Besides pho, banh mi, bun cha... Hanoi also has a specialty called sandworm omelet that attracts many foreign tourists. The appearance of raw sandworm may make some people hesitate to try it, but the fragrant fried sandworm omelet brings an irresistible taste.
To eat delicious crab cakes, you must go to the right season and right restaurant. Every year, there are two main sandworm seasons: from the 3rd to the 6th lunar month, and from the 8th to the 12th lunar month. Hanoi is not the land of sandworm, but it is the place that created the crab cake dish that everyone who eats it must nod and praise as delicious.
Two Filipino tourists, Joe and Van, shared that they were lucky to come to Hanoi in the fall to eat this unique specialty. The couple went to Hung Thinh crab cake shop, which has been open for more than 30 years on Hang Chieu Street, Hanoi's Old Quarter.
Stopping in front of the restaurant, diners will see with their own eyes trays of live, wriggling sandworms, and watch locals process and fry the rolls right on the spot.
Van and Joe bought a box of sandworm omelets to take to eat. While Joe was quite reserved when eating them, Van didn't find them creepy at all and was excited to enjoy them right away. He carefully examined the patties and saw that the sandworm omelet was left whole, mixed with spices and fried until fragrant.
After taking the first bite, Van nodded: "Very delicious. The most prominent flavors are dill and eggs. When I eat, I no longer think about the image of the sandworms, this dish is delicious."
Two Filipino diners said that the roe is not as bad as it looks. The roe cake is worth a try if you want to experience the strange dishes here.
Rhea and Sam are a couple from London, England. They booked a street food tour in Hanoi and couldn't miss the experience of eating fried shrimp rolls on Hang Chieu Street. Rhea was surprised when she ate fried shrimp rolls for the first time and exclaimed, "It's delicious."
Mark Wiens, an American food YouTuber, has been to Vietnam many times, but it wasn’t until last year that he finally enjoyed sandworm omelet. His friend took him to a restaurant on Hang Chieu Street. They sat on the sidewalk and ordered a portion of cha with fresh rice noodles.
"The shrimp paste melts in your mouth. I really like the dill flavor. The paste is fried crispy on the outside, and the inside is soft and moist shrimp with eggs and meat. The taste is not strange at all, but very delicious," Mark shared.
