Chả Cá Thăng Long

Chả Cá Thăng Long is a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant at 6B Đường Thành in the Cửa Đông ward of Hanoi's Old Quarter, Vietnam, dedicated to chả cá, the turmeric-marinated fish dish that is one of the capital's best-known specialities. It occupies a larger, more comfortable building than the older chả cá houses and spreads over several floors, with a table-top burner at every setting. The signature dish is chả cá fried at the table with dill and spring onion, served with rice vermicelli, herbs, peanuts and a choice of mắm tôm shrimp paste or fish sauce. The menu also lists nem rán, the Northern fried spring rolls, for diners who want a second dish. Staff cook the fish in front of guests and explain how to assemble each bowl, which suits anyone meeting the dish for the first time and is the main reason the restaurant is popular with visitors. The dining room is bright and orderly compared with the atmosphere of the older chả cá houses, with a steady mix of local families, groups and travellers. Noise is moderate and the room fills with the smell of turmeric and dill during service. The drinks programme is simple, with beer, soft drinks and tea, and no notable wine list. The restaurant opens daily from 11:00 to 21:30. Reservations are recommended at weekends, while walk-in is usually possible on weekdays, so groups should phone or ask the hotel to book ahead. Prices are around 200,000 to 300,000 VND (USD 7.70 to 11.55) per person, in line with other chả cá restaurants in the city. The location on Đường Thành sits a few minutes on foot from the busiest Old Quarter streets, and the multi-floor layout means larger parties can usually be seated together. Diners who prefer milder flavours can take the fish sauce rather than the shrimp paste, and the staff are used to explaining both options.