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Simple yet unforgettable dishes
Buon Ma Thuot has many things to remember: the aroma of roasted coffee in the early morning breeze, tree-lined streets, the red color of the basalt soil after the rain. And in the city's culinary memory map, red noodles always occupy a special place.
No one knows exactly when this dish originated. Red noodles aren't associated with a famous legend, nor did they come from a long-established restaurant. Red noodles seem to have grown up alongside the neighborhoods, street vendors, and daily life of Buon Ma Thuot.
Red rice noodles are associated with street vendors and the daily life of Buon Ma Thuot.
At first glance, many people easily mistake red noodles for crab noodle soup or Southern-style noodle soup. But after just a few bites, the difference becomes apparent. The noodles here are significantly thicker, almost as thick as a small chopstick. When dipped into the boiling broth, the noodles turn a distinctive reddish-orange color, giving the dish its name that has stuck for decades.
The red color isn't overly vibrant, but rather resembles the color of basalt soil under the afternoon sun. In the bowl of vermicelli, the red of the annatto oil harmonizes with the color of the crab roe, tomatoes, and broth, creating a bowl of vermicelli that is both rustic and unforgettable.
Red rice noodles are distinguished by their vibrant red color and significantly thicker strands compared to regular rice noodles.
The broth is also what sets this dish apart. It's not as light as pho, not as rich as Hue beef noodle soup, and not as sour as crab noodle soup. It's a sweet flavor derived from simmering bones for hours, combined with crab paste, minced meat, meatballs, and sometimes tender pieces of pork bone. Everything blends together to create a flavor that's hard to describe but very memorable.
Perhaps that's why many people in Buon Ma Thuot consider red noodles to be their city's signature dish, just like how people in Hanoi mention pho or people in Hue mention beef noodle soup.
Thu's Red Noodles and the Story of a Familiar Place
If you ask locals where to eat red noodle soup, the name Thu almost always comes up in the first answers because Thu's red noodle soup has been a part of the daily lives of people in downtown Buon Ma Thuot for over 20 years on Phan Dinh Giot Street.
Even though it has moved to 26 Dinh Tien Hoang Street, many people still habitually refer to it as "Thu Phan Dinh Giot red noodle soup." This partly shows the extent of the restaurant's connection with the local people.
Thu's red noodle soup has the distinctive atmosphere of a long-standing local eatery.
Here, the red rice noodles are cooked using a family recipe that has been maintained for many years. The broth is simmered from pork bones for hours. The noodles are thick, chewy, and retain their firmness even after being soaked in hot water for a long time. A bowl of noodles usually includes minced meat, meatballs, crab paste, quail eggs, and various accompanying vegetables.
Interestingly, first-time diners are often drawn in by the color, but what keeps them coming back is the flavor. Behind that striking red lies a perfect balance: rich enough to make an impression without being overwhelming, creamy enough without being cloying.
2023 was a special year for Thu's red noodle shop when it was chosen by the EBS television crew (South Korea) to film for the famous travel program World Theme Travel.
Sharing about this memory, the current owner said: "When the program aired, the family was very moved to see a familiar dish from Buon Ma Thuot being introduced to international audiences in such an authentic and heartwarming way."
Thu's red noodle shop was once filmed and broadcast in South Korea by a South Korean television station.
According to the restaurant owner, during the filming of the documentary, the EBS team spent a lot of time researching the dish, from the ingredients and preparation methods to the story behind the bowl of red noodle soup. The reporters visited the restaurant to sample the dish, filmed the cooking process, and spoke with the family about their journey in preserving the flavor of red noodle soup in the heart of the mountain town.
"We are delighted that a simple dish from Buon Ma Thuot has become known and loved by international friends. It's a source of pride not only for our restaurant but also for local cuisine," the owner shared.
On chilly mornings in the mountain town, the most familiar sight is probably the steaming bowls of red noodle soup being continuously placed on the tables. People eat quickly before work. Groups of friends chat over glasses of iced tea. Visitors from afar order the dish for the first time out of curiosity.
What makes red noodle soup so appealing doesn't lie in its complexity. This dish doesn't use expensive ingredients, doesn't require complicated preparation techniques, and isn't heavily promoted like many other specialties. Yet, over the years, red noodle soup has remained a persistent part of the lives of the people of Buon Ma Thuot.
Today, visitors to Buon Ma Thuot can find many fascinating experiences: coffee plantations, museums telling the stories of the Central Highlands, or pristine forests. But amidst so much to discover, a bowl of red noodle soup in the morning remains the simplest way to understand this city.
