Located in the heart of the Old Quarter and adjacent to Hanoi's most sophisticated food market, Trung Yen boasts numerous long-standing and popular eateries such as Pho Suong, Ngan Nhan, and Bun Ca Sam Cay Si… It is considered the most famous culinary alley in the capital.
From 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM is the busiest and most vibrant time in Trung Yen alley. Eateries are lined up side-by-side, customers come and go in droves, and vehicles weave through the traffic, honking loudly.
The alley offers a wide variety of dishes, from wonton noodles, Southern-style beef noodle soup, beef pho, duck vermicelli, fish noodle soup, and imitation dog meat noodle soup, to iced tea, milk tea, ice cream, and lotus seed and longan sweet soup… Those who take advantage of the parking service here are also making a good living, constantly busy arranging cars and collecting money.
Located right at the entrance of the alley, coming from Dinh Liet Street, is Pho Suong restaurant. For over 30 years, Pho Suong, owned by the descendants of Mr. Ty – the owner of the "pho stall run by the Chinese man in the blue shirt" – has maintained its family recipe, attracting many customers. Currently, the restaurant is run by Mr. Ty's children and grandchildren.
The owner shared that the pho broth is simmered from beef leg bones, without using any other bones, for 14-15 hours. The broth also includes ginger and fish sauce, but does not use cinnamon or star anise. Each bowl of pho here costs between 55,000 and 80,000 VND.
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Upon arriving at Trung Yen alley, few can escape the long queues in front of the small stall of Nhan's duck restaurant. This place was once famous on social media for videos of the owner "scolding like she's singing." The restaurant is named "Nhan," but visitors who want to enjoy the duck must accept the hassle of queuing. During peak hours, the waiting time can be up to 20-30 minutes.
But undeniably, Nhàn's duck noodle soup has an appealing flavor. The broth, simmered with duck bones and dried mushrooms, is fragrant and rich. The duck meat is fatty, tender, and sweet. The accompanying bamboo shoots are also carefully simmered dried bamboo shoots, and the fresh meatballs are chewy and crispy. Additionally, depending on your preference, you can order hot fried dough sticks to eat with it.
Beyond Pho Suong and Ngan Nhan, there's Bun Ca Sam Cay Si, a restaurant over 20 years old, attracting diners both domestic and international with its fish rolls filled with meat. Many jokingly call it "Bun Ca Sam Si".
"If you come from the direction of Hang Be Market, you'll pass a Southern-style beef noodle soup stall, then a 'gossipy' fish noodle soup stall, Nhan's duck noodle soup stall, and Suong's pho stall. People often joke that this is the alley where 'the cow passes through the 'gossipy' alley to reach leisure and happiness,' and that's why," a local resident in the Hang Be Market area said.
The fish noodle soup restaurant is located next to an old wall, at the corner of Trung Yen alley. The fish noodle soup at Sam Cay Si uses tilapia. The broth has a refreshing sour taste, simmered from fish bones and cooked with a mixture of pineapple and tomatoes. A bowl of fish noodle soup includes a few pieces of crispy fried fish cake, noodles, and seasonal vegetables such as mustard greens, celery, and bean sprouts. The fish cake here is golden brown and crispy even after being left in the bowl for a while. To cater to customers, the restaurant also offers other dishes such as mixed fish noodle soup, fish pho, and fish rice noodles...
Fish rolls are the restaurant's signature dish. The outer layer is made of tender perch, wrapped around minced meat and wood ear mushrooms, and coated in a crispy batter. The fish meat is sweet, with a unique, fragrant, rich, and unusual flavor. The fish rolls are served with a special dipping sauce.
The restaurant is open from 7 AM to 5 PM daily. Prices are 45,000 VND per bowl of noodle soup, 50,000 VND per bowl of mixed noodles, and 13,000 VND per fish roll. The busiest times are lunchtime and weekends.
A restaurant serving delicious fish noodle soup with rolled meat is unlike any other, and it's packed with customers (Video: Xuan Minh - Thuy Chi)
It's worth noting that while Trung Yen Alley is famous, it's also a place that tourists often confuse with other locations. Many people have mistaken this place for Trung Yen area (Cau Giay district), which is dozens of kilometers away.
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