A night food tour of Hue’s largest market

Let me tell you this funny story that makes me believe that nothing in the world can pull me out of my roots even when I meet the American friends of a good friend of Minh (Michel)! You guessed it, we talked about the City where I was born, Mon Hue! In addition, a Vietnamese collaborator of David is from Hue and is very close in line to the last Emperor ( King ) !!! Of course we talked about Hue and places to visit. It seems from his discussions that Jeff will be there very soon! So for Jeff and you, dear readers, a little visit to the biggest market in Hue… Bon Appétit! Must See In Vietnam Editor

Known as Hue’s largest and oldest market, Dong Ba attracts globetrotting foodies with its night market, home to signature delicacies sold at extremely cheap prices. 

Dong Ba Market on Tran Hung Dao Street in Phu Hoa Ward, along the northern bank of the Huong (Perfume) River, around 100 meters from Truong Tien Bridge, is more than 120 years old and has long been a tourist icon of Hue.

From downtown hotels, you can hire a cyclo for VND150,000 ($6.38) to explore many of Hue’s tourist attractions including Dong Ba night market, open from 6 p.m. to 5 a.m., and offering the busiest nightlife in town. 

In addition to selling handicrafts, souvenirs, fruit and other specialties, the night market has a private space for street food with dozens of stalls and restaurants serving signature dishes like che (sweet soup), bun bo Hue (Hue-style beef noodle soup), banh beo (steamed rice cake) and com hen (rice dish featuring rural ingredients like baby mussels and fresh herbs).

A group of visitors stroll around the food hub at Dong Ba night market. 

Sweet soup used to be an indispensable dessert for kings and royal families during the reign of the Nguyen Dynasty (1802-1954) and is now a popular street food in Hue. 

Sweet soup stalls mainly serve che hat sen (lotus seed), che nhan boc hat sen (longan stuffed with lotus seed), che khoai mon (taro sweet soup), and che bot loc heo quay made with small pieces of roasted pork with crispy skin wrapped in a layer of filter powder served with sugar water and ginger. 

A bowl of sweet soup here costs only VND10,000 ($0.42)

Bun bo Hue at Ms. Vui’s stall costs from VND20,000-30,000 a bowl.

Bun bo Hue is a specialty of Hue, where it was invented. The broth requires both pig and beef bones to be boiled with a generous dose of lemongrass, sugar, annatto, and shrimp paste. Vendors then add various ingredients like sliced brisket, crab balls and pork pie. 

Adventurous eaters can also add cubed pig’s blood pudding for even more flavor. When served, the dish is garnished with a tangle of vegetables like lime, scallions, cilantro, banana blossoms, mint, basil, and Vietnamese coriander.

Only a portion of beef noodle soup at Ms.Vui’s stall, one of the most popular addresses to try this dish in Hue, is left.

Street grilled skewers are also part of Hue street food at Dong Ba night market. 

Snail dishes sauteed with lemongrass and chili are also worth a try with prices ranging from VND10,000-20,000 per serving. 

Nem lui (Hue grilled pork skewer on bamboo sticks) is a signature dish in Hue. 

The dish is made of ground pork grilled on a lemongrass skewer or bamboo stick. Other ingredients often include black pepper, pork skin, garlic, shallots, and fish sauce. The meat combination is rolled into a sausage shape around a bamboo stick, then brushed with oil and grilled on a coal stove until slightly charred.

Nem lui is always served with rice paper, vegetables and fresh herbs accompanied by a sweet and sour peanut-sesame sauce. 

A stall serves gilled skewers.

“If you are a first-time visitor to enjoy Hue cuisine here, you should tell the seller to make it less spicy because most Hue people are used to eating spicy food,” said Long, a tourist.

By vin Long, Huynh Phuong for E.VnExpress.net

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