"Hue's noodle soup is more complex than phở: fermented shrimp paste in the lemongrass broth, thick round noodles, pork knuckle and beef shank together."
About Bún Bò Huế
Hue's ferocious noodle soup and arguably Vietnam's most complex bowl: a lemongrass-perfumed pork and beef bone broth spiked with fermented shrimp paste (mắm ruốc) and annatto oil to a fiery rust-red; served with thick round noodles, sliced beef shank, pork knuckle, Vietnamese sausage and a mound of fresh herbs; more intense than phở in every dimension; the imperial capital's proudest export.
Bún Bò Huế, a staple of Vietnam's cuisine
Hue's Noodle
Bun bo Hue is the fierce noodle soup of Hue, Vietnam's old imperial capital: a lemongrass-scented pork and beef bone broth, coloured rust-red with annatto and spiked with fermented shrimp paste. It is served with thick round rice noodles, sliced beef shank, pork knuckle and a mound of fresh herbs. It is bolder and more complex than pho in nearly every way.
The Mam Ruoc
The ingredient that defines it is mam ruoc, fermented shrimp paste, which gives the broth a pungent, funky, umami depth that no other seasoning reproduces. It is what makes bun bo Hue taste specifically of its city. Stirred into the broth, it underlies the lemongrass and chilli with a savoury funk.
The Broth
The broth is built from pork and beef bones simmered with lemongrass, then layered with annatto oil for colour and chilli for heat, producing a soup that is at once fragrant, spicy and deep. The thick round noodles are sturdy enough to stand up to it. Pork knuckle, beef shank and sausage round out the bowl.
Regional Depth
Bun bo Hue is a showcase of how regional Vietnamese cooking can differ from the national dishes. The broth belongs to a single city and tastes worlds apart from the pho found a short journey away. Eaten in Hue itself, with extra shrimp paste and pork knuckle, it is one of the country's most characterful soups.
What to Expect
The bún bò Huế arrives fiery red in a deep bowl. The lemongrass fragrance and the fermented shrimp funk hit simultaneously. The noodles are thick enough to resist the chopsticks slightly.
Why Try It
Bún bò Huế showcases the depth of Vietnamese regional cooking: the broth hails from a single city and stands apart from the national dish encountered two hours away.
✦ Photo Gallery
Insider Tips
Eat it in Hue, the versions in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are approximations.
Add mắm ruốc (fermented shrimp paste) at the table if offered. It deepens the broth significantly.
The pork knuckle (giò heo) is the best component, request extra.
