Buzz
Rumor has it in the streets of Hue that 'In Hue, dreams are spun, and thoughts wander, often leaving behind lost shoes'. However, it's not about losing shoes, but rather about Hue's enchanting offerings that make one forget the path back. Hue captivates visitors not just with its melodious accent and warm-hearted locals, nor solely with its poetic and gentle scenery, or the graceful allure of Hue women in their traditional ao dai and conical hats. It's also because of the plethora of delicious and enticing dishes that make finding the way home a distant thought.
Returning to an afternoon in Hue
Whispers of longing echo through the evening sky
Join Vntrip in discovering the top 5 delectable dishes in Hue that you must try when visiting this Land of Poetry.
Hue Beef Noodle Soup
Visiting the ancient capital without indulging in Hue beef noodle soup would be a tremendous oversight. What truly sets apart the allure for culinary enthusiasts is experiencing the authentic flavor of Hue in its broth, a secret only those born here can master. You don't need fancy eateries; just a humble roadside stall anywhere in Hue lets you savor the distinct taste of each spoonful of broth. The broth boasts sweetness from beef bones, infused with fragrant lemongrass, spicy chili, and must-have shrimp paste - a touch of Hue that few establishments in Saigon or Hanoi can replicate. Another distinctive feature unique to Hue beef noodle soup is the inclusion of beef shank, pork belly slices, or beef meatballs.
You don't need fancy restaurants; just a small stall on the street corner allows you to enjoy authentic Hue beef noodle soup. Photo by vietnam+
You can also check out some excellent places to enjoy delicious Hue beef noodle soup:
- Mr. Vong's Beef Noodle Soup: 5 Nguyen Du Street
- Mrs. Tuyet's Beef Noodle Soup: 47 Nguyen Cong Tru Street
- Hue Beef Noodle Soup – 14 Ly Thuong Kiet Street
- Mrs. Tuyet's Beef Noodle Soup – 37 Nguyen Cong Tru Street
- Mrs. Tam's Beef Noodle Soup – 43 Nguyen Cong Tru Street
Rice with Baby Clams
When talking about Hue street food delights, one cannot forget rice with baby clams. It's often said that only in Hue can you truly savor delicious rice with baby clams, a dish that's impossible to replicate elsewhere. And it's true because not everyone knows the recipe for making rice with baby clams, hence you won't find this dish sold in any restaurants in major cities. The ingredients for making rice with baby clams are simple: cooked white rice left to cool, served with boiled baby clams topped with crispy fried pork fat. To enhance the flavor, shrimp paste from Hue is added, along with fresh vegetables like banana blossoms, bean sprouts, shredded taro stems, and toasted peanuts sprinkled on top. The key to a good bowl of rice with baby clams is piping hot broth poured over the rice after all the ingredients are mixed. With each spoonful, you'll experience the soft texture of rice, the pungent aroma, the tanginess, spiciness from the shrimp paste, the crunchiness of the pork fat and peanuts, along with the refreshing crispness of the vegetables, leaving a remarkable impression.
Every Hue native has their own recipe, yet they still maintain the distinctive flavor of the ancient capital. Rice with baby clams is quite affordable, with some places selling it for as little as 10k VND per bowl, but it's still delicious and fulfilling. This rustic dish was highly favored by farmers in the past because it's simple, uncomplicated, yet nutritious.
Rice with baby clams, a humble dish yet easily wins hearts. Photo by ST
You can enjoy rice with baby clams at some delicious eateries in Hue such as
- Đập Đá Rice with Baby Clams Eatery: 1 Han Mac Tu, Vinh Da Ward, Hue City
- Lành Rice with Baby Clams and Noodles: 38 Ngo Gia Tu, Hue City
- 17 Han Mac Tu Rice with Baby Clams: 17 Han Mac Tu, Vy Da Ward, Hue City
- Hoa Dong Rice with Baby Clams: 64 Alley 7 Ung Binh, Hue City
Nam Pho Clear Noodle Soup
Wherever you go, you'll find noodle soup, but if it's Nam Pho clear noodle soup, then it's surely only in Hue. Originating from Nam Pho village in Phu Vang district, Hue, this dish has been around for ages, boasting a unique and distinctive flavor. The noodles for Nam Pho clear noodle soup are made from a blend of rice flour and tapioca starch, processed in a unique and exclusive ratio, immersed in a rich, reddish broth cooked from simmered bones and crab shells. Toppings for the bowl of noodle soup include shrimp, sausage, quail eggs, crab meat, scallions, and more. Notably, a bowl of spicy fish sauce is indispensable to enhance the rich flavor. With the first bite, you'll experience the sweetness of the meat, the rich texture of the crab shells, and the chewy goodness of the noodles, making it irresistible.
