According to the owner, a Hue-style bowl of bun bo with cold rice features a fragrant broth infused with lemongrass and fermented shrimp paste. Chili not only adds spiciness but also combines with scallions for an appealing color.

Bun bo is a familiar dish in Hue's culinary scene, found everywhere from street vendors to long-standing restaurants.

However, bun bo served with cold rice—a popular way to enjoy the dish in the 1980s and 1990s—is now a rare find. On Trinh Cong Son street, Canh Van bun bo, which has been open for nearly 30 years, is one of the few places preserving this traditional eating style, cherished by generations of Hue residents.

Each bowl of bun is served with a small bowl of cold rice. Diners can eat the bun first and then add the rice to the broth, or alternate between rice and bun, depending on their preference. If they finish, customers can request more rice free of charge.

Owner Le Thi Hong Van, 57, shared that since its opening, the restaurant has primarily served early laborers from Dong Ba market and local residents. Therefore, she continues to offer bun with rice, ensuring customers enjoy a delicious and satisfying meal.

She mentioned that the restaurant sells about 80 kg of vermicelli and an additional 7 kg of rice daily. Customers can order according to their preference, either bun bo with rice or just the broth to pour over rice.

The restaurant also serves chili-braised pork cracklings to accompany the rice and bun, offering a distinct flavor compared to other places.

The restaurant's secret lies in its broth, simmered for hours from beef and pork bones, creating a natural sweetness. Le Thi Hong Van personally selects fresh beef, beef bones, and pork hock from the slaughterhouse. For the accompanying rice, she cooks it drier so it doesn't become mushy when the broth is added.

A bowl of bun bo with cold rice at the restaurant costs 25,000 VND, and includes sliced beef and pork blood. A special portion, with double the toppings, including crab cakes, pork hock, or pork belly, costs 40,000 VND.

Bun bo with cold rice is served with central Vietnamese condiments such as chili paste, chili-soaked fermented shrimp paste sauce, and fresh herbs.

Nguyen Phong, a Hue resident, said his entire family enjoys Canh Van, often visiting to try something different. He has been eating there since childhood and is now over 40 years old.

"Even when it's crowded and we have to wait, it's always worth it", Nguyen Phong said.

Nguyen Nhat Vy, from TP HCM, shared that she has visited Hue many times but this was her first time trying bun bo with cold rice, introduced by a local friend.

"The bun bo was hot and fragrant, the rice was dry but soft, making for a very addictive meal", Vy said, adding that she took photos of the dish to send to her family and friends, promising to bring them to try it next time.

Canh Van bun bo is open daily from 5h to 8h30. It often gets busy early in the morning, so customers should expect to wait for a table. From Dong Ba market, cross Gia Hoi bridge to the opposite bank, then turn into the residential area near the bridge.

The restaurant is located in an alley and is not easily visible from the main road; customers should use a map or ask locals for directions.

Tuan Anh

Anh: Nguyen Phong