Literally known as “Nam Pho soup cake”, the dish looks quite like Japanese udon which has the thickness of a chopstick, more or less. The Vietnamese word banh refers to items such as noodles or cakes that are made from flour, and canh means “soup”.

Unlike other noodles, banh canh Nam Pho, made from a mixture of rice and tapioca flour, is cooked by hot steam from boiled water, which ensures the uniform shape of the noodles. Banh canh Nam Pho, served with shrimp, ground crab and covered with broth, was flavoured with spicy vegetables. 

Many families in Nam Pho have kept the tradition of making the noodles for several generations, and the special taste that has lasted for centuries has now gone beyond the border of the village.

If you do not have a chance to visit Hue to try banh canh Nam Pho, you can find the dish at Mon Ngon Viet Nam Restaurant, located at 63 Ho Xuan Huong Str., Ho Chi Minh City.