FIVE DISHES TO TRY IN THE ALLEY OF DONG XUAN MARKET
Located next to the bustling market in the heart of the city, the culinary alley of Dong Xuan Market in Hanoi, also known as the “paradise for spending money,” is a must-visit place if you come to the capital. Here are 5 scorching dishes that you should definitely try when coming here:
1. Pho Tiu Ba Phuong
Placed in the “culinary paradise” in Dong Xuan Market, this Pho restaurant has been open for about 40 years and is always crowded. A full bowl of pho includes pho, thinly-sliced char siu, dried onions, crushed roasted peanuts, and herbs. However, 5 kinds of sauces with the heirloom recipe are the highlight of this dish. After mixing well, visitors can add chili, garlic, and vinegar to enjoy. Pho here has a harmonious taste of sour, spicy, salty, sweet, and greasy.
The price for each full bowl is 30,000 VND (about 1.5 US dollars/ 150 yen). Because the shop is located in a narrow market alley, visitors must park the vehicles outside, then walk from the top of Hang Chieu street. After the market is over, the shops here are also closed, so you can come to enjoy the food before 5 pm.
2. Dried beef salad
The dried beef salad shop is the favorite eating address of many young diners. The dried beef is marinated with chili, lemongrass, ginger, seasoning powder, and sugar, then dried with large pieces to keep the sweetness, softness of the meat. When eaten, the meat will be cut into small pieces, about 2 knuckles, mixed with green papaya, shredded carrots, and roasted peanuts. The vegetable is soaked in sweet and sour sauce, served with sweet and salty dried beef, as well as roasted peanuts for a harmonious flavor without boredom.
Each bowl of dried beef salad costs 30,000 VND (about 1.5 US dollars/150 yen). Besides the salad, you can enjoy Banh Loc (tapioca cake) with shrimp-and-meat fillings. New cakes are always sold out throughout the day, so they smell good without tight or stiff.
3. Bun Cha with pork skewers
Right from the beginning of the alley, near the blue crab shop, you’ll find Hang Nga shop. This is one of the few places that still sells grilled pork skewers with Bun Cha, bringing a rustic and traditional flavor. The grilled ground meat here is wrapped with guise leaves into thin pieces, then flattened and baked to medium. The crust is not burnt black like in many places. Grilled chopped pork is sliced pork belly. When finished baking, the skin and fat is slightly burnt. The shop has a plus point that the sauce is well-marinated with garlic and minced chili.
Each set of Bun Cha here costs 30,000 VND (about 1.5 US dollars/150 yen). Besides, you can also enjoy the heirloom snail noodle soup here.
4. Fried shrimp cake Ms. Am
At the beginning of the Dong Xuan market, you will easily be attracted by the smell of fried shrimp cakes. In addition to traditional shrimp materials, the cake here also has sliced potatoes in the dough, making the cake more crispy and fleshy.
The plus point of the cake is after frying, and it is not soaked in oil, not making the diners feel bored when eating with raw vegetables and sweet and sour sauce. The selling price for shrimp cakes is 12,000 VND per unit (about 60 yen).
5. Salty donuts
The shop is usually open in the late afternoon, located in a small kiot, so there are not many seats. Visitors here often sit to the next shops or take away. The donuts here have two types: one with sweet sesame filling and the other with salty meat filling. Both are rated by customers as delicious with aromatic dough without being sour.
After deep frying, the crust is crispy and not greasy. The donuts here is served with raw vegetables, sweet and sour sauce, and pickled papaya. Each donut costs 5,000 VND (about 25 yen).
