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All Vietnam Hanoi Bún Thang 29 Hàng Hành
AO Edited Gastro Obscura

Bún Thang 29 Hàng Hành

This time-honored eatery near Hoàn Kiếm Lake serves the classic pairing of rice vermicelli soup and savory sticky rice.

Hanoi, Vietnam

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Dan Q. Dao
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The name for this dish roughly translates as “ladder noodles.”   Khanh Jeremiah for Gastro Obscura
Phở isn’t the only iconic noodle soup in town.   Dan Q. Dao for Gastro Obscura
Precisely organized toppings allow cooks to assemble bowls quickly.   Khanh Jeremiah for Gastro Obscura
Eat this soup when you feel a cold coming on.   Khanh Jeremiah for Gastro Obscura
Shredded chicken and glutinous rice round out a deeply satisfying meal.   Khanh Jeremiah for Gastro Obscura
The entrance to the restaurant is easy to spot.   Khanh Jeremiah for Gastro Obscura
Fatty, slow-cooked pork is a delicious topping.   Khanh Jeremiah for Gastro Obscura
Xôi gà is topped here with savory shredded chicken.   Khanh Jeremiah for Gastro Obscura
Broth is ladled over the vermicelli noodles.   Khanh Jeremiah for Gastro Obscura
Savory sticky rice and noodle soup is a killer combo.   Khanh Jeremiah for Gastro Obscura
Xôi gà is a specialty here.   Khanh Jeremiah for Gastro Obscura
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While phở is Hanoi’s most iconic noodle soup, there are many others worthy of your attention. One such example is bún thang (pronounced “boon taang”), a rice vermicelli noodle soup known for being light yet filling and savory. In the Vietnamese capital, you’ll find nearly a dozen restaurants hawking this noodle soup. Our favorite is this over 20-year-old standby near the scenic Hoàn Kiếm Lake, where bowls start at just VND50,000, or roughly two dollars. 

Often considered to be a medicinal dish—that is, a chicken noodle soup-esque dish that one enjoys to ward off a cold or other minor ailment—bún thang is made with a light, black pepper-seasoned chicken broth. It’s sometimes associated with Tết, or Vietnamese Lunar New Year, due to its connotation of health and prosperity.

The name, which translates to “ladder noodle” or “stair noodle,” speaks to its cumulative nature: the soup is crowned with a diverse array of protein including shredded chicken, cold cut meat or Vietnamese ham, and threads of scrambled egg. Herbs include Vietnamese coriander, scallion, and cilantro. All the toppings are thinly sliced and placed on top of the noodles. 

Often paired with bún thang is savory chicken sticky rice, or xôi gà, which offers a heartier bite to go alongside the broth. Another Hanoian specialty, the dish is made by topping steamed glutinous rice with shredded chicken as well as lạp xưởng, the Vietnamese rendition of the Chinese sweet pork sausage lap cheong.

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Like most Vietnamese noodle soups, bún thang is seen as a breakfast or lunch food—filling enough to provide energy, but light enough to prevent sluggishness. The restaurant is open from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., and is cash only. 

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Dan Q Dao

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November 7, 2023

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Bún Thang 29 Hàng Hành
29 Ng. Hàng Hành, Hàng Trống, Hoàn Kiếm
Hanoi
Vietnam
21.031447, 105.850467
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