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It is surely hard to determine which Hanoi cuisine is the best to try. But if someone asks me which dish represents Hanoi's most delicate food, I won’t hesitate to say it is Cha Ca Hanoi, not Pho. You can slurp a bowl of Pho for a quick meal but cannot eat Cha Ca Hanoi in a few minutes. This fits the Hanoian lifestyle that I have known for a long time: Hanoian never rush. In every dining table where Cha Ca is served, you’ll see not only how it should be enjoyed properly but also how Hanoian socialize. Cha Ca may not be for everyone, but it is a must-try dish when you come to Hanoi. You’ll know why after reading this article.
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1. What is Cha Ca?
Let's break down the meaning of each word in this dish. "Cha" is a generic term for certain grilled or fried dishes that include meat or seafood as the main component, while "ca" in Cha Ca denotes fish in Vietnamese. Cha Ca Hanoi (grilled fish Hanoi)is not only tasty but also enlightening to learn about. The fresh and distinctive flavor of the fish, a type of snake-headed family, must be maintained during the whole cooking process, making this meal one of the most difficult to prepare. Particularly crucial and delicate is the matter of seasoning.
2. Cha Ca Origin
Whereas the history of Vietnam's national dish, Pho, is shrouded in mystery, the origin of Cha Ca can be traced without confusion. The history of Cha Ca goes back over 130 years. The Doan were a Hanoian middle-class family whose members include mandarins, authors, and poets. They are close to the city's elite during the French colonial era. Daughter-in-law of this family created Cha Ca as an elegant meal to serve the family's prominent guests, drawing inspiration from the Hanoians' natural propensity for hospitality. During French colonial rule, the local Doan family fed it to the troops. Everyone thought they should start a restaurant since they did so well financially. Then the first Cha Ca Hanoi restaurant, namely Cha Ca La Vong, opened and still exists today. Cha Ca Street was formally renamed from Hang Son (Paint Street) in recognition of the culinary phenomenon.
3. How Cha Ca Hanoi is Cooked?
Since “ca lang” (hemibagrus) contain so few bones, they were popularly used to create the original Cha Ca Hanoi. Ca Lang is becoming increasingly difficult to source, thus chefs commonly substitute carps, snakeheads, or pimelode in their dishes.
Unlike other "cha" meals in Vietnam, Cha Ca Hanoi requires two stages of cooking. The fish in this meal is cooked twice: once by the chef over hot coals and once by the diners themselves.
The ingredients to marinate and season the fish
Fileting the fish is the first step in preparing it for a real Cha Ca. The next step is to season the fish pieces with a marinade made from fermented rice paste (me), galangal, turmeric, and other spices. To ensure that the family's culinary secrets remain within the family, the exact proportions and the entire list of seasonings are kept under wraps. “Me” provides a delicate sourness and softens the texture of the fish, while turmeric gives the pieces of fish a brilliant golden color and the galangal reduces the fishy smell. Cha Ca's signature taste can't be captured without the proper preparation methods and marinating of turmeric.
After marinating, the fish is grilled between two bamboo skewers over hot coals to achieve a proper doneness without the smokey flavor or scorched appearance that would occur from a more vigorous fire. Now we have slices of fish that have been cooked in a way that keeps most of their moisture within.
4. How to eat Cha Ca Hanoi?
Unlike other Vietnamese traditional dishes, Cha Ca Hanoi is the most complicated dish to serve because it requires so many condiments and diners should pay attention to how to eat it for the best dining experience.
After everyone has found a seat at the table, the dill, spring onion, lime, shrimp paste, and toasted peanuts are served. At last, a portable stove is set down on the table, and a sizable frying pan with the fish pieces is placed atop it. The final step must be taken before guests enjoy this hearty meal: grilled fish seasoned with dill and spring onions is fried in fat or oil and served to the diner.
For dipping, Cha Ca needs simply 'mam tom' (shrimp paste). Every table gets its own individual bowl of this spicy paste, seasoned with a squeeze of lime. They'll use a chopsticks to beat the ingredients until little bubbles appear on the surface. The saltiness of 'mam tom' can be balanced by the sourness of lime.
Eating Cha Ca never is a rush because that is the Hanoian lifestyle. While waiting for the Cha Ca and veggies to be cooked, diners can snack on some peanuts, have a toast, and chat with their friends and family.
When Cha Ca is ready, diners will place a fish piece, some dill, some spring onion from the pan, some vermicelli noodles, some toasted peanuts, and some shredded white spring onion in their individual serving bowls. Then, they'll add a dash of pre-mixed ‘mam tom' dipping sauce and stir it all together. Different components in a bowl of Cha Ca contribute distinctive textures. Crunch comes from roasted peanuts, while smoothness comes from bits of fish. Spring onions and dill provide aromatic flavor and freshness, and chilled rice vermicelli noodles provide a delicate texture. The dish would not be complete without the flavorful 'mam tom' dipping sauce. If you cannot eat 'mam tom', another option of ‘nuoc mam’ (fish sauce) is available. However, I believe that, besides the fish, 'mam tom' is the soul of this dish and cannot be missed.
5. Best Cha Ca Restaurants in Hanoi
5.1. Cha Ca La Vong
- Address: 14 Cha Ca Street, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
- Price: 350,000 VND/portion
Almost all of the international visitors to Hanoi stop by this 130-year-old eatery to try their hand at the house specialty, Cha Ca.
Ca Lang and Ca Qua (snakehead) are the major ingredients in this La Vong restaurant's Cha Ca, making the fish meat solid and stiff so that it does not split when cooked in a pan of boiling oil. The fish filet is perfectly proportioned, and when deep-fried to perfection, it becomes a deep golden color and develops a crispy exterior and a tender inside that tastes amazing owing to certain top-secret seasonings.
