VietExplorer

Whenever I’m asked what my favorite Vietnamese food is (a question that I’m unsurprisingly asked frequently as an English teacher) I respond with no hesitation – Bun Cha. The less common follow-up question, however, “Where is your favorite Bun Cha restaurant?” is always much harder to answer. Bun Cha is one of the most well-known traditional dishes in Vietnam , but its roots are grounded firmly in Hanoi. In its most basic form, it consists of pork meatballs or patties, pork belly slices, rice noodles, fresh vegetables, and herbs, all served in a vinegary, fish sauce type broth, though you’ll find slightly different variations depending on where you decide to dine. A simple Bun Cha at Mai Anh Bun Cha, 47 Xuan Dieu (Photo: Jason Law) Having lived here for years, I have eaten countless bowls of Bun Cha, but admittedly never ventured outside of Tay Ho in search of variety. Since trying the dish for the first time three years ago, at Mai Anh Bun Cha 47 Xuan Dieu, I’d been la