Western tourists are curious about the "strange" bowl of noodles with meat and black broth in Hanoi.

(Dan Tri) - A bowl of noodles with black chicken and dark black broth on Hang Bo Street (Hanoi) surprised and delighted a couple of Western guests because of its unique flavor.

Chris and Steph, a Canadian couple, travel the world with a passion for local food and culture. They have a YouTube channel with over 250,000 subscribers, documenting their journeys discovering unique dishes in many countries.

The couple has been to Hanoi many times, they describe the capital as a "street food paradise". In addition to familiar addresses, they especially love "hunting" for small, little-known restaurants. Recently, the couple dedicated a video to introducing 6 outstanding noodle dishes here.

Chris and Steph explore many noodle dishes in the capital Hanoi (Photo: Screenshot).

"People often think of pho when talking about Hanoi, but in fact, other noodle dishes in this city are also rich in both ingredients and preparation methods. Anyone who comes here should try more than one dish," Chris shared.

The list they chose to try included vermicelli with crab, stir-fried eel vermicelli, vermicelli with chicken, duck vermicelli, mixed rice paper, and stewed chicken noodles. Among them, stewed chicken noodles on Hang Bo Street was the dish that surprised them the most.

A bowl of stewed chicken noodles costs 70,000 VND, filled with dark broth, cooked from chicken bones and many herbs and Chinese medicine such as mugwort, lotus seeds, jujubes, wolfberries... Thanks to that, the broth has a sweet taste mixed with a little bitterness, always boiling and giving off a characteristic herbal aroma.

According to the comments of two foreign guests, the interesting point of the dish is that the instant noodles are not pre-blanched but dropped directly into the bowl, then poured hot broth, making the noodles both crispy and chewy. Diners can choose regular chicken or black chicken, served with a soft-boiled egg.

The black chicken and broth surprised the two guests (Photo: Cut from clip).

At first glance, the bowl of noodles may seem ordinary, even a bit strange to those unfamiliar with the taste of Chinese medicine, but Chris and Steph found it an unforgettable experience.

"The black chicken and broth are also super black, very special. As soon as they were brought out, the medicinal aroma made us want to try it right away. The slightly bitter but balanced taste, combined with instant noodles, created a strange harmony. I feel like this is like a Vietnamese medicinal soup," Chris commented.

Both of them especially liked the soft, flavorful chicken meat and were surprised when they first ate the soft-boiled egg - a dish they described as "like eating a bunch of grapes, but reminiscent of an egg yolk, chewier and more delicious".

The black chicken meat surprised and delighted the two guests (Photo: Screenshot).

According to the couple, the chicken noodle soup has a slightly bitter taste, present in most of the ingredients but brings a strange attraction. This dish is not only delicious but also rich in nutrients, helping the eater increase resistance thanks to many types of Chinese medicine.

In addition, during this trip, they were also impressed with stir-fried eel vermicelli on Nguyen Tu Gian street and mixed rice paper on Ly Thuong Kiet street.

This was also the first time Steph had ever known a type of rice noodle made from rice, which was large, flat and brown in color, and when cooked, it was soft and very easy to eat. In addition, when Chris ate the duck, he couldn't stop praising it. He commented that this was a completely different dish from many other dishes he had tried in Hanoi.

The eel vermicelli dish made Steph feel new and attractive (Photo: Screenshot).

In particular, the duck meat in the noodle bowl was simmered soft and fatty, making Chris very satisfied.

"Dried noodle dishes in Vietnam are also quite interesting, because they always come with a separate bowl of broth. I like the ingenuity in the combination of ingredients, soft noodles eaten with bean sprouts, fried onions, and crispy peanuts. All create a harmonious and attractive whole," Steph added.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/du-lich/khach-tay-to-mo-voi-bat-mi-la-co-thit-va-nuoc-dung-mau-den-tai-ha-noi-20251002114729044.htm