Bún Ốc Riêu Cua Thanh Hải: Rice vermicelli tomato soup with crab cake paste and snails (optional)
- Address: 14/12 Kỳ Đồng, P. 9, Q. 3, Hồ Chí Minh: (Map)
- Located in an alley
- Hours: 7 am – 9 pm daily
- Dish and cost:
- Bún Ốc Riêu Cua (Crab noodle soup with snails): 35,000 Dong ~ $1.60 USD
- Bún Riêu Cua (Crab noodle soup): 28,000 Dong ~ $1.30 USD
I’m still not sure why Vietnamese food have so many soup dishes since the country is humid and scorching hot almost all year long, but I can’t complain. It’s delicious! I think because it’s comforting to slurp the soup. Also, it can fill you up fast while still providing amazing flavors. The general name for this dish is Bún Riêu, but since it’s often cooked with crab (Cua), the more common name is Bún Riêu Cua. The broth is made from ripe tomatoes, tamarind, and the liquid strained from puréed freshwater crabs. The paste residue of the crab is then made into delicate crab cakes (the gray chunks in the bowls). The broth is light with a hint of tanginess from the tamarind and sweetness from the seafood. A plate of shaved banana flowers, bean sprouts, and various herbs are often eaten with this comforting dish. If you are feeling a little adventurous, add a little of the shrimp paste (Mắm Tôm) to intensify the flavor of the soup.