A culinary masterpiece of Hanoi food tours: Bun Bo Nam Bo

Bun Bo Nam Bo  is a very popular dish. Ingredients include vermicelli, stir-fried beef, fried onions, bean sprouts, raw vegetables, roasted peanuts, pickled papaya, sweet and sour mixed water, suitable for eating all year round, especially on hot summer days. The origin of the name Bun Bo Nam Bo  is not consistent, there are many mixed opinions.

In particular, the most common information is that the dish originated in Hanoi and not the South as its name suggests. Ms. Can, a noodle shop owner in the 1980s, is considered the first person to sell this dish in the capital. During a sale, she was asked by a customer to grill beef, instead of eating it with minced pork and pork rolls. The rest of the ingredients are still exactly the same as vermicelli. From that accidental processing, a new dish was born and called mixed beef vermicelli.

After that, mixed beef vermicelli became popular and loved by diners. Gradually, it was called  Bun Bo Nam Bo  because Mrs. Can’s noodle shop is located on the sidewalk of Dong Loi on Southern Street (later renamed Le Duan Street). People who have lived in Hanoi for a long time are familiar with the special name of this road, where Hanoi Railway Station is located and is the starting point for trains into the South.

This explanation is agreed by many people because of the similarity between vermicelli and Bun Bo Nam Bo. The way to eat and taste of this dish is quite suitable for the taste of Northern people with the taste of sticks, simple ingredients, and the dipping sauce is not too sweet. Later, the dish uses stir-fried beef with garlic and bean sprouts instead of grilled beef. The water secreted from the beef seeps into the vermicelli, mixed with fish sauce mixed with garlic and chili vinegar. Many rows also replace pickled papaya with chopped cucumbers and add to shredded carrots.

However, some people think that it may be that the dish originated in the South and has been reduced according to the way of eating of the Northerners or because the owner learned how to cook from the people in the interior. Bun Bo Nam Bo  is almost similar to the stir-fried meat vermicelli of Western people. Usually, people use pork, but some places also use stir-fried beef, similar to Bun Bo Nam Bo. The remaining ingredients include fresh vermicelli, pickles, shredded carrots, raw vegetables, pounded peanuts… Only a little different is that Western stir-fried vermicelli is usually stir-fried beef with lemongrass and chili and with onions.

Method

Bun Bo Nam Bo  is also known as a dish “Western favorite, I love" because of its easy-to-eat, simple, rustic taste, suitable for many people. In addition to eating out, many housewives also cook this dish at home. The method is quite simple.

Preliminary processing and preparation

• Beef chooses lean tenderloin or frills, and the fan chestnut is usually tender and delicious. Purchased meat should be put in the freezer for about 30 minutes to harden and shape the cube. Then, use a thin-grained horizontal shade knife to make the plate slightly larger.

Chopped chili garlic; lemongrass cut hard, smashed and chopped; pounded peanuts; Prepare a little fried onion sprinkled on the finished product to make it crispy and fragrant when eating.

Wash the bean sprouts. Peel off the outer skin of the onion, slice it into small wedges and throw it out.

Papaya (or kohlrabi), peeled carrots, make cubes, then prune the flowers, add a little granulated salt and shake well for 10 minutes to reduce the water. This both helps reduce the bitter taste of latex and makes pickles crispier. After that, wash and marinate in vinegar, sugar in a 1:1 ratio and add a little salt, garlic, and chili peppers.

Raw vegetables (lettuce, basil, coriander) are washed many times under running water to be clean, drained, and finely chopped.

Marinate

• Marinate the beef with a little fish sauce, oyster sauce, seasonings, pepper and garlic, lemongrass, add a little cooking oil and stir well, let marinate for 15-20 minutes to absorb the taste. Adding cooking oil or a little cornstarch is the secret when marinating to help the beef soften and retain water when stir-frying.

Stir-fry the beef

• Fry the garlic and lemongrass, then pour in the beef and stir-fry quickly on high heat, the meat is 80% cooked, add the onion, then come to the bean sprouts and stir-fry together. Season to taste. When the onions and bean sprouts are cooked, they still retain their crispiness, sprinkle a little pepper, turn off the heat.

Present and enjoy

• Divide the vermicelli into bowls, add lettuce and finely chopped herbs, pickles, scoop up the stir-fried beef, sprinkle with fried onions, roasted peanuts on top. Mix or cook sweet and sour fish sauce to pour on a bowl of vermicelli including fish sauce of 30-40 degrees protein, sugar, vinegar, filtered water in the ratio of 1:1:1:4, stir to dissolve, add garlic and finely chopped chili. When eating, spoon the sweet and sour fish sauce evenly over the bowl of vermicelli, mix well and enjoy.

Finished Product Requirements

• The bowl of vermicelli harmonizes with the white color of the vermicelli, the bright green color of raw vegetables, cooked beef to pink leaves, fresh crispy onion bean sprouts, yellow fried onions, roasted peanuts, sweet and sour taste. A cool dish, easy to satisfy the taste buds of many people in early autumn.