The vibrant colors of Nam Pho clear noodle soup are irresistible. Photo by @annhugau
You can explore the top spots for Nam Pho clear noodle soup – a delicious dish in Hue – at the addresses below
- Thuy's Nam Pho Clear Noodle Soup Eatery: 16 Pham Hong Thai Street.
- Nam Pho Clear Noodle Soup: 374 Chi Lang Street.
- Nam Pho Clear Noodle Soup O Hang: 16 Ha Huy Tap, Xuân Phu Ward
Hue Sweet Soup
If you're tired of savory dishes, then let's explore some delicious snacks in Hue that are equally enticing. Each Hue sweet soup stall is like a paradise with a variety of colorful sweet soups. Common types of sweet soups include red bean, green bean, black bean, peanut, sticky rice, floating cake, jelly, jackfruit, longan, lotus seeds, and more. Depending on your preference, you can ask the stall owner to mix them together to create a customized mixed sweet soup with your own style. Sweet soup stalls are usually just small carts on street corners, yet they attract a huge crowd, especially during hot seasons.
Hue royal sweet soup cart with 21 famous dishes in the land of poetry. Photo by ST
Some famous sweet soup carts in Hue that young people often visit include
- Hem Sweet Soup: 17 Hung Vuong Street.
- Sao Sweet Soup: 60 Phan Chu Trinh Street
- Hue Royal Sweet Soup 21 Dishes: Le Loi Street, Hue City
Hue Royal Tea
Enjoying tea is a refined pleasure and one of the recent delicacies that young people love to indulge in when visiting the ancient capital of Hue. Just hearing the name evokes a sense of elegance and nostalgia for this refined pleasure. Previously, this type of tea was only reserved for kings and nobles, those with high status and power. However, with modern technology, the ingredients for brewing tea are more widely available, allowing anyone who wishes to relive the flavors of the past to easily purchase and enjoy it.
Hue Royal Tea is a combination of many herbs such as: Jasmine buds, Artichoke flowers, Lotus stamens, Chrysanthemum, Bitter melon, Lavender, Apple blossoms, Marigold, along with some other medicinal herbs like Chamomile, Angelica sinensis, Hawthorn, Sweetgrass, Northern licorice, Roselle flowers, etc. These are all beneficial herbs for health, with calming, nourishing, sleep-inducing, and mood-balancing effects. To brew the tea, all these herbs must be carefully tended to, then selected and processed meticulously to bring out the delicious, refreshing flavor. Moreover, the tea maker must be graceful, gentle, meticulous in order to brew the tea correctly.
Enjoying tea brings peace of mind, deep sleep, and is very good for health.
Besides the delicious dishes in Hue, this place also has many beautiful and poetic scenes waiting for you to explore. Every year, the Land of Poetry welcomes tens of thousands of tourists from all over the world, especially a large number of foreign visitors who come to visit each year. Therefore, you should proactively book a hotel room in Hue before traveling here if you don't want to encounter the situation where domestic guests accidentally book a hotel with prices for foreigners. Currently, Hue also has many homestays like Buncha House, Lucky Homestay, which are quite convenient and have stable prices for your reference. To be more certain, don't hesitate to call the Vntrip hotline 0963 266 688 directly for the best advice and support.
With the delicious Hue dishes suggestions from the travel guide above, are you ready for this trip to the Land of Poetry?
