Bun vinegar shop only open in summer in Hue

Located at a corner of Gia Hoi bridge on Chi Lang street, a few dozen meters from Dong Ba market, Me Lanh noodle shop has been famous for more than 20 years for its vermicelli with vinegar, only sold in the summer.

Nuoc is the local name for a legless mollusk that is abundant in the summer in the brackish lagoons of Hue. Nuoc is related to jellyfish but is only about half the size of a lemon. Every summer, nuoc is scooped up by fishermen, soaked in water and sold to wholesale markets.

A bowl of vermicelli with vinegar and shrimp. Photo: Minh Thao — A bowl of vermicelli with vinegar and shrimp. Photo: *Minh Thao*

Nuoc is often used to make salads with raw vegetables or to cook noodles. Nuoc vinegar noodles is a dish on the culinary list introduced to tourists by the People's Committee of Thua Thien Hue province.

The small noodle shop of Mrs. Lanh is located under the banyan tree, with a few tables and plastic chairs. The space is only enough to serve 20-25 people at a time, but it is always crowded with customers.

Me Lanh said the restaurant is crowded because it is the only vermicelli with vinegar and fish sauce restaurant in Hue City and is only open in the summer. The processing counter is located inside the porch, including two pots of sauce, surrounded by toppings such as vermicelli, fried spring rolls, shrimp, and raw vegetables. The vermicelli is processed cleanly, soaked in crushed guava leaves to keep it crispy. Me Lanh said this dish is special because of the sauce made from pickled bamboo shoots and accompanying shrimp paste, mixed with many other spices. The sauce is thick, cooked based on her own recipe. When eating, diners can add shrimp paste and fresh chili to enhance the flavor of the dish.

The only vermicelli with vinegar restaurant in Hue city. Photo: Minh Thao — The only vermicelli with vinegar restaurant in Hue city. Photo: *Minh Thao*

The restaurant only sells in the summer, from February to August or September, although nuoc is available all year round. "People rarely eat nuoc in the rainy season, so the nuoc season doesn't meet the target, so I don't sell it," said Ms. Lanh, adding that out-of-town guests are often introduced to the restaurant by tour guides, some learn about it through friends or social networking sites. Local guests come here regularly to eat, making up more than half.

Bun Me Lanh is usually open from 1pm to late afternoon every day and is crowded from 4pm to 5:30pm, when the weather in Hue has become cooler. On average, the restaurant sells 20-30kg of noodles every day, each bowl costs 35,000 VND.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Khanh, 42 years old, an office worker in Hue, said she often comes to the restaurant when she has free time. The noodle dish is unique and cool, suitable for a light afternoon snack. However, the waiting time for the dish is quite long because the restaurant is crowded.

Minh Thao

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