Vietnamese fish cake (Cha ca): A dish that can tickle your taste buds

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Vietnamese fish cake is one of the oldest dishes in Hanoi (Source: Collected)

Vietnamese fish cake is a traditional dish that originated from Hanoi. Also known as “cha ca”, this is one of the oldest foods representing the culinary essence of the capital city. Marinated fish is served with noodles, fresh greens, roasted peanuts, and either shrimp paste or fish sauce for dipping. Its iconic flavor will surely enhance your Vietnam travel experiences.

1. What is Vietnamese fish cake? What is it made of?

Vietnamese fish cake (cha ca) takes pride in being an authentic dish that newcomers should not miss out on when they visit Hanoi. There is even a street in the Old Quarter named after this dish – “Cha Ca Street”, which shows its popularity here.

Vietnamese fish cake is a famous traditional dish (Source: Collected)

Doan Family, a long-standing family in the Old Quarter, invented the original cha ca recipe, which has been passed down through generations. The dish was served to troops during the French colonial period. The family made it so well that the locals encouraged them to open a restaurant, which was named Cha Ca La Vong.

Vietnamese fish cake is a combination of fish with rice vermicelli, fresh herbs and a variety of side dishes. A sauce called mam tom is indispensable as it will greatly enhance the taste. This special local dipping sauce is made with sugar, shrimp paste, distilled rice wine, hot oil, and chili mixed together.

The fish chosen for a great Vietnamese fish cake is often tilapia or mackerel, which is marinated with turmeric, fish sauce, galangal, sugar, and ginger, creating the dish’s indistinguishable flavor. Prior to cooking, the fish must be kept cold at all times. Thanks to this careful preparation, the dish will not taste or smell fishy. The fish is lightly seasoned before being processed further.

Up till now, cha ca has been around for more than 130 years. It is not only a popular Vietnamese food for Hanoi’s people but also a favorite for many international visitors.

Vietnamese fish cake is famous not only for locals but also foreigners (Source: Collected)

2. Which dishes are served with Vietnamese fish cake?

2.1. Vietnamese fish cake with vermicelli salad (Bun cha ca)

Vietnamese fish cake with vermicelli salad is a specialty of Da Nang and a traditional Vietnamese noodle soup. The soup’s broth is traditionally made from fish or pork bones and tomatoes, and the fish cakes are made from dense, meaty, and firm white fish filets. Vermicelli, fish sauce, shallots, garlic, cilantro, dill, shrimp paste, and black pepper are also common ingredients in the soup. After the hot broth is ladled over the noodles, the dish is topped with fish cakes. Bun cha ca is particularly popular in the coastal towns of Vietnam.

Vietnamese fish cakes with vermicelli salad is well-known in seaside towns (Source: Collected)

2.2. Vietnamese fish cake with noodle soup (Banh canh cha ca)

Vietnamese fish cake with noodle soup is a savory soup with slices of fish cakes and thick rice noodles. Catfish, tilapia, codfish, barracuda, snakehead, and lizard fish are some common fishes used to make the fish cakes in this dish. They are often fried or steamed.

Together with bun ca, banh canh cha ca is a signature dish of Nha Trang, which is known as the city of seafood noodle soups. This is because the fish used in cha ca mostly comes from Nha Trang. There are also numerous variations of banh canh in Nha Trang and throughout Vietnam. These variations can differ significantly from region to region.

Vietnamese fish cake with noodle soup is made of thick rice noodles and fish cake (Source: Collected)

2.3. Vietnamese fish cakes with dill (Cha ca thi la)

The Vietnamese fish cakes in this dish have a crisp and golden texture along with smooth and springy insides. Fresh fish is cut into bite-sized pieces, coated with potato starch, then seasoned with a generous amount of dill and spring onions. The fish cakes are molded into thick patties or balls before being deep-fried until they turn golden in color. These fish cakes go well with soup, banh mi, or a steamed bowl of rice.

Vietnamese fish cakes with dill is a great complement to many other dishes (Source: Collected)

2.4. Banh mi with Vietnamese fish cakes (Banh mi cha ca)

This flavor-packed dish is a prime example of Vietnamese cuisine. It consists of golden fish cakes, a variety of fresh herbs and vegetables such as cucumber, coriander, shallots, and soy sauce or chili sauce. The fish cakes are typically made from pounded fish filets, then dipped into fish sauce, garlic, sesame oil, salt, and white pepper.

This banh mi is filled with fried fish cakes (Source: Collected)

3. Where to get the best Vietnamese fried fish cake?

• Hanoi

Vietnamese fried fish cake is so exceptional that you can find many restaurants serving this dish. Cha Ca Street, named after the dish, undeniably has the best cha ca at the restaurant of the Doan family – Cha Ca La Vong. Located at No.14, Cha Ca Street, it is considered one of the culinary symbols of the Old Quarter.

After enjoying cha ca in the capital city, you should continue your journey by visiting some well-known tourist attractions here, such as VinKE & Vinpearl Aquarium Times City. The aquarium will provide you with a one-of-a-kind experience as you can see the beauty of the underwater world. Meanwhile, VinKE is a “play and learn” playground for children to try their dream jobs or have fun in the modern game area.

VinKE & Vinpearl Aquarium is a fantastic place for children and families

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• Nha Trang

The coastal city of Nha Trang draws many domestic and foreign tourists thanks to not only its long pristine beaches but also the diverse and interesting cuisine. You can find the popular Vietnamese fish cake with noodle soup in many famous Nha Trang shops, including Banh canh cha ca Co Lien (26 Nui Mot street), Banh canh Co Cuoi (7 Bach Dang street), or Banh canh cha ca Co Sen (42 Vo Thi Sau street).

In addition to the memorable delicious taste of banh canh cha ca, there are many other marvelous attractions that are not to be missed here. Among them, VinWonders Nha Trang has proved to be one of the most appealing seaside destinations in the country for its international-standard games. This entertainment paradise will surely bring many relaxing moments and unforgettable memories for visitors.

VinWonders Nha Trang

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• Da Nang

Da Nang has many different types of seafood and products, so this region has many specialties made from local seafood, including Vietnamese fish cakes with vermicelli salad. To try the indistinguishable flavor of Da Nang’s bun cha ca, you can head to Nguyen Chi Thanh Street for Bun cha ca 109 and Bun cha ca Ong Ta, or Le Hong Phong street for Bun cha ca Ba Hoa and Bun cha ca Ba Phien.

Da Nang has its own variation of cha ca – bun cha ca (Source: Collected)

• Quy Nhon 

Quy Nhon draws a large number of visitors annually thanks to not only its natural landscapes and convenient accommodation services but also its cuisine with distinct characteristics. Here, you can try Quy Nhon’s fish cake noodles. The intricate sweetness of the cha ca here will take you by surprise, which you can try at Bun Ca Quy Nhon (53 Lam Van Thanh street), Bun Ca Thuy (261 Tang Bat Ho street), and Bun Ram My Hanh (32 Ngo Duc Ke street).

Quy Nhon’s fish cake noodles will surely win you over (Source: Collected)

Vietnamese fish cake, with its signature flavor, will make a wonderfully fragrant meal for you on your trip to the S-shaped country. Cha ca is also famous for local and foreign foodies as it is a representation of Vietnam’s culinary culture. This dish is definitely a must-try in any travel guide to Vietnam.

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