Staying in Hanoi opened up my eyes to many things: new sights, new flavors, and that Jakarta’s traffic is still not the most chaotic in the world. I also revived my love of bun cha.
The famous Vietnamese vermicelli noodle salad hits the palate with punchy fish sauce and juicy pork. It doesn’t hurt that the joint is part of the Michelin Guide as well. Is the Bun Cha Obama really the best in Hanoi, though?
“This is killer!”
– Barack Obama on Bun Cha Huong Lien
Back in Hanoi
I didn’t know what to expect coming back to Vietnam after 17 years. During my last trip, it was quite a sterile experience- the tour group already organized everything. Every meal was Chinese food and 3-5 sights a day was the norm. This time, it was just us against the world, and what an experience everything was!
Post-Cao Bang loop, we just wanted rest and experience some semblance of an urban life. The vibrant Hanoi was the answer, and we were open to new adventures. Conveniently, our Airbnb was located near the famous joint Bún Chả Hương Liên– otherwise widely known as Bun Cha Obama.
Bun cha originally comes from two words: grilled pork (chả) 🐖 and vermicelli noodle (bún) 🍜. The combination of these two elements is complimented with cronchy fresh vegetables, a pungent fish sauce dressing, and two must-have condiments: raw garlic and sliced raw chili. On the side, one often finds a steaming plate of freshly-fried seafood spring rolls.
The first taste of bun cha that entered my mouth was in Green Leaf Vietnamese restaurant- a long way across the world in West Lafayette, Indiana. Bored of pho, one random order of bun cha actually introduced me to a new Vietnamese food favorite. Since then, I have had many plates of it across the world; but never in its original hometown: Hanoi.
Bun Cha Huong Lien
The legendary chef Anthony Bourdain were joined by then-US president Barack Obama in Bun Cha Huong Lien. Since then, the bun cha joint exploded in popularity, with lines of customers ordering the “Obama Combo”. Say less, we must have a taste!
Bun Cha Huong Lien was easy to find, a towering 4-story shop right by the Lê Văn Hưu street. Once you get in, they will tell you to head upstairs. It was midday on a Friday- only two of the four floors were filled.
Just find an empty seat and park yourselves there, and someone will come with the menu above! The legendary Obama Combo is made up of 1 Bun Cha, 1 seafood spring roll, and 1 Hanoi beer. The whole package cost 130,000 VND ($5.00 USD / 82k IDR). Also yes, they do charge for the wet towel packet 😅
Right next to our table, the kitchen worker was preparing plates of fresh veggies and a mountain of fresh garlic. This is how vital garlic is to this dish!
That said, this restaurant is not an ideal place for a first date- especially if you are sensitive to the allium. 🧄
The food’s here!
After putting in our order, in a short while they delivered the food to us. A super thick, freshly fried spring roll cut in half, a plate of springy rice noodles, and the pièce de resistance: a bowl of juicy pork patties submerged in flavorful broth! The spring roll is not your regular-degular one either- it is Nem Hải Sản, seafood spring roll. The skin was so paper-thin it already shattered a little before entering your mouth.
Slices of kohlrabi balanced out the rich grilled pork, all enveloped in a warm pool of nước mắm (fish sauce). At first taste, I was not too impressed.. it was so sweet! After I liberally added some raw chopped garlic and chillies- oh my was it good. A few scoops of vinegar was, in my opinion, necessary to balance out the sugar. This is the key to good food; adjusting it to your taste.
“This is killer!” said Barack Obama about this bowl of bun cha.
You start by adjusting the broth to your taste, then you dip clumps of the cold rice noodle into the yummy soup. Combine it with a bite of grilled pork and fresh herbs and you’ve got one hell of a bite!
Where is the Obama & Bourdain seat located?
I was looking for the legendary seat of former US president Barack Obama and Anthony Bourdain. Interestingly, the establishment put a picture of them and encased the table setting in glass for preservation. If you are looking for this famous table, it is located in the back dining room of the third floor!
Is it the best in Hanoi?
It is worthwhile to stop and have a meal where two legendary figures have stepped in- and I am glad I had this experience. If you are seeking the best bun cha in Hanoi, though, you might want to look somewhere else.
On our last night, we ordered a highly-rated bun cha from Grab. Dare I say, it was so much better! Bun Cha Huong Lien was delish, but this one was on another level.
Curious? 😁
Visiting northern Vietnam? Read up on our Cao Bang adventure! (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3)
Address
Bun Cha Huong Lien (Maps)
24 P. Lê Văn Hưu, Phan Chu Trinh, Hai Bà Trưng, Hà Nội, Vietnam
+842439434106