NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang was treated to a plethora of Vietnamese dishes during his trip to Vietnam in late 2023, including the iconic Mrs. Am’s bun thang, a traditional mixed-ingredient vermicelli soup. The billionaire indulged in two generous bowls of this delicacy, paired with two cups of iced black coffee. He proclaimed it to be the finest breakfast he had ever experienced, a true testament to the culinary delights of Vietnam.
A Taste of Hanoi’s Signature Summit Dish
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Mrs. Am’s bun thang is a culinary masterpiece, artfully presented in a colorful bowl. Photo: Doan Nhat Anh captures the essence of this dish. |
On a spring day, February 27, 2019, the renowned Vuon Am Thuc (Culinary Garden Restaurant) on Cua Nam Street temporarily closed its doors as owner and chef Doan Van Lai whipped up a storm in the kitchen. He was preparing his signature dish, Mrs. Am’s Bun Thang, at the Hanoi Food Court within the Friendship Labor Cultural Palace. This venue was abuzz as the international media center during the historic summit between North Korea and the United States in Hanoi.
Lai reminisced about the overwhelming response, recalling how his counter was four times larger than others, and he had a dedicated team of fifteen employees working tirelessly. Yet, they could barely keep up with the demand. Some reporters returned up to eight times in four days, each time relishing the flavors and praising the food.
The culinary delights of Hanoi were on full display during the summit, with traditional food counters offering a variety of specialties. These included Pho Thin, Mrs. Lan’s banh khuc, bun cha, the irresistible Giang Cafe’s egg coffee, and the refreshing West Lake lotus tea. Of course, Mrs. Am’s Bun Thang took center stage.
Lai’s counter attracted a crowd of eager diners, curious to watch the chef in action. In just two days, they served an impressive 3,000 bowls of this delectable noodle dish, earning the reputation of serving “top-class bun thang.” This culinary masterpiece even caught the attention of international news channels, showcasing the unique flavors of Hanoi.
| Â Â Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang savors Mrs. Am’s Bun Thang during his visit to Vietnam in 2023. This dish left a lasting impression on the billionaire. Photo: Doan Nhat Anh captures the moment. |
Fast forward to 2023, and under heightened security, a mysterious group of foreign guests arrived at the Vuon Am Thuc restaurant in a fleet of luxury cars. To Lai’s astonishment, the guest was none other than Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, a technology giant worth $3.44 trillion. Jensen Huang, a Taiwanese-American millionaire and the tenth richest person in the world, had only been a familiar face on TV and in newspapers. His visit to Vietnam was focused on promoting the country’s semiconductor industry.
“Jensen Huang indulged in two bowls of bun thang and paired it with two cups of black iced coffee from our restaurant. He confessed that in all his global travels, he had never experienced such a delightful breakfast. Those words will forever be etched in my memory,” shared the third-generation chef of Mrs. Am’s Bun Thang, proud of his family’s legacy.
Special Vietnamese Delicacy Patrolled by the Late Writer Bang Son
“My grandmother, Le Thi Tho (also known as Le Thi Hai), started our family’s culinary journey by opening a bun thang stall on Cho Gao Street way back in 1888. It was one of the earliest food stalls in the historic Dong Xuan market. The business was then passed down to her daughter and my mother, Dam Thi Am,” Lai shared, shedding light on their family’s rich culinary heritage.
“Tran Duy Hung, the esteemed Chairman of the Hanoi Administrative Committee (Mayor), was a regular patron and a fan of our bun thang. Like all our customers, he patiently waited in line for his turn. I remember him as a slim man, often wearing white glasses and a uniform. Each time he visited, he would call out his order, ‘The usual, Mrs. Am.’ Those memories bring a smile to my face,” Lai added nostalgically.
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Mrs. Am’s Bun thang and its carefully selected ingredients come together to create a culinary masterpiece. Photo: Doan Nhat Anh showcases the beauty of this dish. |
Back in the day, their stall was a humble setup with a bamboo table and a few wooden benches. Yet, every morning until noon, it was bustling with customers. It became a joke that you couldn’t claim to be a true Hanoian unless you’d tasted Mrs. Am’s bun thang. The late writer Bang Son, a celebrated Hanoi cuisine writer, included this restaurant in his guide, sharing the story of couples who first tasted this dish in their youth and continued the tradition even as their hair turned gray, always seeking out Mrs. Am’s bun thang.”
When Lai relocated the restaurant to Cua Nam Street, they gained a new following among overseas Vietnamese diners. He shared the story of an elderly gentleman in his 80s who had lived abroad for three decades. Upon returning to Vietnam, he made a beeline for Dong Xuan Market to find Mrs. Am’s stall. After learning of the move, he walked from Dong Xuan to Cua Nam to savor a special bowl of bun thang. The satisfied customer expressed his joy at finding the taste he had missed during his years away from home.
The Captivating Beauty of Hanoi’s Specialty Dish
| The dish presents a delicate balance of savory and refreshing flavors, carefully crafted to tantalize the taste buds. Photo: An Vat Ha Noi Page captures the essence of this culinary masterpiece. |
As the name suggests, bun thang is a combination of bun, rice noodles, and thang, which translates from Sino-Vietnamese as either “soup” or a mixture of Oriental medicinal herbs. The heart and soul of this dish is the meticulously prepared pork and chicken bone broth. Additionally, bun thang boasts a generous combination of up to 12 ingredients, including boneless chicken, dried shrimp, pork bologna, fried egg, shiitake mushrooms, and fresh herbs, to name a few.
Bun thang‘s broth is a masterpiece in itself, clear and subtly sweet, with no hint of fishiness. The secret lies in their unique formula, which includes a small shrimp paste, giant water bugs, pickled radish, shallots, cilantro, and Vietnamese coriander—the latter four ingredients are finely chopped. When presented to guests, the bowl of noodles resembles a colorful flower, a true work of culinary art.
A squeeze of lime and a hint of chili add the perfect finishing touch to this dish, creating a harmonious balance of flavors. It’s a favorite among locals and visitors to Hanoi, offering a comforting and satisfying dining experience.
However, this Hanoi specialty is not as widely available as other dishes such as banh cuon and pho bo. In fact, it is a rare find outside of Vietnam’s capital city.
