Fish cake noodle soup

Ask anyone from Nha Trang what to eat first and the answer is often the same: bún chả cá. This bowl of rice noodles and fish cake is the city’s everyday breakfast, eaten on low stools across town while the morning traffic passes by.

What is in the bowl

The base is a clear broth made with fish bones, often with a little tomato and pineapple for a gentle sweetness. Into it go soft rice noodles and slices of chả cá, a fish cake made from pounded fresh fish. The best fish cakes are springy and slightly chewy, with a clean taste of the sea.

Most bowls hold two kinds: steamed fish cake, pale and soft, and fried fish cake, golden on the outside. Some cooks add pieces of jellyfish, fish meat or greens. Plates of fresh herbs, shredded banana flower and lime come on the side.

Why it tastes different here

Fish cake noodles are eaten along much of Vietnam’s coast, but the Nha Trang version is known for its fish cake. Cooks use fish caught locally that morning, and many families have their own recipe for seasoning and pounding the mixture. The result is lighter and fresher than the fish balls you find in most cities.

How to eat it

Start by tasting the broth as it comes. Then make it yours: a squeeze of lime, a little chilli, some herbs. Locals often add a spoonful of the house chilli sauce and a splash of fish sauce. Eat the noodles with chopsticks, the broth with the spoon, and do not worry about slurping.

A bowl of bún chả cá at seven in the morning is the best way to start a day in Nha Trang.