The culinary alley is full of famous delicious restaurants in the capital, with customers coming and going in droves.

Located in the core of the old quarter and adjacent to the most sophisticated food market in Hanoi, Trung Yen gathers many long-standing, famous and crowded restaurants such as Pho Suong, Ngan Nhan, Bun Ca Sam Cay Si... This is considered the most famous culinary alley in the capital.

From 10:30 am to 1:30 pm is the time when Trung Yen alley is the most bustling and lively. Restaurants are located close together, customers come and go in droves, cars weave through each other, honking loudly.

The alley has all kinds of different dishes from wonton noodles, Southern beef noodles, beef pho, duck vermicelli, fish noodles, fake dog bean noodles, to iced tea, milk tea, ice cream, lotus seed longan sweet soup... People who take advantage of the parking service here also "do well", "getting tired" parking cars and collecting money.

Located right at the beginning of the alley, going from Dinh Liet is Pho Suong restaurant. For more than 30 years, Pho Suong restaurant of Mr. Ty's descendants - the owner of the "Pho Cu Tau in Green Shirt" stall - has still kept the traditional flavor, attracting customers. Currently, the restaurant is run by Mr. Ty's children and grandchildren.

The owner shared that the pho broth is simmered from beef marrow bones, without using any other bones for 14 - 15 hours. The broth has ginger and fish sauce, but no cinnamon or star anise. Each bowl of pho here costs from 55,000 VND - 80,000 VND.

Coming to Trung Yen alley, it is rare for anyone not to notice the long queue in front of the small stall of Nhan goose restaurant. This place was once famous on social media with videos of the owner "cursing like singing". The goose restaurant is called "Nhan" but visitors who want to enjoy it have to accept the hardship of queuing. During peak hours, the waiting time can be up to 20-30 minutes.

But it cannot be denied that Nhan duck vermicelli has an attractive flavor. The broth is made from duck bones and dried mushrooms, fragrant and rich in flavor. The duck pieces are fatty, soft, and sweet. The bamboo shoots served with it are also dried bamboo shoots, stewed thoroughly, with fresh, chewy meatballs. In addition, depending on your preference, you can order hot fried dough sticks to eat with it.

Through Pho Suong and Ngan Nhan, there is Sam Cay si fish noodle soup, which is over 20 years old and attracts domestic and foreign diners with its fish rolls. Many people still jokingly call this "san si fish noodle soup".

"If you go from the direction of Hang Be market, you will pass a Southern beef noodle shop, then go to "san si" fish noodle shop, Nhan duck, and Suong pho. People often joke that this is the alley where "crawling through san si will lead to leisure and happiness", that's why", a resident of Hang Be market said.

The fish noodle shop is located next to an old wall, at the corner of Trung Yen alley. The Sam Cay Si fish noodle uses tilapia. The broth has a light sour taste, simmered from fish bones, cooked with a mixture of pineapple and tomatoes. A bowl of fish noodle includes a few pieces of fried golden crispy fish cakes, noodles, and seasonal vegetables such as green cabbage, celery, and bean sprouts. The fish cakes here are golden and crispy even when left in the bowl of noodles for a long time. To please customers, the restaurant also has other dishes such as mixed fish noodle, fish pho, or fish rice noodles...

Fish rolls with meat is the restaurant's signature dish. The outer layer is soft perch meat, wrapped inside with minced meat and wood ear mushrooms, covered with crispy fried flour. The fish meat is sweet, has a very unique flavor, fragrant, rich and strange. The fish rolls are dipped in a special sauce.

The restaurant is open from 7am to 5pm daily. The price for a bowl of vermicelli soup is 45,000 VND, a mixed bowl is 50,000 VND, and a fish roll wrapped in meat is 13,000 VND. The busiest time is at noon every day and on weekends.

The restaurant serving delicious fish noodle rolls with meat is packed with customers (Video: Xuan Minh - Thuy Chi)

One thing to note, Trung Yen alley is famous but also an address that is easily confused by tourists. Many people have mistaken this place name for Trung Yen area (Cau Giay), which is dozens of kilometers away.

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