I cannot stomach a bowl of Hue beef noodle soup stuffed full with toppings but no soul

I agree with the article "I’m afraid of the ‘full topping’ bowls of bun rieu (crab noodle soup) many Vietnamese eat for breakfast" by author Tin Tin. I also worry about the unhealthy eating habits of many Vietnamese people and the poor quality of food sold on the market today.

One example is bun bo gio heo (beef and pork leg noodle soup), a dish I have always enjoyed. About 20 years ago, a bowl of this soup only had a few pieces of pork leg and some rare or well-done beef, but the flavor was so rich and satisfying that I could eat two bowls at a time.

Today vendors often serve bun bo gio heo with large chunks of pork leg that have been overcooked until all the flavor is gone so the meat in the soup is bland and dry.

A bowl of bun bo Hue features different cuts of beef and pork knuckles. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Mai

In Hanoi, bun bo Hue shops now add various toppings such as sausage, pork paste, and unlaid chicken eggs to their soup. The bowl may look full, but the taste is muddled, and the dish’s original flavor is lost. I find this way of cooking unappealing, yet it has become common practice so diners have little option.

Bun rieu and bun bo are not the only dishes to be modernized. Many other dishes now follow the trend of adding more ingredients and toppings, but the taste no longer matches their traditional recipes. The food I eat today cannot compare to what it used to be.

Many restaurant owners claim their dishes are "family recipes," but they often lack traditional seasoning and fresh herbs. Instead, they focus on creating bowls filled with toppings that fail to match the quality of simpler versions. Still, many people seem to enjoy and praise these dishes. Perhaps today’s taste favors quantity over quality.

Some eateries still maintain authentic flavors without relying on too many ingredients to attract customers, but such places are becoming rare, and not every diner can tell the difference. Most vendors now follow the "more toppings" trend.

Vietnamese cuisine is known for its balance between ingredients and seasoning, not for how much fits in a bowl. If the trend of excessive and unbalanced cooking continues, traditional culinary values may fade away. I hope Vietnamese food will return to what it once was, simple, genuine, and full of flavor.