Hai Hau, a coastal land where the waves crash year-round, is not only remembered for its white salt fields and bustling seaside markets, but also for a rustic dish rich with hometown spirit: bun cha ca (fish cake vermicelli).
The essence of Hai Hau’s bun cha ca lies in its fresh sea fish cakes – a gift from the ocean. Mackerel, scad, or lizardfish, freshly caught in the morning nets, are carefully filleted, hand-pounded until elastic, then mixed with dill, scallions, and just the right seasoning. Once fried to golden perfection, the cakes release a fragrant aroma, chewy and sweet without being crumbly – a taste that lingers long after the first bite.
What makes this dish truly distinctive is the clear, delicate broth. Simmered from fish bones and enriched with vegetables and spices, the broth carries a gentle sweetness that enhances rather than overpowers the flavor of the fish cakes. When served, the bowl is a vibrant harmony: the pure white of vermicelli, the golden hue of fish cakes, the fresh green of herbs, and the fiery red of chili – like a lively painting of coastal cuisine.
For the people of Hai Hau, bun cha ca is not just a familiar breakfast dish, but also a memory of childhood, of a mother’s kitchen fire, of the briny scent of the sea each morning. For travelers, tasting this dish even once is to discover the rustic yet refined essence of Northern coastal cuisine.
In Hai Hau, standing in the salty breeze of the East Sea while savoring a steaming bowl of fish cake vermicelli, one truly understands: food here is not merely for nourishment, but to preserve the soul of the homeland – the salty taste of the sea and the sweetness of life, captured in every noodle strand and every bite of fish cake.