Heed:

• According to many documents and accounts,  Bun Bo Nam Bo  was created by a woman named Can – the owner of a noodle shop in the 1980s in Southern Street (former name Le Duan Street, Hanoi). The dish was once included by CNN in the Top 10 dishes to try when coming to Hanoi besides pho, vermicelli… Currently, there are many shops selling this dish in Hanoi in Hang Dieu, Tran Quoc Toan, Ta Hien, Ngo Huyen …
• In many regions, there are also stir-fried vermicelli dishes with different ways of tasting spices such as stir-fried beef vermicelli in Phan Thiet, stir-fried pork vermicelli in the West with sour dishes…
• To make the beef tender, when marinating, you should add a little cooking oil or cornstarch, when stir-frying over high heat and quickly. Do not stir-fry the beef for too long, making the meat dry and tough.

Where should I eat Bun Bo Nam Bo?

Bun Bo Nam Bo  is also a famous dish of Hanoi that tourists should try. Below are the delicious places to eat, which are considered to have a standard taste, you can refer to come and enjoy. 

Bun Bo Nam Bo soup 79 Lang Pagoda

• Address: 79 Chua Lang Pagoda, Cau Giay, Hanoi
• Opening hours: 07:00 – 22:30

The beef noodles at 79 Chua Lang Pagoda are very famous and attractive to diners. The owner has transformed the way the dish is prepared to create a distinctive feature.

Instead of using fish sauce like many other places, 79 Chua Lang Pagoda has processed the dipping sauce in a more sophisticated, sophisticated and attractive way. Beef vermicelli eaten with a special dipping sauce awakens all senses. The combination of sour, sweet and sour, tender beef, fragrant fried onions, the fleshiness of peanuts and the freshness of raw vegetables is nothing better.

Bun Bo Nam Bo  Ms. Tuan

• Address: 49C Tran Quoc Toan, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
• Opening hours: 07:00 – 20:30

Ms. Tuan’s beef noodle shop is open from 7 am to 10:30 pm every day, you will always see many customers coming to enjoy it. In the hot weather of the capital, there is nothing better than eating this delicious noodle dish.

The space of the restaurant is not too large but not too small. The tables and chairs are neat and clean, the service staff is enthusiastic and warm. Because of this, Co Tuan  Bun Bo Nam Bo  shop has more and more customers. 

Mixed beef vermicelli 109A5 Thanh Cong

• Address: 109A5 Thanh Cong Collective Area, Dong Da District, Hanoi
• Opening hours: 08:00 – 19:00

Although the restaurant is only located in the old collective area on Thanh Cong Street, it is famous for food lovers. This is also one  of the addresses with the best Bun Bo Nam Bo in the capital that you should not miss. 

The most attractive part of the restaurant is the dipping sauce, the taste is very delicious, just in the mouth, everyone loves it. The meat is tender, the vegetables are fresh and attractive. Just one portion of mixed vermicelli is enough to fill your hungry stomach.

Bun Bo Nam Bo  at 111 Khuong Thuong

• Address: 12 Lane 111 Khuong Thuong, Dong Da District, Hanoi
• Opening hours: 07:00 – 21:30

Bun Bo Nam Bo shop is located in a small alley, the restaurant space is small, so you have to go early to eat or you will run out of tables. 

The restaurant’s beef is only cooked when diners order to avoid leaving the taste unattractive for a long time. A meal only costs 35k(1.5 USD) but is full of toppings such as roasted peanuts, raw vegetables, fried onions… When eaten with sweet and sour fish sauce, that flavor becomes even more attractive and irresistible.

The end

Experiencing a dish like “Bun Bo Nam Bo" is not just a culinary adventure but a gateway to understanding Vietnamese culture through its vibrant flavors and meticulous preparation. For foreign travelers, this dish encapsulates the essence of Vietnamese cuisine—fresh ingredients, bold spices, and a balance of textures that dance on the palate.

As they take their first bite of Bun Bo Nam Bo, visitors are greeted with tender slices of beef marinated in lemongrass and fish sauce, complemented by a bed of vermicelli noodles. The dish is then elevated with a medley of fresh herbs like mint, cilantro, and Vietnamese basil, adding a refreshing contrast. The final touch—a sprinkling of crushed peanuts and crispy shallots—adds depth and crunch.

Beyond the flavors, Bun Bo Nam Bo offers a glimpse into Vietnamese culinary philosophy, where each ingredient plays a crucial role in achieving harmony. It’s a dish meant to be savored slowly, allowing travelers to appreciate not just the taste, but the cultural heritage and craftsmanship that goes into its creation. Ultimately, tasting Bun Bo Nam Bo  is an invitation to delve deeper into Vietnamese cuisine—a journey of flavors that leaves a lasting impression on every visitor.

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