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 close 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 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 are also "doing well", "tiring their hands" 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 to 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 there is no denying that Nhan duck vermicelli has an attractive flavor. The broth is simmered with duck bones and dried mushrooms, giving off a rich, aromatic flavor. The duck pieces are fatty, soft, and sweet. The bamboo shoots served with it are also well-simmered dried bamboo shoots, 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 has been around for over 20 years and attracts domestic and foreign diners with its fish rolls. Many people still jokingly call it "san si fish noodle soup".

"If you go from the direction of Hang Be market, visitors will pass a Nam Bo beef noodle shop, then "sandwich" fish noodle shop, Nhan duck, and Suong pho. People often joke that this is the alley where "crawling through the sand will lead to leisure and happiness", said a resident of Hang Be market.

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 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-brown fish cakes, noodles, and seasonal vegetables such as green cabbage, celery, and bean sprouts. The fish cakes here are golden brown and crispy even when left in the bowl of noodles for a long time. To please customers, the restaurant also has mixed fish noodle dishes, fish pho, or fish rice noodles...

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

The restaurant opens 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 times are lunchtime and weekends.

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

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

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