Hanoi is a historical and cultural centre in Vietnam so it keeps many historical places and traditional features of Vietnam. Talking about Hanoi, there are many interesting and attractive things especially foods. Hanoi is known with 36 streets and each street has unique foods. Visiting Cha Ca Street, we must say to “cha ca la vong” – a famous and special dish of this street.
Cha ca la vong
"Cha ca la vong" has the origin of Doan family, it has been famous since 1989 and until now “cha ca la vong” is recognized as a special food in Vietnam by Vietnamese state. The history of this dish is told as follows: in years of French domination period, in No.14 Hang Son there is Doan family who usually make the delicious cha ca to invite their guests.
After a long time, this dish has become famous and it is made to mainly serve for De Tham insurgent army and then these guests helped Doan family open a restaurant where they can gather and help Doan family earn money to bring up insurgent army as well as people in Doan family. The appearance and fame of this dish is also the reason Hang Son Street changes into Cha Ca Street. Especially, in the restaurant, a Mr La Vong- Khuong Tu Nha sitting to go fishing is always showed so guests called the name of restaurant “Cha Ca La Vong”.
To make this dish, it requires some strict techniques about choosing ingredients and spice. Specifically, fennel is taken from Lang, shrimp paste come from Thanh Hoa, vermicelli has origin of Thanh Tri, and etc. fish can be hemibagrus, snake- head, or mudfish but the best kind of fish is hemibagrus. Sauce is only the most wonderful when it is not too sweet, salty, or sour.
“Cha ca la vong” should be eaten when it is still hot. You can eat it with vermicelli, rice pancake, fennel, and shrimp paste. It is sure that the taste of this dish will make you go into ecstasy. Moreover, if you have eaten this special dish, you will want to have more chance to enjoy it. "Cha ca la vong" is really incomparable food of Cha Ca Street in particular and of Hanoi in general.
(Source :: http://getvietnamvisa.org )