The 'mam tom' sauce is great as well. 'Mam tom' will increase your cravings for the perfectly-cooked and fatty fried fish filet served hot with the aroma of herbs and peanuts.
Cha Ca La Vong is where Cha Ca was born, so I think the experience is not just about the food, but also the dining space and the story behind it. Since it is in the Old Quarter of Hanoi, the price per portion is higher than almost all other eateries.
5.2. Cha Ca Thang Long
- Address 1: 19-21-2D Duong Thanh Street, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
- Address 2: Villa 6D Duong Thanh Street, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
- Price: 140,000 VND/portion
Cha Ca Thang Long is just as appealing as Cha Ca La Vong, if not more so, because the prices are cheaper without sacrificing the quality of the food.
Cha Ca Thang Long restaurant
When you get here, you may choose from a wider variety of fish dishes, including Cha Ca, fish guts, and the edge of the fish head. The Ca Lang (hemibagrus) used to make the local Cha Ca are chopped into square pieces. The chef keeps the rough fish skin on so the filet is more robust. When cooked, the filet takes on a brownish hue and a flavor that is tender and not dry. The precise blend of herbs is ready to be served with only a splash of 'mam tom' or fish sauce. To maximize diners' experience, the chef will pre-fry the fish and bring the cooking equipment, including the burner and fish pan, right to the table. The fish is already cooked, so the diner just has to give it a quick toss to reheat it. Fish stomach is also available for tasting and a must-try.
Cha Ca Thang Long restaurant was listed in BIB Gourmand: Quality cooking at reasonable prices in the Michelin Guide Ceremony when it was first held in Hanoi last June. Cha Ca Thang Long has made traditional Hanoi food out on the global scale and definitely, more and more foreigners will come there and try this delicacy.
5.3. Cha Ca Anh Vu
- Address 1: 120 k1 Giang Vo Street, Dong Da, Hanoi
- Address 2: 103 Trung Hoa Street, Cau Giay, Hanoi
- Address 3: 80 Vu Trong Khanh, Ha Dong, Hanoi
- Address 4: 130 Nguyen Khanh Toan, Cau Giay, Hanoi
- Price: 140,000 VND/portion
Cha Ca Anh Vu is the go-to for many local foodies and international visitors to Hanoi throughout the winter because of its high quality and low pricing (VND 140,000, or about US$ 7). As a result, lunch and dinner times tend to be quite busy.
Cha Ca Anh Vu restaurant
Anh Vu's signature Cha Ca is prepared with tender filets of fresh Ca Lang (hemibagrus) that have been subtly flavored with a blend of spices and turmeric. Fish is also deep-fried ahead of time and served crisp and hot. Cha Ca here may seem unusually mild in flavor (due to the absence of salt), but this is for good reason. The Cha will be excellent with a quick pour of 'mam tom' . The Cha Ca Anh Vu restaurant is spotless, the parking is plenty, and the staff is both kind and attentive.
At the Michelin Guide Ceremony, Cha Ca Anh Vu is also awarded in Michelin Selected and becomes one of the best places for Cha Ca Hanoi.
5.4. Cha Ca Kinh Ky
Address:
- 25 Duong Thanh, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
- 621 Lac Long Quan, Tay Ho, Hanoi.
- 41 Huynh Thuc Khang, Ba Dinh, Hanoi.
- 172 Nguyen Son, Long Bien, Hanoi.
- 104 Hoa Ma, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi.
Price: 130,000 VND/portion
Another notable spot that draws a large number of tourists and local foodies alike is Cha Ca Kinh Ky. Each fish is sorted through a series of filters, then seasoned for hours, and then cooked over an open fire of coals.
Cha Ca Kinh Ky restaurant
When you place an order, the Cha Ca Kinh Ky restaurant's diligent crew would rush to the table with a tiny stove, pan, and vegetable oil. A true sample of the capital city's food would be golden pieces of grilled fish, fresh green herbs leaves like coriander, basil, and pickled onions, a little bowl of peanuts, a plate of rice vermicelli, a frothy bowl of 'mam tom', and a few drops of scented Ca Cuong essence.
5.5. Vua Cha Ca
Address:
- 48 Nguyen Thi Dinh, Thanh Xuan, Hanoi
- 26C Tran Hung Đao, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
- 76A Mai Hac De, Hai Ba Trung, Hanoi
- 269 Giang Vo, Ba Dinh, Hanoi
- 12A1 Le Duc Tho, Me Tri, Hanoi
- 9 Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
- 76 Tran Thai Tong, Cau Giay, Hanoi
- AEON Mall - Ha Dong, Hanoi
- 1 Dinh Tien Hoang, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
Price: 130,000 VND/portion
The reason why I list Vua Cha Ca at last is that this is my favorite Cha Ca Hanoi restaurant. I don't think I will tell more about the dish itself because the menu and the food is quite the same, however, I love this place because everything is combined just enough and absolutely perfectly. From the taste of Cha Ca, 'mam tom' to the dining area and the staff, all satisfy my expectation.
Vua Cha Ca restaurant Hanoi
Vua Cha Ca has a few branches all around Hanoi and there is one branch in the Ham Ca Map Tower in the very center of Hanoi, with a view to Hoan Kiem Lake. That place is super cool. Enjoying Hanoi delicacies in such an authentic atmosphere is just amazing.
Cha Ca Hanoi has been a pride of Hanoi’s culture for a long time. If you ever come to Hanoi, please don’t miss the chance to taste this wonderful dish. Thank you for reading until now!
To taste Hanoi food, please follow our best Hanoi culinary tours.
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