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Ha Giang is cool amidst its towering rocky plateau, even in summer. Early mornings are still shrouded in mist. Therefore, people often eat very hot dishes like pho and noodles. Interestingly, you can find pho made from rice rolls here. While Dong Van has hot egg rice rolls and rice rolls with broth, in Meo Vac, you can enjoy pho made from rice rolls. This is considered one of the "Best Dishes in Vietnam" – according to Ms. Ngoc Tran, author of the book "40 Delicious Vietnamese Dishes As Listed By CNN".
The best places to find delicious breakfast food are often just small, unassuming houses on the street, or small kitchens hidden deep in narrow alleys under windows. To make egg rolls, after spreading the rice flour batter evenly on a cloth, crack an egg into it, cover it, and wait for it to cook. This way, the egg is perfectly cooked with a runny yolk, and the roll remains soft and smooth. When you cut into a piece, you can see the rich, fragrant, and creamy yolk gradually oozing out. Or, if you prefer, you can choose rolls with meat or wood ear mushroom filling. People in Ha Giang don't use fish sauce, but rather broth made from pork bones, served with a little scallion and cilantro, a few slices of sausage, pepper, and chili, giving Ha Giang egg rolls a very distinctive flavor. The price is only about fifteen thousand dong per plate.
Ha Giang also has a dish called sour pho, or cool pho, which is best enjoyed on hot summer mornings. The pho noodles are also made from ground rice flour, so many people roll them into thin strips and use them like pho noodles. Sour pho contains char siu (barbecued pork), roast duck, peanuts, Chinese sausage, and a broth made from vinegar, sugar, tapioca starch, and spices. To truly enjoy cool pho, you need plenty of herbs, scallions, shredded papaya, garlic, and chili peppers; slurping it up is the most satisfying experience.
On a chilly summer morning in Ha Giang, sitting by a street corner and watching the smoke from the kitchen rise like mist while waiting for a bowl of pho to come out of the oven is a truly special experience, especially for a first-time traveler.
Text: PHAN CAC TRUC | Photos: NGOC TRAN
