It's all about the chives in this Saigon noodle soup

Of all the noodle soups to be lined up anywhere from steamy street corners to fancy tables in Saigon, this fish cake soup is possibly the greenest, thanks to a generous helping of chives.

The banh canh cha ca (fish cake noodles) at this Saigon eatery follows a traditional recipe from the central region and is served with thick tapioca noodles, crunchy pieces of fish cake, snakehead fish fillets and boiled quail eggs.

What makes it special is a large spoonful of chopped chives sprinkled on the top, canceling out the fishy smell and giving extra flavor to the broth.

 

 

It's all about the chives in this Saigon noodle soup

This Saigon noodle soup is all about chives

All diners have to do is squeeze in some lemon juice and add slices of red chili if you're a heat freak. The fish tastes better after dunked in spicy salty fish sauce, according to loyal fans.

One bowl costs VND30,000 ($1.32) and makes the perfect lunch or warm nighttime snack.

The restaurant is open from 9 a.m. until late at night and can be found easily at 54 Hoa Su Street, Phu Nhuan District.

The sign actually says "banh beo" as the shop's main dish is tiny steamed rice cakes, another famous central Vietnam dish.