Located on the first floor of a time-worn house, near Nam Dinh Church, the most famous bun cha (grilled pork with vermicelli) restaurant in Nam Dinh is open from 11 am to 7 pm every day. A family-run business dating back to the 19th century, it's been run by the women of the family for generations – from great-grandmother to grandmother, then aunt to granddaughter…
Unlike bun cha in Hanoi or neighboring provinces, bun cha here has its own unique characteristics; anyone who has ever eaten it can recognize it at a glance.
The ingredients for bun cha include pork belly, rice noodles, onions, carrots, papaya, fresh vegetables, and various spices for the dipping sauce… While the basic ingredients remain the same, it is the preparation method that makes Nam Dinh bun cha unique.
For making pork patties, the meat must be from the shoulder or armpit, thinly sliced along the grain, then marinated with spices for a rich flavor before being placed on bamboo skewers instead of being used as a stick. Each end of the bamboo skewer is tightly wrapped with a piece of green banana leaf and grilled over charcoal.
To ensure the meat cooks evenly and is fragrant, the cook uses a hand fan to gently fan the fire, preventing the patties from burning or overcooking and losing their flavor. For a crispier and more aromatic patty, it's grilled a second time. Through these two grilling sessions, the aroma of the meat blends with the scent of banana leaves and a hint of charcoal fire… all creating an enticing and tempting fragrance that beckons hungry diners.
Each hot, freshly cooked patty is carefully placed in a bowl and topped with a sprinkle of sliced onions. The patties, perfectly cooked by the fan, retain their natural meaty color, with only a thin layer of blisters on the surface. The meat is tender and sweet, with a subtle aroma of aged bamboo and banana leaves, fragrant and rich but not at all greasy. The thinly sliced, washed onions have no pungent or spicy taste, perfectly complementing the meat.
The noodles used are thinly sliced flat rice noodles, each piece about the size of two fingers. They are dipped in a sweet and sour broth that is pleasantly light and refreshing, and served with crunchy pickled papaya and carrots. The fresh vegetables here are also abundant, including shredded water spinach, mint, lettuce, coriander, etc. Visitors can also order fried spring rolls to eat with the meal.
On busy weekends, people spill out onto both sides of the sidewalk. Six or seven women are constantly busy serving customers. At 40,000 VND, each bowl of bun cha here embodies meticulous craftsmanship and unique secrets passed down through two centuries.
Photos: To Phuong Dung, Thuy Chi.
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