Go to Da Lat and eat Phan Rang rice noodle soup.

It might sound odd, but in the cool weather of Da Lat, nothing is more perfect than a steaming, spicy bowl of banh canh (Vietnamese rice noodle soup).

In Da Lat, there are many people from Phan Rang ( Ninh Thuan province) who have come to live and brought their hometown specialties with them. Wandering around here, you're bound to come across eateries with the words "Phan Rang" in their names, such as: beef hotpot, chicken rice, banh can (rice pancake), fish cake noodle soup, etc.

The first time I ate a bowl of Phan Rang fish cake noodle soup in this highland city was almost ten years ago, purely by chance.

It was a gloomy, rainy afternoon. After an exhausting trekking trip through the forest, I arrived in the city and saw groups of people slurping away in a small eatery at a street corner. I immediately went in. And since then, every time I go to Da Lat, I have to eat Phan Rang fish cake noodle soup.

I haven't had the chance to go to Ninh Thuan, so I don't know what the authentic Phan Rang-style banh canh tastes like, especially when eaten in the scorching heat and strong winds, without any accompanying vegetables to cool the stomach. But in the cool weather of Da Lat, it's perfectly suited for that.

The Phan Rang-style fish cake noodle soup in Da Lat is very simple, consisting only of noodles, broth, and toppings of fresh fish and fish cakes (fried and steamed). The noodles, made from rice flour, are flat, soft, and white; they break easily with a spoon, making them incredibly smooth to eat. Notably, the broth of Phan Rang-style fish cake noodle soup is never oily and is flavored with pepper and plenty of scallions and cilantro, so it has virtually no fishy smell but a delicate sweetness.

To enjoy authentic Phan Rang fish cake noodle soup, you should squeeze in a little lime juice and add some pure fish sauce infused with chili peppers. This fish sauce is always readily available on the table. Because it's prepared in advance by the owner, the spiciness and pungent aroma of the chili peppers blend with the fish sauce, giving the bowl of noodle soup an irresistible fragrance.

In the gentle coolness of Da Lat, sitting and savoring each spoonful of soft rice noodle soup, slowly chewing on a chewy piece of fish cake, and adding a touch of spicy chili... you'll feel a surge of sweet, savory, and rich flavors spreading throughout your body. It's an addictive feeling that you'll remember and crave again and again.

Most Phan Rang-style fish cake noodle soup restaurants in Da Lat also serve fish cake rolls. The rolls are very large, about half the size of an adult's wrist, and contain not only vegetables but also fish cake and egg, served with a delicious, thick fish sauce dip.

For those with a hearty appetite, one bowl of fish cake noodle soup might be a bit insufficient, while two bowls would be too filling. Therefore, the combination of fish cake rolls and noodle soup is the perfect choice for a warm and satisfying evening.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/du-lich/di-da-lat-an-banh-canh-phan-rang-20200625203549202.htm