bun Bo Hue:
- Thuy Bun Bo Hue:
26 Truong Dinh st., Vinh Ninh Wd., Hue City
- O Cuong &
Diep: 6 Tran Thu Nhan st., Vinh Ninh Wd., Hue City
- Bun Mu Roi: 14
Nguyen Chi Dieu st., Thuan Thanh Wd., Hue City
Banh Khoai
Banh Khoai is a type of crepe fried in oil
or lard. Locals often add duck eggs to make the color of the cake turn into a
medium yellow and the eggs also contribute a powder-spongy texture; which is
different than “Banh Xeo” which is
also yellow, but due to turmeric powder. Banh
Khoai is topped with shrimp, pork, and served with lettuce, herbs,
coriander, and a few slices of sour bananas and star fruit. Do not expect sweet
and sour fish sauce, which is reserved for Banh
Xeo. The sauce for Banh Khoai is
more meticulously made of pig liver, lean minced meat, roasted sesame seeds,
and peanuts. Have you realized that I am biased? Banh Khoai is my favorite!
Source: Net Hue
Below
are some places for you to try Banh Khoai:
- Banh Khoai Hong
Mai: 110 Dinh Tien Hoang St., Phu Thanh Wd., Hue City
- Banh Khoai Lac
Thien: 6 Dinh Tien Hoang St., Phu Thanh Wd., Hue City
Com Hen, Bun Hen –
Baby Clams with Rice or Noodle
These
are local and cheap dishes, but they are not easy to make. Com Hen is just a dish of rice with clams. But you can also try it
with pork rind, shrimp paste, raw vegetables, banana flowers, bean sprouts, small
white taro, and peanuts. Mix everything up to make a very characteristic and
pungent flavor of Hue. Hue locals know that the most delicious clams should be
caught in Con Hen – the floating alluvium on the Perfume River in Con village,
Vi Da ward.
Com Hen - Photo source: Anuong360
Water
in Perfume River flowing through Con Hen is usually clear, with less sediment
and alum. Moreover, the bottom of the river is covered with a thick layer of
mud, suitable for the growth of the clams. The clams here are so delicious that
they used to be classified as food for the ancient kings.
Please
be careful if you have a bad digestion system when you try dishes with clams as
it can upset your stomach.
Have
a look at these restaurants when you have a chance to come to Hue:
-
2 Truong Dinh st., Vinh Ninh Wd., Hue City (morning only)
-
11A Truong Dinh st., Vinh Ninh Wd., Hue City
-
Di Cuc: 51 Han Mac Tu st., Vy Da Wd., Hue City
Banh Ep
If
you want an off-the-beaten-track experience in Hue, Banh Ep is absolutely the one you should try. Different from the
above dishes, the ingredients of Banh Ep
are much more simple: tapioca flour and the filling (egg, pate, jerky, meat, or
any combination of them). The chef cooks the cakes by pressing the dough
between two pieces of cast iron on charcoal, and then they put the filling on
top, and press them again into the heat.
Photo source: Foody
The
way people sell Banh Ep is also very
interesting. The sellers sit in the center, and we – as the diners – sit
surrounding her, and order one by one. People call out “One with meat pleases,”
or “Two with egg and jerky please.” You can observe how she does it; smell the
cakes from the time the two ingredients are two separate parts, to the point
when they are mixed together. You can hear the sound of sizzling as it reminds
your stomach that you’re hungry. The cake is then passed right to you after
it’s done. You can touch the cake and feel its heat and crisp.
Like
most of the foods in Vietnam, we dip Banh
Ep in fish sauce and a dish of sweet and sour sauce is often added to the
side.
Banh Ep is a light food which is often
eaten by the youth. The Hue old people do not choose to eat it. Banh Ep is so popular among the young
people, that Hue has many streets which are called Banh Ep streets like Nguyen Du St., and Nhat Le St. If you are on
the way to Thuan An beach, stop by the stalls to eat Banh Ep, Thuan An town is the birthplace of this amazing dish!
Hue
city is well known for having simple, yet sophisticated dishes. The dishes I
have mentioned above are just some of the many options. And my recommendations
are just for reference, in case you are lost in a city with a lot of happiness
and an adventurous spirit. Come to Hue with a happy mind and an empty stomach.
Trust me!
By Christina's
Blog