Quang Noodles: What makes the dish worth trying?

If we have Pho in HaNoi, Bun bo( beef noodle) coming from central  Hue, now Quang noodle can be considered to be the culinary symbol of Hoi An ancient town. The following reveals the secret attraction of Quang noodle can answer the question.

The origin of this delicious dish can be figured out from its name. “Mì” means noodles and “Quảng” stands for the harmony province- Quang Nam in central Vietnam. Hoi An ancient town is a colorful city that belongs to Quang Nam. 

Quang noodle has been serving in Quang Nam since the 14th century and included in the local- food list of travelers to Hoi An today. It has so many different textures and a special broth. Making Quang noodle has a lot of steps but it’s all worthy of it. 

Quang noodle seems to be the most famous dish that every visitor always wants to eat

The dish is full of fresh ingredients.  Quang noodle is made with a thick noodle that had been dyed yellow using turmeric powders. For the fresh greens, there are herbs and lettuce mixed with the banana blossom and bean sprouts. To assemble the dish, they fill a bowl half-full of fresh greens, then place some noodles on the top of green. Sliced meats and shrimp will be placed over. Then you ladle in the broth, ½ way up the bowl. 

Some green onion and thinly sliced shallots, shredded banana flowers are on over the top. Last but not least, Quang noodles cannot go without the toppings of roasted peanuts, rice crackers, and sliced lemon. It will be served with an extra plate of fresh greens. Everything looks yummy. The locals in Quang Nam like to add spicy flavor to their bowl, so Quang noodle is more delicious with green chili peppers. Now you can use chopsticks to mix well before serving and enjoy! 

So what makes Quang noodles unique like this? That the broth of Quang noodle. While broth of Pho, Hu Tieu, Bun Bo,... has to be from beef, pork, chicken, duck. Quang noodles can be cooked with a combination of shrimp, pork, chicken, beef, etc. The broth is simmered, the flavors in your soup may become concentrated like sauce which is rather sweet and spicy. People in central Vietnam love the taste of spicy food but other region has its own way to make Quang Noodle by replacing the meat. 

Despite the preparation time, Quang noodle is usually cheap to eat- under $2/ a bowl. But the price may be changed depending on the kind of restaurants and the other combination. For example, prices go from 25,000 for a basic bowl with shrimp and up to 150,000 and for the pork, spring rolls, or rice crackers. So be careful to ask them the prices before ordering. 

Other Hoi An Specialties

Cao Lau Noodles:

 One of the best noodles in Hoi An and only in this old town. Back in time, rich traders and merchants from all over the world come to Vietnam, they usually sit on the second- floor and eat this food. So, Cao Lau is considered as a wonderful food for rich people. It is a perfect combination of chewy noodles, boiled shrimp, smoky pork, crisp greens, and crunchy croutons, as well as refreshing bean sprouts. Everything is balanced with a fresh green, concentrated broth. This is a must-try dish when you visit Hoi An ancient town. 

Hoi An pancakes (Banh xeo): 

The Legendary Sizzling Pancake is delicious street food. It has a yellow outer and is filled with pork strips, shrimp, the batter made with rice flour, bean sprouts and spring onion. When we pour the rice batter into the hot skillet, the sizzling sound creates. So that’s why people call this pancake “Banh xeo” in Vietnam. You can eat them with an extra plate of fresh greens, put all of them into the rice paper and roll them tightly. Don’t forget to dip the roll into the sauce. The second way to enjoy it is by using chopsticks to eat “banh xeo” directly. Its attraction does not reduce any less.

Fresh beer: 

Strolling down the streets, enjoying picturesque scenery with the locally-brewed beer in Hoi An is an amazing experience. It’s very cold and cheap. You cannot buy them in restaurants. But there are a lot of local brewers who sell them daily. You can purchase and use it within 24 hours. The other option is enjoying local cocktails. Many places offering cheap cocktails will be using local spirits.

All of these noodles can be found easily while you wander the streets of Hoi An city. Book some tickets to Hoi An ancient town and let me know how much you’ll love “Hoi An” when your stomach is full of noodles.