Fate and the days of starting a business
Recalling her early days as a career, Ms. Vu Thi Lan (64 years old, Hanoi) recalled:
"At a time when the economic support was so difficult, I quit my job at the office and sold eel vermicelli to make a living. At first, it was just a street vendor stall on the sidewalk, roaming around Trong and Gai stores....
After nearly 20 years of working as a street vendor, it was not until the SEA Games that she moved to Chan Cam. After continuing to sell on the sidewalk for a while, after stabilizing, she opened a shop and gradually expanded to the present.
"From the time I was selling on the sidewalk until now, I have gone through many difficulties and hardships," she said. "The difficulty is how to satisfy customers when they come to eat, how to make when people come to eat only remember my products".
The secret to making traditional dishes
Started in 1987, now 38 years; the secret to making the typical flavor of Chan Cam eel vermicelli lies in the meticulousness and meticulousness in each stage, especially the choice of ingredients.
Ms. Lan shared: "I pay the most attention to choosing eels. It must be a native, golden eel, because there are many other types of eel that are not delicious to eat. The eel is imported from Bac Ninh, small but very fragrant and not bad.
The big difference of the restaurant is that the eel is not mashed, but it must still maintain the natural crispiness of the eel. Each batch of eel is fried for 30 minutes, with standard fire-catching techniques of many years of experience, ensuring the eel is cooked until golden brown without drying.
Every day, Mrs. Lan's restaurant fries 1.5 - 2 quintals of fresh eel. Eel is processed and sold out the same day, not left until the next day to maintain its crispiness and absolute deliciousness.
"The water is processed by me myself, ensuring traditional flavor and even quality from the opening until now," Ms. Lan proudly said.
Ms. Lan emphasized that the most important thing when cooking is "how to satisfy diners, so that those who eat once must remember it forever". Perhaps that is why from students, international students to overseas Vietnamese, many people who have visited the restaurant have come back, even buying eel to bring home as gifts.
From a small seaweed stall to a Michelin-honored culinary address
In 2025, Ms. Lan's eel vermicelli restaurant was awarded the Bib Gourmand by Michelin Guide - for quality culinary addresses at reasonable prices.
Sharing about her feelings when being honored by Michelin Guide, she could not hide her pride and happiness: I was very surprised to receive an invitation from Michelin. Both nervous and worried, not knowing whether it was real or fake, and I also did not plan to go because it was too far away. After that, my daughter had to call to convince her mother to come and receive the award.
After receiving the Michelin award, the number of customers coming to the restaurant skyrocketed, tourists flocked. "Many people who don't know the restaurant, just come to enjoy it after reading the newspaper and all nod in approval," she said.
Tough but worth it
When asked about the things that made her happiest, Ms. Lan did not hesitate to answer: "My profession has been passed down, the flavor of my house is loved, everyone comes to eat, I feel very happy. I didn't expect to be so lucky."
"Many customers still come to visit and congratulate me on being like today. There are people who have eaten on the sidewalk since I was a sidewalk seller until now, they still love and like the flavor of my house," said the restaurant owner.
There are even customers who, whether busy or have long routes, still visit the restaurant 3-4 times a week to enjoy eel vermicelli.
Ms. Tu Nguyet Anh (22 years old, Hanoi) shared: "Before, I didn't like to eat eel, even eel vermicelli, but you introduced me so I came to try it. The dish here is really suitable for those who are not used to eating eel like me. I think this dish has the potential to be introduced internationally because other countries do not like to eat or use eel and do not process eel as elaborately as Vietnam, becoming a unique feature of Vietnamese culinary culture.
I am a person who really likes to experience Vietnamese cuisine, especially traditional, local dishes, said Thomas Checkman (35 years old), a tourist from Hong Kong (China).
He also said: "I don't like to go to too famous restaurants, because I want to feel the culture really through the dishes. And I must admit, this restaurant is really delicious and very worthy, it is very different from other dishes that I have tried in Vietnam.
Although the restaurant is famous, Ms. Lan did not choose to expand it en masse or grant a franchise, but hoped that her children and grandchildren would "open more and continue this profession".
Few people expected that behind the Bib Gourmand title awarded by the prestigious Michelin Guide was a difficult start-up journey, starting from a street vendor on the sidewalk of Hanoi.
For nearly 40 years, Chan Cam eel vermicelli has not only supported Mrs. Lan's family but also become a typical culinary feature of the ancient capital, a vivid testament to the cultural and culinary values of the locality here.
With affordable prices, from only 45,000 VND to 60,000 VND for a bowl of vermicelli, mixed vermicelli or stir-fried vermicelli,... Chan Cam Elong Mien restaurant always welcomes diners from 6am to 10pm at No. 1 P. Chan Cam, Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi.
