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Hanoi bún riêu cua has a gentle sourness, with riêu made from field crab that is pounded and strained for its juice. It is the dish I cooked from my first days in Saigon, at Bề Bề Nội, the predecessor of Bếp Kinh Kỳ. It differs quite a lot from the bowl most often found in Saigon.
The pictures in this article are illustrations. Bếp Kinh Kỳ no longer sells bún riêu.
What goes into a Hanoi bún riêu cua
The riêu is made from field crab: the crab bodies are pounded and strained for the juice that makes the riêu, and the crab roe is steamed separately. The broth is gently sour from giấm bỗng (a vinegar made from rice-wine lees) and tomato cut in wedges, with a little shrimp paste for depth. The noodles, according to the writer Vũ Bằng, should be a little thick and not swell up.
The vegetables are finely cut lettuce, split water spinach, banana blossom, perilla and Vietnamese balm.
How it differs from the Saigon version
| Hanoi bún riêu cua | Saigon-style bún riêu | |
|---|---|---|
| Broth | Gently sour from giấm bỗng and tomato | Crab broth cooked with pork knuckle and pork blood |
| Toppings | Crab riêu and crab roe, little else | Often adds pork knuckle, pork blood, snails and tofu |
| Vegetables | Lettuce, split water spinach, banana blossom, perilla, Vietnamese balm | Water spinach, bean sprouts, mint, scallion, coriander |
Both are crab noodle soups, differing in the taste of each region. If you are used to the richer Saigon bowl with many toppings, the Hanoi one may seem lighter at first. Eat slowly and the gentle sourness of giấm bỗng and the light sweetness of the crab slowly come forward.
Bề Bề Nội and its pot of crab riêu
The first restaurant I opened in Saigon was a small place in an alley in District 1, called Bề Bề Nội, specializing in Hanoi bún riêu. The customers were mostly people I knew, but the pot of riêu was cooked true to the North, gently sour rather than sharp, and gradually more people came looking for it.
After a while I renamed the restaurant Bếp Kinh Kỳ and narrowed the menu to Phở Gà and Bún Thang. So today it no longer sells bún riêu.
If you are looking for a delicate Northern Vietnamese flavor
Bún riêu is no longer on the menu, but Bếp Kinh Kỳ still cooks to Hanoi recipes with broth simmered for hours. Bún thang has a clear, gently sweet broth, and phở gà is the best-selling dish.
Quick answers
- Does Bề Bề Nội still sell bún riêu?
- No. It was renamed Bếp Kinh Kỳ and cooks only Phở Gà and Bún Thang.
- Where does the sourness in Hanoi bún riêu come from?
- From giấm bỗng together with wedges of tomato. It is a gentle sourness.
- How are bún riêu and bún thang different?
- Bún riêu is made from field crab and gently sour. Bún thang is a clear broth simmered from chicken and pork bones, served with shredded chicken, egg and sausage.
