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Travel Vietnam Hanoi Travel Hanoi Searching for the Original Nem Nuong in Hanoi
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When I traveled to Luang Prabang, I tried Lao nem nuong. When I tasted it there, I noted that "The nem nuong at Vichun's shop is spelled 'Nam Nuong' in Lao script without the 'H'. But when it came to Thailand, the 'H' was added. Language changes happen (some words don't change like 'cat' which is the same in Thai, Lao, and Vietnamese). Vichun's nem nuong has Thai-style side dishes but also fried spring rolls added. Everything else is the same, including raw bananas.
Garlic, bird's eye chili, fried or steamed pork meatballs, and rice noodles are included. Vichun's nem nuong tastes delicious like Thai style, no difference in dipping sauce or how to eat it by wrapping in thin rice paper. Today, arriving in Hanoi, I must find out the true origin of Vietnamese nem nuong. One problem I found traveling in Vietnam is communication with locals is difficult. Vietnamese people rarely speak English, even restaurant staff.
The restaurant I ate at today is popular among Vietnamese. The dish looks similar to our nem nuong. I learned that the spelling 'Nam Nuong' I saw in Luang Prabang is correct, without the 'H'. 'Nam' means marinated pork, 'Nuong' means grilled. Nem nuong is marinated pork grilled and eaten with various vegetables and fried spring rolls. The restaurant has two floors; I ate upstairs.
In Vietnam, the restaurant I visited serves marinated pork grilled and then placed in a clear, slightly sweet broth. They also have fried spring rolls like in Laos, but here they don't use rice paper wraps; they use fresh vegetables instead. Besides fresh vegetables, they also serve pickled vegetables and white rice noodles as side dishes. Personally, I like the marinated pork; it's delicious and fragrant. I want to eat it again. I believe the original nem nuong is like this.
When Vietnamese brought nem nuong to Laos, they might have lacked some wrapping vegetables, so they adapted by using rice paper wraps. When it came to Thailand, it became rice paper wraps as well. As far as I know, nem nuong was first introduced to Thailand decades ago in Udon Thani province, not far from Vientiane. Today, nem nuong is famous throughout Thailand, and this new flavor has won Thai people's hearts. There's no need to eat the traditional style anymore. Well, I hope this helps you understand nem nuong better.
Let's explore other parts of Hanoi. Before I ate nem nuong the next day, I arrived in Hanoi around 9-10 pm and walked around Hanoi's night market near Hang Dao street, passing Dong Xuan market. I have a video of the shopping street to share. This is the marinated pork grilled dish I enjoyed very much. Another interesting place is Dong Xuan market, located at the end of Hang Dao street, north of the Old Quarter. Dong Xuan market is a must-visit.
Historically, this market was burned down in 1994 but was restored to preserve its old atmosphere as much as possible. The market offers a wide variety of goods including woven products, small rugs, food, clothes, souvenirs, CDs, DVDs, and cheap wine. There are also flower shops along the street, traditional medicine shops with distinctive herbal scents, and shops selling medicinal liquors with various animals in bottles for tasting.
There are snake wine, gecko wine, and lizard wine. At night, beside the market, there are liquor shops which I aimed to try. Liquor or Hotpot is like our sukiyaki, a hot pot with vegetables, meat, pork, chicken, seafood, and delicious dipping sauces. The liquor shops beside Dong Xuan market are very popular among Hanoi locals and tourists. Young Vietnamese workers and youth also eat here.
Sitting and eating while watching the lifestyle of young urban Vietnamese and people walking by is enjoyable. A little warning: when eating in Vietnam, whether at liquor shops or other restaurants, always ask the price before ordering. Otherwise, the bill might be unexpectedly high. For hotpot, they sell it as a set, but when staff serve, they bring many extra items. Diners might think everything is included in the set, but many items are extra and must be paid for. So ask if this is included in the set.
Of course, they don't speak English or Thai, only Vietnamese, so use gestures if you can't speak the language. Vietnamese hotpot or 'Lau' must be tried when visiting Hanoi. Another tourist spot to visit day or night is Hoan Kiem Lake. This lake is located in the heart of Hanoi's Old Quarter. Most independent travelers staying in the Old Quarter prefer accommodations here.
The area is like Khao San Road in Thailand, with many guesthouses and budget hotels, tour agents offering domestic travel packages by bus, train, or plane, many local and Western food shops, and souvenir shops. Hoan Kiem Lake has a legend that King Le Thai To brought a magical sword to fight the Ming and liberate the country.
He sailed into the lake to return the magical sword to a sacred turtle. It is said the turtle surfaced, snatched the sword from the king's hand, and disappeared into the lake. This is why the lake is called the Lake of the Returned Sword. In the middle of the lake, you can see an ancient pagoda built in the 18th century called Thap Rua (Turtle Tower).
Turtle Tower means 'Turtle Tower,' and many say they have seen large turtles in the lake, especially during seasonal changes. This trip to Vietnam was my first preparation to see what else I need to know to cover Vietnam fully within two years. I won't stay here long on this first trip, but next time I will stay longer to gather complete information for the website. What I learned is I must learn Vietnamese to live here.
