American tourists are unfamiliar with dried shrimp noodle soup in Saigon.

Max McFarlin, a YouTuber specializing in Vietnamese food reviews, found it strange when he first tried bun rieu tom kho (crab noodle soup) in Saigon.

Max McFarlin, who has a channel with nearly 700,000 followers, lived in Vietnam for over 3 years. Most of the videos Max uploads feature his culinary experiences across the three regions of Vietnam.

Speaking to VnExpress , Max said he had enjoyed many delicious dishes in Vietnam but had never heard of dried shrimp noodle soup in Saigon. He first tried it eight months ago, when he visited a humble noodle soup shop in a small alley on Nguyen Kim Street, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City. Max recorded a video of his culinary experience, which attracted hundreds of likes and comments.

*Max McFarlin enjoys a bowl of vermicelli soup with dried shrimp in an alleyway. Photo: Max McFarlin/Youtube*

In the video, the vendor introduces the stall, stating that they've been selling this dish since the 1970s. The age of the humble eatery surprised the American tourist, who exclaimed, "Unbelievable!" Max said that he's been in Vietnam for over three years but had never heard of bun rieu (crab noodle soup) served with dried shrimp, only bun rieu with snails. "I thought I knew a lot about the food here, but sometimes it feels like I know nothing when I try new dishes," Max said.

The American blogger ordered a bowl of vermicelli with plenty of dried shrimp paste, served with a plate of herbs and a few pieces of cinnamon pork sausage, and additional condiments including shrimp paste and chili satay. A serving with sausage costs 51,000 VND.

This is a crab noodle soup dish cooked in the Southern Vietnamese style. — *Southern Vietnamese vermicelli soup (Bún riêu). Photo: Bùi Thủy*

Upon tasting the broth, Max noted that the bowl of vermicelli had a clear, light flavor, different from the vermicelli soup he had tried in Hanoi . The bowl of vermicelli had a fragrant aroma from the dried shrimp. The vendor showed him how to eat it: add a spoonful of shrimp paste, chili paste, squeeze in some lime juice, and mix well so that the spices blend together to make the broth richer. While many foreigners can't eat Vietnamese shrimp paste, Max found it easy to eat and it harmonized the flavors of the dish. The American tourist shared that he had enjoyed many noodle dishes in Vietnam and liked the thin vermicelli noodles in this dried shrimp vermicelli soup. Besides the dried shrimp, the cinnamon pork sausage served with it also surprised Max. This was also the first time he had eaten vermicelli soup with sausage.

Thanks to his time in Vietnam and his frequent exploration of local cuisine, Max learned how to eat like a Vietnamese person. He never forgets to include fresh vegetables and herbs whenever he eats noodle soup. Shredded water spinach is Max's favorite, and he even makes a habit of asking the vendor to blanch it before eating.

Max commented that the dried shrimp noodle soup had simple toppings, making it suitable as a breakfast or afternoon snack. However, he felt "regretful" that the shop only opened in the mornings. "If the owner sold it in the afternoons, I would come here every day to eat a bowl," Max said.

The American tourist said the restaurant was small and a casual eatery located in an alley, with limited parking and few tables for dine-in customers. The tables were placed against the wall to make room for vehicles passing through the alley. Max said he would return to the restaurant to enjoy the unique flavors of the food and the owner's enthusiasm and friendliness.

Bun rieu is a popular dish in all three regions of Vietnam, each with its own variations. Northern-style bun rieu typically features freshwater crab, snails, tomatoes, pork cracklings, and a rich broth. Some places add pork ribs, cartilage ribs, and betel leaf-wrapped meatballs. Southern Vietnam also has its own version with crab bun rieu, with diverse toppings such as crab meatballs, pig's blood, pork trotters, Vietnamese sausage, and fried tofu. Some restaurants don't use crab rieu but instead use shrimp rieu. Dried shrimp or red shrimp paste, ground together with lean meat and egg yolks, creates a reddish-brown rieu with a fragrant aroma and a clear, rich, and sweet broth.

Bich Phuong - Vnexpress.net

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