Chả Cá – A dish carrying the culinary essence of Hanoi

Chả Cá has a special place in the Hanoian’s heart not only because of its phenomenal taste but also because this dish also carries many historical elements of the Vietnamese people.

In Hanoi, there’s a street dedicated entirely to Chả Cá – fillets of crispy turmeric-marinated fish. Just from that information alone, you probably know how special this dish is, right?

Hanoi is famous all over the world as the destination for exquisite delicacies. And one of the cuisines that represent the culinary essence of Hanoi is Chả Cá (grilled fish). You might think that there’s nothing special about grilled fish, but Chả Cá is actually a sophisticated dish that is tough to prepare.

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During the French colonial era, in 1871, the Doan Family invented Chả Cá and served the revolutionaries with the dish. It was so scrumptious that many people encouraged the Doan Family to open a restaurant. And then they did open one in 14 Hang Son Street. Following the restaurant’s successes, various Chả Cá eateries were opened right in the same street. In the end, Hang Son Street was renamed Chả Cá Street to venerate this dish.

The fish species used in this dish is catfish, a freshwater fish native to Vietnam and has a firm texture with a mild, sweet taste. The marinade is a mixture of garlic, shallots, turmeric, ginger root, sugar, salt, and fish sauce. Usually, the fish is marinated for a few hours and then grilled over charcoal.

When this food is served, a portable gas burner and a small searing hot pan full of turmeric-spiced fish, dill, and spring onions will be brought to the eaters’ table, along with various accouterments such as roasted peanuts, rice noodles, chili, and fresh herbs such as basil and dill. The dipping sauce for this dish is fermented shrimp paste which might smell a bit musky and potent at first but is full of umami tastes when combined with all the ingredients.

Sizzling Chả Cá fillets will be served with some crushed peanut, rice noodles, and also the fresh herbs that come with it.

The diners will pour on top a bit of shrimp paste, some pieces of chilies, a few sprinkles of black pepper, and enjoy! The golden color, soft crust, and mouth-watering fragrance will wake up all of your senses. And all the combined components create a profoundly appetizing taste that will make you crave for more.