Chả Cá Lã Vọng

Chả Cá Lã Vọng is a single-dish restaurant at 14 Chả Cá in the Hàng Đào ward of Hanoi's Old Quarter, Vietnam, on the street that took its name from the dish. It is housed in a creaking colonial-era building and serves one thing: chả cá, fish marinated in turmeric and fried at the table with dill and spring onion. The set arrives with rice vermicelli, roasted peanuts, fresh herbs and mắm tôm, the pungent fermented shrimp paste that is the traditional accompaniment, and there is nothing else on the menu. That focus is the point of the address and is why it is often described as the house that gave the street its name. The signature dishes are the tableside chả cá, the bún noodles that go with it, and the bowl of peanuts and herbs. Diners cook the fish briefly in a pan on a small burner at the table, adding dill and spring onion as it finishes, then assemble their own bowls with noodles, herbs, peanuts and a dab of shrimp paste. The dining room is old and atmospheric rather than polished, with worn wooden floors and stairs, and a mix of local families and visitors. It can be noisy and the room smells of frying turmeric and dill, so it suits travellers who want an old-Hanoi experience over a quiet meal. There is no wine programme; beer and soft drinks are the usual accompaniments. The restaurant opens daily from 10:00 to 14:00 and from 17:00 to 21:00. Reservations are advisable for dinner and for groups, and diners can phone ahead. Prices run around 200,000 to 300,000 VND (USD 7.70 to 11.55) per person, which is high for Hanoi street food but modest for a sit-down meal. Mắm tôm has a strong smell and taste, and staff will usually serve it on the side, so first-timers can decide how much to use.